Does God Give Us the Desires of Our Hearts? (Answers from King David in Psalm 20)
The question “Does God give us the desires of our hearts?” touches a longing found in every human soul. We all crave fulfillment, purpose, and joy. Yet the answer is not simple. Does God grant whatever we want, or does He give us something deeper—reshaping our hearts so that what we desire is in line with His will?
King David addresses this very theme in Psalm 20. In verse 4, the blessing spoken over the king declares: “May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans.” This verse reveals both God’s generosity and His wisdom. For David, the king’s desires were not selfish whims but prayers shaped by covenant loyalty and dependence on the Lord.
In Christ, this principle finds its ultimate fulfillment. God does give the desires of His people’s hearts—but not always in the way the world imagines. He transforms desires through the Gospel so that His people long for what He delights to give.
1. God Knows the Desires of the Human Heart
The first truth from Psalm 20 is that God sees into the human heart.
God’s intimate knowledge: He is not distant from our inner longings. “O Lord, you have searched me and known me” (Psalm 139:1).
The king’s desires matter: When David prayed that God would grant the king’s heart’s desire, he acknowledged that the ruler’s inner life determined the direction of the whole nation.
God’s wisdom surpasses ours: While we see our desires as needs, God knows whether they will lead to flourishing or destruction.
So when we ask, “Does God give us the desires of our hearts?” we begin with confidence that He already knows them intimately. His protection in Psalm 20 includes not just outer security but attention to the inner life of His people.
2. God Grants Desires That Align with His Will
The blessing in Psalm 20 is not a blank check. David prays: “May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans” (v. 4).
Aligned desires: This assumes that the king’s desires were aligned with God’s covenant. The heart shaped by worship (v. 3) and trust (v. 7) is the heart God delights to answer.
Scriptural pattern: Psalm 37:4 echoes this theme: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” The promise is tied to delighting in God, not indulging in selfish cravings.
Christ-centered fulfillment: In the New Testament, Jesus says, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7).
God does grant the desires of His people—but He reshapes those desires so that they align with His will.
3. God Protects His People by Redirecting Desires
Sometimes God answers desires by saying no, because the heart is bent toward things that cannot satisfy.
The danger of misplaced desires: James warns, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions” (James 4:3). Desires corrupted by sin lead to ruin.
The promise of transformation: Through Christ, God gives His people new desires. Paul teaches that in Christ we are new creations, with new affections and longings (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Protection in redirection: In Psalm 20, the protection God offers is not only from armies but from misplaced hopes. By aligning desires to His purposes, He keeps His people safe from ruin.
Thus, when God denies certain requests, He is not ignoring us—He is protecting us and leading us to better desires.
4. God’s Victory Is the Source of Fulfilled Desires
Psalm 20 ties the fulfillment of desires to the victory of the king: “Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed” (v. 6).
Victory tied to the king: The people’s hopes were bound up with the king’s success. If the king prevailed, the people shared in his deliverance.
Fulfillment in Christ: For Christians, this points directly to Jesus, God’s anointed King. Our deepest desires—salvation, forgiveness, eternal life—are fulfilled because He has triumphed.
Eternal perspective: Many desires remain unmet in this life, but in the resurrection, God will satisfy every longing for joy, peace, and wholeness (Revelation 21:4).
The answer to “Does God give us the desires of our hearts?” is yes—because in Christ He fulfills the desires that matter most: life with Him forever.
5. God Teaches Us to Rejoice in His Salvation Above All
David’s blessing ends in joy: “May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners!” (v. 5).
Joy rooted in salvation: The greatest desire of the heart is to be safe, forgiven, and whole. God fulfills this through His saving work.
Public witness: Joy in salvation becomes a banner lifted high, proclaiming that God alone saves.
Christ-centered celebration: In the Gospel, our desires find ultimate satisfaction not in temporary victories but in the eternal triumph of Christ.
When our hearts delight in God’s salvation, we discover that He has already granted the deepest desires of our souls.
Conclusion
So, does God give us the desires of our hearts? According to King David in Psalm 20, the answer is yes—but not in a simplistic way. God knows our hearts, reshapes our longings, redirects us from harmful desires, and fulfills the deepest cries of our souls in the victory of His anointed King.
For Christians, this means that our greatest desires are already secure in Christ. He is the King whose triumph ensures that God will grant us all we truly need, now and forever. As our hearts are aligned with Him, our desires become His desires, and our lives are filled with joy in His salvation.
Bible Verses on Desires of the Heart
“May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans.” (Psalm 20:4)
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1)
“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” (Psalm 145:19)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5)
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” (Proverbs 13:12)
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find.” (Matthew 7:7)
“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7)
“If we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” (1 John 5:14)
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 21:4)
