EXHIBIT 99.CERT

                                  CERTIFICATION




I, Jude T. Driscoll, certify that:

1.   I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of Delaware Group Government
     Fund;

2.   Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of
     a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
     statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements
     were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this
     report;

3.   Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
     information included in this report, fairly present in all material
     respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net
     assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to include
     a statement of cash flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the periods
     presented in this report;

4.   The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for
     establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
     in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) and internal
     control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the
     Investment Company Act of 1940) for the registrant and have:

         (a)      designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused
                  such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under
                  our supervision, to ensure that material information relating
                  to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is
                  made known to us by others within those entities, particularly
                  during the period in which this report is being prepared;

         (b)      designed such internal control over financial reporting, or
                  caused such internal control over financial reporting to be
                  designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable
                  assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and
                  the preparation of financial statements for external purposes
                  in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

         (c)      evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
                  controls and procedures and presented in this report our
                  conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls
                  and procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the
                  filing date of this report based on such evaluation; and

         (d)      disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's
                  internal control over financial reporting that occurred during
                  the registrant's most recent fiscal half-year (the
                  registrant's second fiscal half-year in the case of an annual
                  report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely
                  to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over
                  financial reporting; and

5.   The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed to the
     registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of
     directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

         (a)    all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the
                design or operation of internal control over financial reporting
                which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's
                ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial
                information; and

         (b)    any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
                other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's
                internal control over financial reporting.



Date:  10/4/04

JUDE T. DRISCOLL
- --------------------------------
By:    Jude T. Driscoll
Title: Chairman





                                  CERTIFICATION




I, Joseph H. Hastings, certify that:


1.   I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of Delaware Group Government
     Fund;

2.   Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of
     a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
     statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements
     were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this
     report;

3.   Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
     information included in this report, fairly present in all material
     respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net
     assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to include
     a statement of cash flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the periods
     presented in this report;

4.   The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for
     establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
     in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) and internal
     control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the
     Investment Company Act of 1940) for the registrant and have:

         (a)      designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused
                  such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under
                  our supervision, to ensure that material information relating
                  to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is
                  made known to us by others within those entities, particularly
                  during the period in which this report is being prepared;

         (b)      designed such internal control over financial reporting, or
                  caused such internal control over financial reporting to be
                  designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable
                  assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and
                  the preparation of financial statements for external purposes
                  in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

         (c)      evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
                  controls and procedures and presented in this report our
                  conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls
                  and procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the
                  filing date of this report based on such evaluation; and

         (d)      disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's
                  internal control over financial reporting that occurred during
                  the registrant's most recent fiscal half-year (the
                  registrant's second fiscal half-year in the case of an annual
                  report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely
                  to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over
                  financial reporting; and

5.   The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed to the
     registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of
     directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

         (a)    all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the
                design or operation of internal control over financial reporting
                which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's
                ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial
                information; and

         (b)    any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
                other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's
                internal control over financial reporting.


Date:   10/4/04

JOSEPH H. HASTINGS
- --------------------------------
By:    Joseph H. Hastings
Title: Chief Financial Officer