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Psalm 4
For the director of music. With stringedinstruments. A psalm of David.
1Answer me when I call to you,
O my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
2How long, O men, will you turn myglory into shame?
How long will you love delusions
and seek false gods? Selah
3Know that the LORD has set apart
the godly for himself;
the LORD will hear when I call to him.
4In your anger do not sin;
when you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent Selah
5Offer right sacrifices and trust inthe LORD
6Many are asking, "Who can show us anygood?"
Let the light of your face shine upon us, OLORD.
7You have filled my heart with greaterjoy
than when their grain and new wine abound.
8I will lie down and sleep inpeace,
for you alone, O LORD,
make me dwell in safety.
In this Psalm, David seeks hope for the future by turning to Godin prayer. As prayer should be, this prayer is a dialogue between theone who is praying (David) and God. Also, as often happens in prayer,the one praying was initially distressed, but, through prayer,acquired God's peace.
From the inscription, we learn that David wrote this psalm for"the director of music". David understood the importance ofmusic in the worship of God, as evidenced by the many psalms of musicthat he wrote. Music enables us to express praise and worship to Godthat mere words cannot convey. The goodness of God often transcendsour vocabulary; the depth of His mercy cannot be described. Yet ourworship through music can involve our whole body and being, so thatour worship reaches beyond the words we speak. What a thrill it wouldbe to hear the inspired music that David wrote to accompany hispsalms. I am sure his music would serve to interpret his psalmsbetter than the most exhaustive scholarly commentary.
David's Plea
1Answer me when I call to you,
O my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
In this verse, David, in his seemingly hopeless situation, stateshis plea. He cries out for God to answer his prayer in his time ofneed. We are fortunate that David faced many trials, because, throughthem, he wrote many Psalms that bring us encouragement, comfort andinstruction in our time of trouble. David turns to God in his time ofdistress. We face trials and troubles of many kinds, but there isonly one God who can give us comfort and relief through them all.
David addresses the Lord as his "righteous God". It was,most certainly, the ungodly who caused David so much distress. Sohere, David is asking of God something that is consistent with Hisnature: to protect the righteous and punish the wicked. As Davidpoints out in Psalm 1: "For the LORD watches over the way of therighteous, but the way of the wicked will perish" (Psalm 1:6). Weare always on safe ground asking God something that is consistentwith His nature. On the other hand, it is an affront to come to Godfor any request that is not a righteous request. Such a requestcannot be answered; it is contrary to God's nature to answer such arequest.
David's specific request is for "relief from [his]distress". David realizes that for a righteous God to answer hisprayer would be an act of mercy, so he asks, in the same breath, forGod to "be merciful". Indeed, all of us need God's mercy: therich and the poor, the proud and the humble, the best and the worst.
David then ends his request by saying "hear my prayer".David does not say this because he thought that there was a chancethat God would not be aware of his prayer, or that God would beasleep, or some such thing. God literally hears all prayers. ButDavid wants more than God to be just aware of his prayer. David wantspositive feedback concerning his prayer, observable evidence inresponse to the prayer, preferably in the form of deliverance fromhis distress.
We all desire concrete, tangible proof that our prayers have beenheard. Moreover, we desire that the result of the answered prayer beexactly as we have asked, as if we know the best way to resolve thesituation. And when the answer to the prayer does not come aboutexactly as we had desired, we lose faith and wonder: "Did God reallyhear my prayer?" But God is not fickle. If He hears one prayer, Hehears them all. Whatever the resolution, His will is done. In prayer,rather than attempt to persuade God that we know exactly how toresolve the situation, we should seek to discover and to be contentwith God's perfect resolution of the situation.
God's Response
2How long, O men, will you turn myglory into shame?
How long will you love delusions
and seek false gods? Selah
Here, God responds to David's cry by stating the problem, ingeneral, with man. Man turns the "glory" of God into"shame"; man "loves delusions and seeks false gods".Man's sin is the primary reason that the prayers of men are notheard: "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; yoursins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear"(Isa. 59:2) and "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lordwould not have listened" (Ps. 66:18). Man's chief sin is therejection of Christ and the rejection of Christ is the chief mannerin which man turns God's glory into shame.
The question posed is "How long?" The posing of thequestion, in itself, demonstrates God's long-suffering andforbearance. God could righteously judge us immediately but, instead,He asks "How long?" in order to give man a chance to repent sothat He can save him. The answer to the question "How long?"is each man's choice. Each man can choose to repent in his lifetimeand turn to God by accepting the forgiveness of sin available throughJesus Christ and, in doing so, receive the benefit of God'sforbearance, which is eternal life; or he can choose not to repentand, in doing so, reject God's long-suffering mercy, a decision whichhas eternal consequences in hell.
Instead of accepting Christ, men "love delusions". Theyreject Christ and seek happiness and fulfillment in the things ofthis perishing world. They continually deceive themselves. Men fromall stages and walks of life strive after things that they believewill lead to a happy and fulfilled life. "The young expect to find itwhen grown up and their own masters. Parents, when their children aresettled and provided for. The merchant, when wealth is acquired andindependence secured. The laborer, when his day's or week's toil isended. The ambitious, in gaining power and reputation. The covetous,in gaining money to supply all his wants. The lover of pleasure inearthly enjoyment. The sick, in health. The student, in gainingknowledge. The self-righteous, [in their ownrighteousness]."[Footnote #12]
The result of "loving delusions" is, invariably, to"seek false gods". Men are not content merely to reject thetrue and living God; they must put their hope for salvation in idols.They develop a philosophy of life that reflects their own carnaldesires and serves to further their pursuit of these desires. Theyerect gods in their lives to worship, icons for the rulingphilosophies of their lives: the god of money for the philosophy "hewho dies with the most toys wins"; the god of pleasure for "eat,drink and be merry for tomorrow we die"; the god of self for "I amthe master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul". However, as Godattests of Himself: "Before me no god was formed, nor will therebe one after me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there isno savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed--I, and not someforeign god among you" (Isa. 43:10-11).
God's Care for His Own
3Know that the LORD has set apart
the godly for himself;
the LORD will hear when I call to him.
Despite the rebellion of man in general, God has specifically"set apart the godly for himself". Note that it is "theLord" who sets the Godly apart, not the Godly who set themselvesapart. Try as we may, we cannot, by our own will, sanctify ourselves.Peter describes those who have been "set apart" as ones"who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God theFather, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience toJesus Christ" (I Pet. 1:2). This passage details who is involvedin our being "set apart": not us, but the three persons of theTrinity.
Note also that the Lord sets them apart "for Himself". Weare chosen and set apart to serve the Lord. "For we are God'sworkmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which Godprepared in advance for us to do" (Eph. 2:9). Our being chosen byGod should result in our doing His work. "What good is it, mybrothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?" (James2:14). Our being chosen should result in a changed life, living forGod rather than ourselves. Can the world tell by your behavior thatyou are chosen by God?
The Godly are set apart in many ways: they have accepted Christ;they are born of God; they are justified in God's eyes; they areunder God's protection; they are in His service; they are to beglorified; etc. What an honor that the God of the universe grants ussuch privileges! Our being set apart in so many ways is evidence ofGod's love for us. Just as we set apart things that are precious tous, so the Lord sets apart His treasure.
Since the Lord has set us apart, He certainly desires that werelate to Him through prayer; thus, to encourage this, "the LORDwill hear when I call to him". The advantage of the Godly isprayer. The Godly and the ungodly alike often have trials andtroubles, but the Godly can turn to God in prayer and He will hear.
God's Call to Self-Examination
4In your anger do not sin;
when you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent Selah
The Lord here prescribes self-inspection as a means of gettingright with Him, clearing the way for Him to answer our prayers. Weshould examine ourselves daily and "search our hearts",discovering the sin we have committed, so that we may confess it toGod and be cleansed.[Footnote #13] As suggested in this verse, a goodtime to examine ourselves is as we lie on our beds in the evening.When we are furthest from the haze of the world, we can see moreclearly to commune with God. Then, after we discover and confess oursins to Him, we can awake in the morning at peace with God, with aclear conscience and a cleansed heart, ready to face the day inservice to Him.
Indeed, any time of solitude is appropriate for self-examination.We would never be bored if we used our solitude for self-examination,repentance, confession and prayer. This work is never finished. "Whenye have none to speak with, talk to yourselves. Ask yourselves forwhat end ye were made, what lives ye have led, what times ye havelost, what love ye have abused, what wrath ye havedeserved."[Footnote #14]
The result of self-examination, as pointed out here, is to "besilent" before God. We no longer say to God, "It is my right tobe blessed! You promised it! You must answer my prayers!" but rather"Have mercy on me, O God, a sinner."
Sacrifice and Trust, then Joy andPeace
5Offer right sacrifices andtrust in the LORD
6Many are asking, "Who can show us anygood?"
Let the light of your face shine upon us, OLORD.
7You have filled my heart with greaterjoy
than when their grain and new wine abound.
8I will lie down and sleep inpeace,
for you alone, O LORD,
make me dwell in safety.
The response to the exhortation of self-examination is to"offer right sacrifices". Searching our hearts makes usrecognize our depravity before God, thus making us aware of the needatone for our sins by offering "right sacrifices" to the Lord.In the Old Testament times, atonement for sin came through the bloodsacrifices prescribed in the Law. For us, Jesus' death is the"right sacrifice" to make atonement for our sins; we need onlyto accept His sacrifice.
In addition to offering "right sacrifices", we are to"trust in the LORD". We are to trust that the "rightsacrifice" will indeed atone for our sins and amend ourrelationship to God. Many after accepting Christ and confessing theirsins still feel that God may condemn them. We must "trust in theLORD" that the method He prescribed for atonement is sufficient.As Paul says: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for thosewho are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of theSpirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death" (Rom.8:1,2).
Those who have not offered "right sacrifices", realizingthe depravity of man, are asking: "Who can show us any good?"In this world, apart from God, we may find many riches, muchfame, abundance of pleasure but not much good. How necessary it isthat we make the plea: "Let the light of your face shine upon us,O LORD".
The evidence that this plea is answered is found in verse 7, whereDavid says: "You have filled my heart with greater joy than whentheir grain and new wine abound". David is filled with the joy ofthe Lord; certainly the light of the Lord's face is shining upon him.David realizes that the pleasures of this world hold no comparison tothe riches of the joys of the kingdom of God. The pleasures of thisworld are temporary; the joy of the Lord is eternal. The"grain" of the world satisfies for only a season, the Bread ofLife, Jesus, satisfies for eternity. The "new wine" of theworld brings happiness for an evening, the new wine of the Lordbrings joy for eternity.
In the end, given this joy, David sleeps "in peace",recognizing God's protection in making him "dwell in safety".The child of God can indeed "sleep in peace", and not let thecares of this world disturb them. Yes, the child of God does facetrials, but the Lord says to him: "Fear not, for I have redeemedyou; I have called you by name; you are mine. When you pass throughthe waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers,they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, youwill not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am theLORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior" (Isa.43:1-3).
In Summary
In summary, this Psalm can be viewed as a model of a newbeliever's growth in the Lord. In verse 1, he cries out, desiring tobe heard by God. Then, in verse 2, the Holy Spirit convicts him ofsin. In verse 3, he realizes that one must be holy, set apart, to beone of God's people. Next, in verse 4, through self-examination andconfession of sin, he clears the way to atone for his sin. In verse5, he accepts the right sacrifice, through Christ, and begins totrust in the Lord for his salvation. Finally, in the remainingverses, he experiences the light of the Lord, the joy of the Lord andthe peace of the Lord.
Father, we praise You for hearing our prayers, and that throughconfession and communion with You, we can experience Your joy. Wepraise You that through prayer, You can turn our distress into Yourpeace, as You did for David in this Psalm. Continue to let the lightof Your face to shine upon us. In Christ we ask these things, Amen.
Footnotes:
12. Bickersteth, cited in Plumer, Studies in the Book ofPsalms, p. 75.
13. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and willforgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (IJohn 1:9).
14. Swinnock, cited in Spurgeon, A Treasury of David, Vol.1, p. 40.
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