Dictionary of Bible Themes » 5000 Humanity » 5760 Human attitudes and behaviour » 5918 pleasure
A gratifying emotion, used in Scripture to refer to both human and divine emotions. Believers are invited to take pleasure in every aspect of God's creation, while not allowing pleasure in the creation to overshadow pleasure in the Creator himself.
Divine pleasure
That which gives God pleasure
Psalm 147:11; Jeremiah 9:24 See also Psalm 37:23; Psalm 149:4; Proverbs 11:20; Proverbs 12:22; Matthew 11:25-26 pp Luke 10:21; Matthew 12:18; Isaiah 42:1; Ephesians 1:5,9
That which does not give God pleasure
Psalm 5:4; Ezekiel 18:23 See also Psalm 51:16; Psalm 147:10; Isaiah 1:11; Ezekiel 18:32; Ezekiel 33:11
Human pleasure
God provides everything for the enjoyment of life
Ecclesiastes 8:15; 1 Timothy 6:17
Pleasure in human physical relationships
Songs 4:10 See also Songs 1:2; Songs 2:3; Songs 7:6
Such pleasures are not satisfying in themselves
Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 See also Ecclesiastes 2:1-2,24-25
True pleasure is found in the things of God
Psalm 16:11; Psalm 37:4; Romans 7:22 See also Psalm 1:2; Psalm 35:9; Psalm 43:4; Psalm 111:2; Psalm 112:1; Psalm 119:16; Proverbs 10:23; Proverbs 16:13; Proverbs 18:2; Isaiah 55:2; Jeremiah 6:10; Jeremiah 15:16
Pleasures may also be misleading or positively sinful
Luke 8:14; Titus 3:3 See also Proverbs 1:22; Proverbs 2:14; Ecclesiastes 7:4; Isaiah 66:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:12; 1 Timothy 5:6; 2 Timothy 3:4; Hebrews 11:25; James 4:3; 2 Peter 2:13-14
See also
1070 God, joy of 4040 beauty 5385 leisure 5735 sexuality 5830 delight 5844 emotions 5846 enjoyment 5874 happiness 5939 satisfaction 8283 joy 8460 pleasing God 8821 self-indulgence