Dictionary of Bible Themes: 5918 pleasure

5918 pleasure

Dictionary of Bible Themes

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