A Psalm of David
Psalm 4
A Psalm of David.
1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You have relieved me in my distress;
Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
2 How long, O you sons of men,
Will you turn my glory to shame?
How long will you love worthlessness
And seek falsehood? Selah
3 But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is godly;
The LORD will hear when I call to Him.
4 Be angry, and do not sin.
Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah
5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,
And put your trust in the LORD.
6 There are many who say,
“Who will show us any good?”
LORD, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.
7 You have put gladness in my heart,
More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.
8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;
For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4 John Wesley’s Notes on the Bible
1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
4:1 O God – The witness and defender of my righteous cause.
2 O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.
4:2 My glory – By his glory probably he means that honour which God had conferred upon him. Vanity – Wickedness. Lying – Those calumnies/slander which they raised against him, to make him odious to all the people.
3 But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.
4:3 Godly – Me, whom, though you traduce as an hypocrite, God hath pronounced to he a man after his own heart, 1Sam 13:14. For himself – In his stead, or to be his vicegerent, as all kings are, and especially the kings of God’s own people.
4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
4:4 In awe – Be afraid, if not of me, yet of God, who hath engaged in my cause. Sin not – By prosecuting your rebellion against God’s authority. On your bed – Calmly consider these things in the silent night, when you are at leisure from distracting business. Be still – Compose your tumultuous minds.
5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.
4:5 Offer – Unto God, that he may be reconciled to you. Righteousness – Righteous sacrifices; which requires that the persons offering them be righteous and do righteous things, and offer them with an honest mind, with faith and true repentance. Without which, he intimates, that all their sacrifices were of no esteem with God, and would be wholly unprofitable to them.
6 There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
4:6 Many – Of my followers, who are weary of waiting upon God. Who – Who will put an end to our troubles, and give us tranquility. Lift up – Upon me and my friends. Give us an assurance of thy love, and evidence it by thy powerful assistance.
7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
4:7 Thou hast – Whatsoever thou shalt do with me for the future, I have at present unspeakable satisfaction in the testimonies of thy love to my soul; more than worldly persons have in the time of a plentiful harvest.
8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
4:8 In peace – In tranquility of mind, resting securely upon God’s promises.
The children of men proved, and the happiness of godly people.
Hear me for thy mercy-sake, is our best plea. He who will not ask such blessings as pardon, and justifying righteousness, and eternal life, must perish for the want of them. Alas! that so many should make so fearful a choice. The psalmist warns against sin. Keep up holy reverence of the glory and majesty of God. You have a great deal to say to your hearts, they may be spoken with, let it not be unsaid. Examine them by serious self-reflection; let your thoughts fasten upon that which
is good, and keep close to it. Consider your ways, and before you turn to sleep at night, examine your consciences with respect to what you have done in the day; particularly what you have done amiss, that you may repent of it. when you awake in the night, meditate upon God, and the things that belong to your peace. Upon a sick-bed, particularly, we should consider our ways. Be still. when you have asked conscience a question, be serious, be silent, wait for an answer. Open not the mouth to
excuse sin. All confidence must be pan answer. Open not the mouth to excuse sin. All confidence only: therefore, after commanding the sacrifices of righteousness, the psalmist says, Put your trust in the Lord. (Ps 4:6-8)
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible is available in the Public Domain.
God’s favour is happiness.
Wordly people inquire for good, not for the chief good; all they want is outward good, present good, partial good, good meat, good drink, a good trade, and a good estate; but what are all these worth? Any good will serve the turn of most men, but a gracious soul will not be put off so. Lord, let us have thy favour, and let us know that we have it, we desire no more; let us be satisfied of thy loving-kindness, and will be satisfied with it. Many inquire after happiness, but David had
found it. When God puts grace in the heart, he puts gladness in the heart. Thus comforted, he pitied, but neither envied nor feared the most prosperous sinner. He commits all his affairs to God, and is prepared to welcome his holy will. But salvation is in Christ alone; where will those appear who despise him as their Mediator, and revile him in his disciples? May they stand in awe, and no longer sin against the only remedy.
