John Calvin Commentary Psalms 37:4

"Delight thyself also in Jehovah; And he will give thee the desires of thy heart." — Psalms 37:4 (ASV)

And delight yourself in Jehovah. This delight is set in opposition to the vain and deceitful allurements of the world, which so intoxicate the ungodly that, despising the blessing of God, they dream of no other happiness than what is currently before their eyes.

This contrast between the vain and fickle joys with which the world is deluded, and the true repose enjoyed by the godly, should be carefully observed. For whether all things smile on us, or whether the Lord tests us with adversities, we should always hold fast to this principle: since the Lord is the portion of our inheritance, our lot has fallen in pleasant places, as we have seen in Psalm 16:5, 6.

We must therefore constantly recall to our minds this truth: it can never be well with us except insofar as God is gracious to us, so that the joy we derive from His fatherly favor towards us may surpass all the pleasures of the world.

To this injunction, a promise is added: if we are satisfied in the enjoyment of God alone, He will liberally bestow on us all that we will desire: He will give you the desires of your heart.

This does not imply that the godly immediately obtain whatever their imagination may suggest to them; nor would it be for their profit that God should grant them all their vain desires. The meaning is simply that if we focus our minds wholly on God, instead of allowing our imaginations like others to roam after idle and frivolous fancies, all other things will be bestowed on us in due season.