Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. Psalms 37:4 (AMPC)
We’ve all along been having it in the reverse order. We wanted to first get the desires and secret petitions of our heart and then we will delight in the Lord. It doesn’t work right that way. First delight in the Lord, find contentment in Him then all the things you need, want, desire, or ask for shall manifest in your life. We delight in the Lord because first of all everything we will ever need, want, desire, crave is in Him and from Him. He is the source of all things.
1 Corinthians 8:6 (AMPC) Yet for us there is [only] one God, the Father, Who is the Source of all things and for Whom we [have life], and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through and by Whom are all things and through and by Whom we [ourselves exist].are all things. Therefore delighting ourselves in the Lord begins with acknowledging that He’s the source of everything that would fulfill us in every area of life.
It’s worshipping and adoring Him for who He is to us. When you say Heavenly Father you’re delighting in Him. Father means source, so you’re acknowledging Him as your source. He’s our source of life, help, strength, and safety.
Delighting ourselves in the Lord is praising and giving Him thanks for what He has done for us even if we haven’t seen or experienced it yet. Praise and thank the Lord for salvation, forgiveness, deliverance, healing, victory which He has already made available through the crucifixion death and resurrection of Jesus Christ even when you haven’t experienced it yet. This is what Paul and Silas did when they had been severely beaten and thrown into prison for the Gospel. At midnight they delighted themselves in the Lord through prayer and praise. Then a strong earthquake violently shook that prison, the doors flung open, the chains on them came loose and fell off! Acts 16:23-26 (AMPC). Delight yourself in the Lord. Worship Him, praise Him, give Him thanks and see the desires of your heart happen right before you.