'Pleasure' in the Bible

So Sarah laughed to herself [when she heard the Lord’s words], saying, “After I have become old, shall I have pleasure and delight, my lord (husband) being also old?”

and all the storage cities [for surplus provisions] which Solomon had, and the cities for his chariots and cities for his horsemen, and whatever it pleased Solomon to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land under his rule.

So now, if it pleases the king, let a search be conducted in the king’s treasure house [in the royal archives] there in Babylon to see if it is true that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to rebuild this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send us his decision concerning this matter.”

“Its abundant produce is for the kingsWhom You have set over us because of our sins;They also rule over our bodiesAnd over our cattle as they please,So we are in great distress.

“For what pleasure does he have in his house and family after he is dead,When the number of his months [of life] is cut off?

Whereas another dies with a bitter soul,Never even tasting pleasure or good fortune.

“Is it any pleasure or joy to the Almighty that you are righteous?Or is it of benefit to Him that you make your ways perfect?

For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness;No evil [person] dwells with You.

For You, O Lord, bless the righteous man [the one who is in right standing with You];You surround him with favor as with a shield.

Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication and want what is right for me;Let them say continually, “Let the Lord be magnified, who delights and takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”

For You do not delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it;You are not pleased with burnt offering.

By Your favor do good to Zion;May You rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

Restore us, O God;Cause Your face to shine on us [with favor and approval], and we will be saved.

Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;Cause Your face to shine on us [in favor and approval], and we shall be saved.

For Your servants find [melancholy] pleasure in the stones [of her ruins]And feel pity for her dust.

Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,You who serve Him and do His will.

To imprison his princes at his will,That he might teach his elders wisdom.

Make Your face shine [with pleasure] upon Your servant,And teach me Your statutes.

He does not delight in the strength (military power) of the horse,Nor does He take pleasure in the legs (strength) of a man.

The Lord favors those who fear and worship Him [with awe-inspired reverence and obedience],Those who wait for His mercy and lovingkindness.

For the Lord takes pleasure in His people;He will beautify the humble with salvation.

Engaging in evil is like sport to the fool [who refuses wisdom and chases sin],But to a man of understanding [skillful and godly] wisdom brings joy.

Foolishness is joy to him who is without heart and lacks [intelligent, common] sense,But a man of understanding walks uprightly [making his course straight].

He who loves [only selfish] pleasure will become a poor man;He who loves and is devoted to wine and [olive] oil will not become rich.

Have you found [pleasure sweet like] honey? Eat only as much as you need,Otherwise, being filled excessively, you vomit it.

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure and gratification; so enjoy yourself and have a good time.” But behold, this too was vanity (futility, meaninglessness).

I said of laughter, “It is madness,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”

Whatever my eyes looked at with desire I did not refuse them. I did not withhold from my heart any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor; and this was my reward for all my labor.

When you make a vow or a pledge to God, do not put off paying it; for God takes no pleasure in fools [who thoughtlessly mock Him]. Pay what you vow.

For you will be ashamed [of the degradation] of the oaks in which you took [idolatrous] pleasure,And you will be ashamed of the gardens [of passion] which you have chosen [for pagan worship].

My mind reels, horror overwhelms me;The twilight I longed for has been turned into fear and trembling for me.

Instead, there is joy and jubilation,Killing of oxen and slaughtering of sheep,Eating meat and drinking wine, saying,“Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we may die.”

Stop and take some time and wonder [at this prophecy],Blind yourselves and be blinded [at its fulfillment by your spiritual incompetence].They are drunk, but not from wine;They stagger, but not from strong drink.

The Lord was pleased for His righteousness’ sakeTo make the law great and prove to be glorious.

“It is I who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd (ruler),And he will carry out all that I desire—’Saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall [again] be built,’And of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall [again] be laid.’”

Declaring the end and the result from the beginning,And from ancient times the things which have not [yet] been done,Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,And I will do all that pleases Me and fulfills My purpose,’

“Assemble, all of you, and listen!Who among them [the idols and Chaldean astrologers] has declared these things?The Lord loves him (Cyrus of Persia); he will do His pleasure and purpose against Babylon,And his arm will be against the Chaldeans [who reign in Babylon].

Yet the Lord was willingTo crush Him, causing Him to suffer;If He would give Himself as a guilt offering [an atonement for sin],He shall see His [spiritual] offspring,He shall prolong His days,And the will (good pleasure) of the Lord shall succeed and prosper in His hand.

“If you turn back your foot from [unnecessary travel on] the Sabbath,From doing your own pleasure on My holy day,And call the Sabbath a [spiritual] delight, and the holy day of the Lord honorable,And honor it, not going your own wayOr engaging in your own pleasureOr speaking your own [idle] words,

“Foreigners will build up your walls,And their kings will serve you;For in My [righteous] wrath I struck you,But in My favor and grace I have had compassion on you.

“Is this man [King] Coniah a despised, broken jar?Is he a vessel in which no one takes pleasure?Why are he and his [royal] descendants hurled outAnd cast into a land which they do not know or understand?

On all the housetops of Moab and in its streets there is lamentation (expressions of grief for the dead) everywhere, for I have broken Moab like a vessel in which there is no pleasure,” says the Lord.

therefore, listen, I will gather all your lovers (pagan allies) with whom you took pleasure, and all those whom you loved with all those whom you hated; I will even gather them against you from every direction and will expose your nakedness to them that they may see all your nakedness [making you, Israel, an object of loathing and of mockery, a spectacle among the nations].

Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” says the Lord God, “rather than that he should turn [away] from his [malevolent] acts and live?

For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live!”

Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back (change your way of thinking), turn back [in repentance] from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’

I saw the ram (Medo-Persia) charging westward and northward and southward; no beast could stand before him, nor was there anyone who could rescue [anything] from his power, but he did as he pleased and magnified himself.

“His power will be mighty, but not by his own power;And he will corrupt and destroy in an astonishing mannerAnd [he will] prosper and do exactly as he wills;He shall corrupt and destroy mighty men and the holy people.

For ships of Cyprus [in Roman hands] will come against him; therefore he will be discouraged and turn back [to Israel] and carry out his rage against the holy covenant and take action; so he will return and show favoritism toward those [Jews] who abandon (break) the holy covenant [with God].

Go up to the hill country, bring lumber and rebuild My house (temple), that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the Lord [accepting it as done for My glory].

“Oh, that there were even one among you [whose duty it is to minister to Me] who would shut the gates, so that you would not kindle fire on My altar uselessly [with an empty, worthless pretense]! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of hosts, “nor will I accept an offering from your hand.