Power of Pliability
“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Ps. 37:4 NKJV
What does it mean to delight ourselves in the Lord? First, let’s take a look at this idea in Hebrew. The verb here is anag (Strong's H6026). The Strong’s definition of the word is “to be soft or pliable.” It is used 10 different times: Deuteronomy 28:56; Job 22:26, 27:10; Psalms 37:4, 37:11; Isaiah 55:2, 57:4, 58:14; 66:11, and Jeremiah 6:2.
For the KJV, it is translated as “delight” 7 times, as “delicate” once, as “delicateness” once, and as “sport” once (sport as in the sense of making sport of something or ridiculing in Isaiah 57:4).
So, 7 out of 10 times it is used as “delight,” and this was the use of the word for our verse in Psalm 37:4. Let’s start in this area of delight and what it means to do that in the Lord.
Back to the Strong’s literal definition of “to be soft or pliable.” The Bible often gives a contrast of concepts. In this instance on the one end of the spectrum, we are referring to being soft or pliable. Something that can be adjusted or altered in a soft or pliable state.
When I come to the Lord, how pliable am I? Let’s take this at a basic idea of a child and parent. There are times when a child can be pliable and easily influenced. And other times that a child can be stubborn or what the Bible might call “hard of heart.”
When a child has decided in their mind to do something, it is often hard to change their mind. They have become resolved of will. This can often lead to a crash collision between the child and either the parent or the “real world" when things do not work out the way they think it will.
In the Old Testament, it would appear that the Israelites would do this often. Two ends of the spectrum. Pliable to the Lord or hard of heart. Psalm 95 is quoted in Hebrews 3 speaking of the lack of responsiveness of Israelites to the voice of the Lord due to the hardening of their hearts.
Hardness is the opposite of pliability. The Hebrew word for “harden” in Psalm 95:8 is qašâ (Strong's H7185). It is used to describe a hardening against what God is trying to do. Hebrews 3:15 translates the Hebrew from Ps. 95:8 into Greek with the use of skleryno (Strong’s G4645), which the Vine’s Expository Dictionary defines as "to make dry or hard.”
Pliable or hard. If we are pliable, we can be persuaded. If we are hard of heart, there may not be anything to persuade us. Consider Pharoah as an example, he was hardened of heart (by the Lord) and refused to let the Israelites go as described in Exodus (Exd 7:13, 22; 8:19).i
So, if the spectrum ranges between a soft/pliable heart that is yielded to the Lord and hard/stiffnecked disposition in opposition from the Lord, the question becomes how do we stay pliable?
Back to Ps. 37:4–
If we translated it literally, it would say “be soft/pliable” in the Lord. In this instance, the responsibility is on us to stay in a pliable condition to stay in a state ready to respond to the voice of the Lord.ii
We need to be in a condition of pliability. Why is this important? Because God cannot work in us what He wants to work in us if we are hardened and dried out. Why not? Because He knows our frame. Just as the potter cannot work with dry clay, the Father cannot work with a hardened dried-out heart. It would simply make us crack and crumble.
God’s heart for us is the opposite of that. His desire for us is peace. It is wholeness. It is fullness. But, He cannot enlarge and expand our hearts (Ps. 119:32 NKJV) if we are not in a condition of pliability.iii
So, how do we stay soft and pliable in the Lord?
The Holy Spirit is there to lead us. He wants us to be in a state of pliability so that He can work in us. It is the work of God in us that keeps us in a place of even wanting to do what we are seeing Him do and say what we are hearing Him say. We simply ask, “Holy Spirit, help me be pliable. Soften the hardness of my heart that I may hear the voice of the Lord and respond.”
The Holy Spirit is there. He is our source.
So, what is our part?
To have an example, let’s use the idea of watering for a moment. I can have a spigot at my house with all of the water I need. But, if I don’t hook up the hose and direct the water to the area of my lawn that needs watering, that area stays dried and cracked. I have to hook up the hose, set it in place, and turn on the spigot. The water then flows out to where I send it.
One of the most precise means we have of watering our hearts and keeping them pliable before the Lord is the Word of God. His word will not return void (Isaiah 55:11) but will complete its purpose. We have to allow the Word of God to flow into each and every area of our minds, hearts, and souls to water and nourish it. It has the power to transform and keep us pliable. It is living and active. Our responsibility is to spend time in the Word of God. iv
We stay watered in the Word. We also stay watered in worship. Our worship opens us up to times of refreshing. This is another means of keeping our hearts soft before the Lord. When we worship, it opens us to God raining down His refreshing (Ps. 68:9). Just like a rain can water the ground, God’s presence we experience in worship can soften our hearts with the moisture of His majestic presence.
This can be done in our times of solitude. We lift our hands and praise (1 Tim. 2:8). Throughout the day as well, we can be cognizant of continually communing in His presence.
It can also be done in times of corporate worship where a group of believers are gathered together. Corporate worship provides a window for God to pour out His presence on all those who have come to worship in His presence. It creates an increased place of His presence that we could not experience to the same measure on our own. That is why we need to stay connected (Hebrews 10:25) and approach it from a place of positivity (Psalm 122:1).v When I am on my way to spend time with other believers, that is a moment for me to bring to remembrance what King David said in Psalm 122:1.
"I rejoiced with those who said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the LORD.'" Psalm 122:1 NIV
Final Thoughts:
Making a conscious effort to stay in a place of pliability to the Lord can allow me to be responsive to the leading of His Spirit. It also allows me to be a blessing to others. It poises me to be responsive to His Word and the leading of His Spirit. It keeps me in a place of keeping in step with His Spirit as well (Galatians 5:25).
Allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to us through the Word of God and staying in a place of ongoing worship (both individually and corporately) are ways the Holy Spirit can use to keep us pliable to the will of God. We simply need to ask, “Holy Spirit, would you help me stay pliable?” Then, we respond to what He tells us to do. God will be faithful to complete the good work He began in us and use us to help complete the good work He has begun in others as well.
To God be all the Glory.
Amen and amen.
ENDNOTES:
i Romans 9:18 highlights the sovereignty of God to have mercy on whom He wills and to harden whom He wills. Pharoah was an example of this in Exodus.
ii Psalm 95 and Hebrews 3 are both referring to the moment of hearing the voice of the Lord and to not hardening our hearts in that moment. If we stand ready to respond, we are not quantifying or qualifying what the Spirit of the Lord is saying to us. Jesus saw and heard the Father, and He immediately responded in real-time. He didn’t catalog it or save it for later. As an example, He spit on the ground and made mud, and rubbed it in the blind man’s eyes (John 9:6-7).
iii Psalm 119:32 uses the verb rahab (Strong's H7337), which is “to broaden,” as it refers to enlarging the heart to increase one’s capacity for walking in his commandments. Our ability to grow in God’s word can be directly correlated with God enlarging our hearts. This is part of our motivation in staying pliable before Him–the greater our pliability–the greater the potential for God to expand, which will only increase our intimacy and points of connection with His word.
iv There are a lot of ways to read the Bible. I would encourage asking the Holy Spirit to lead and guide. Jesus promised that His Spirit would guide us into all truth (John 16:13), and we also have an anointing that can teach us (1 John 2:27). God first wants to communicate Spirit to spirit–from His Spirit to yours with “Spirit-taught words” (1 Corinthians 2:13). Learn to listen to His voice as a primary source as He speaks to you through His Word.
