Hebrew word · Strong's H7522

רָצוֹן

râtsôwn · raw-tsone' · noun · “favor, acceptance”

In a sentence

Ratson means favor, goodwill, acceptance. It describes God being pleased — what makes our work, our worship, and our lives acceptable to him.

Ratson is the “good pleasure” of God. The Old Testament prays for it: “let the words of my mouth… be acceptable (ratson) in your sight.” Isaiah 61 promises “the year of the LORD’s ratson.”

The New Testament picks up the same notion: Christ is the one in whom God is well pleased, and through him our lives become acceptable to him.

Strong's reference

Definition: delight (especially as shown)

KJV usage: (be) acceptable(-ance, -ed), delight, desire, favour, (good) pleasure, (own, self, voluntary) will, as...(what) would.

Reference gloss from Strong's Concordance (1890, public domain).

Key verses BSB · Public Domain (CC0)

Psalms 19:14 “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Isaiah 61:2 “to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of our God’s vengeance, to comfort all who mourn,” Psalms 145:16 “You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.”

Original BibleDawn word study. Original-language data and the public-domain Strong's (1890) gloss are referenced; see sources.