It Pleases God to Save

“For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.” (Ps 149:4 AV)

 From time to time we should remember the LORD does take pleasure in us.  We may be screw-ups, but the LORD still takes pleasure in us.  We often look at the word of God as primarily a work for correction, rebuke, and instruction.  I am reminded of the structure of many of the prophetical books of the Old Testament.  The majority of themes that come from them are of judgment.  But many also include statements of promise, encouragement, and hope.  If all we had was negative, then we may lose heart in trying to improve.  It is important to remember even though the LORD does not take pleasure in what we may do, He does take pleasure in us.  And, the proof is the second half of the verse.  He showers salvation upon us.

Having said that, the meaning of the verse goes deeper.  To take pleasure here means something a bit different.  It means to be pleased with; to accept; to make acceptable by satisfying a debt.  This goes right along with the second half of the verse.  The pleasure God shows towards the children of men is to beautify them with salvation.  Meekness here is akin to humility.  Humility brought about in the process of repentance.  The verse above is about salvation in Christ!  This is the certainty of all who call upon His name have!  The LORD has made the meek beautiful in clothing them in the righteousness of Christ.  The book of Revelation tells us the white robes of which we will wear is the righteousness of the saints.  This robe of righteousness was imputed to us at the point of salvation.  Our sin was placed on the offering of Calvary and His righteousness was imputed to us at the time we called upon Him for salvation.

What we must always carry in the forefront of our minds is His pleasure is blood-based.  His pleasure is not because we bring any worth to Him.  His pleasure is not because we can profit Him.  His pleasure is not based on anything we may do to please Him.  In this verse, His pleasure is conditioned on our meekness; that being repentance from sin and a desperate need for forgiveness, and the blood of His dear Son.  The comfort which this verse brings to the saved is the future tense of the action of God’s mercy.  He will beautify.  We are positionally saved in Christ.  We have been regenerated.  In the present, we have been saved from sin.  The only reason we still do is that we choose to.  We have not been saved from a decaying body.  We will not be saved from the threat of hell until we die.  Salvation is not complete until our death results in glory.  Which means, the beauty He will bestow is not complete.  It is partial.  We are a new man.  But we still battle the old.  We will have a new body; while we groan in the old.  We live in a corrupt world; while our mansion is under construction.  In short, the promise above is partially fulfilled and will be completely accomplished in glory?  Why?  Because He has and will take pleasure on the meek!  Praise be to God!