This short psalm is a calling-out for praise to the Lord.  Notice that this psalm begins and ends with the same phrase, “Praise ye the LORD.”  In the first three verses of this chapter, the people of God are called upon to praise and rejoice in the Lord.  Verse 4 gives the reason, “For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.”

While the whole world belongs to the Lord, and He is the creator of all men.  The Lord does not take pleasure in all men.  He takes pleasure in ‘His people.’  In this portion, His people are the Israelites, His earthly people.  Who are His people today?  John 1:12 tells us, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”  His people are those who have received the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior. They are the children of God.

The one Hebrew word which is translated ‘taketh pleasure’ is ‘ratsah.’  To get a good idea of the meaning of this word, let’s see how that same word is translated in other places in the Old Testament.

In Leviticus 22:27, it is translated ‘accepted.’

In Leviticus 26:34, it is translated ‘enjoy.’

In 1 Samuel 29:4, it is translated ‘reconcile.’

In 1 Chronicles 28:4, it is translated ‘liked.’

In 1 Chronicles 29:3, it is translated ‘set my affection.’

In Psalm 62:4, it is translated ‘delight.’

What an overwhelming thought to realize that we who belong to the Lord are accepted by Him, He enjoys us, He has reconciled us to Himself, He likes us, He has set His affection on us, and He finds His delight in us.  This has nothing to do with our own merit and worth…we have none.  But the Lord has determined to love us and take pleasure in us.

“He will beautify the meek with salvation.”  To those who have been humbled, and felt their need of salvation; the Lord is gracious to freely give them salvation. They are meek and probably rejected by the world.  Yet He puts a beauty upon them of the most excellent kind. He saves them by sanctifying them, and so they wear the beauty of holiness, and the beauty of a joy which springs out of full salvation. He makes his people to become meek, and then makes the meek to become beautiful. How can we consider these divine truths and refrain ourselves from praising and rejoicing in our Lord?  I say we cannot!  As we know more of Him and His delight in us, our hearts leap and cause us to praise Him.

King David wrote in Psalm 35:27, “Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.”  (211.4)