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.
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.
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 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.
6 There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
1 [[To the chief Musician H5329 on Neginoth, H5058 A Psalm H4210 of David.]] H1732 Hear H6030 me when I call, H7121 O God H430 of my righteousness: H6664 thou hast enlarged H7337 me when I was in distress; H6862 have mercy H2603 upon me, and hear H8085 my prayer. H8605
2 O ye sons H1121 of men, H376 how long H5704 will ye turn my glory H3519 into shame? H3639 how long will ye love H157 vanity, H7385 and seek H1245 after leasing? H3577 Selah. H5542
3 But know H3045 that the LORD H3068 hath set apart H6395 him that is godly H2623 for himself: the LORD H3068 will hear H8085 when I call H7121 unto him.
4 Stand in awe, H7264 and sin H2398 not: commune H559 with your own heart H3824 upon your bed, H4904 and be still. H1826 Selah. H5542
5 Offer H2076 the sacrifices H2077 of righteousness, H6664 and put your trust H982 in the LORD. H3068
6 There be many H7227 that say, H559 Who will shew H7200 us any good? H2896 LORD, H3068 lift thou up H5375 the light H216 of thy countenance H6440 upon us.
7 Thou hast put H5414 gladness H8057 in my heart, H3820 more than in the time H6256 that their corn H1715 and their wine H8492 increased. H7231
8 I will both H3162 lay me down H7901 in peace, H7965 and sleep: H3462 for thou, LORD, H3068 only H910 makest me dwell H3427 in safety. H983
1 Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness; Thou hast set me at large `when I was' in distress: Have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
2 O ye sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonor? `How long' will ye love vanity, and seek after falsehood? Selah
3 But know that Jehovah hath set apart for himself him that is godly: Jehovah will hear when I call unto him.
4 Stand in awe, and sin not: Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah
5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in Jehovah.
6 Many there are that say, Who will show us `any' good? Jehovah, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, More than `they have' when their grain and their new wine are increased.
8 In peace will I both lay me down and sleep; For thou, Jehovah, alone makest me dwell in safety. Psalm 5 For the Chief Musician; with the Nehiloth. A Psalm of David.
1 To the Overseer with Stringed Instruments. -- A Psalm of David. In my calling answer Thou me, O God of my righteousness. In adversity Thou gavest enlargement to me; Favour me, and hear my prayer.
2 Sons of men! till when `is' my glory for shame? Ye love a vain thing, ye seek a lie. Selah.
3 And know ye that Jehovah Hath separated a saintly one to Himself. Jehovah heareth in my calling to Him.
4 `Tremble ye, and do not sin;' Say ye `thus' in your heart on your bed, And be ye silent. Selah.
5 Sacrifice ye sacrifices of righteousness, And trust ye unto Jehovah.
6 Many are saying, `Who doth show us good?' Lift on us the light of Thy face, O Jehovah,
7 Thou hast given joy in my heart, From the time their corn and their wine Have been multiplied.
8 In peace together I lie down and sleep, For Thou, O Jehovah, alone, In confidence dost cause me to dwell!
1 {To the chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.} When I call, answer me, O God of my righteousness: in pressure thou hast enlarged me; be gracious unto me, and hear my prayer.
2 Ye sons of men, till when is my glory [to be put] to shame? [How long] will ye love vanity, will ye seek after a lie? Selah.
3 But know that Jehovah hath set apart the pious [man] for himself: Jehovah will hear when I call unto him.
4 Be moved with anger, and sin not; meditate in your own hearts upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
5 Offer sacrifices of righteousness, and confide in Jehovah.
6 Many say, Who shall cause us to see good? Lift up upon us the light of thy countenance, O Jehovah.
7 Thou hast put joy in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their new wine was in abundance.
8 In peace will I both lay me down and sleep; for thou, Jehovah, alone makest me to dwell in safety.
1 > Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness. Give me relief from my distress. Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
2 You sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonor? Will you love vanity, and seek after falsehood? Selah.
3 But know that Yahweh has set apart for himself him who is godly: Yahweh will hear when I call to him.
4 Stand in awe, and don't sin. Search your own heart on your bed, and be still. Selah.
5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness. Put your trust in Yahweh.
6 Many say, "Who will show us any good?" Yahweh, let the light of your face shine on us.
7 You have put gladness in my heart, More than when their grain and their new wine are increased.
8 In peace I will both lay myself down and sleep, For you, Yahweh alone, make me live in safety.
1 <To the chief music-maker on corded instruments. A Psalm. Of David.> Give answer to my cry, O God of my righteousness; make me free from my troubles; have mercy on me, and give ear to my prayer.
2 O you sons of men, how long will you go on turning my glory into shame? how long will you give your love to foolish things, going after what is false? (Selah.)
3 See how the Lord has made great his mercy for me; the Lord will give ear to my cry.
4 Let there be fear in your hearts, and do no sin; have bitter feelings on your bed, but make no sound. (Selah.)
5 Give the offerings of righteousness, and put your faith in the Lord.
6 There are numbers who say, Who will do us any good? the light of his face has gone from us.
7 Lord, you have put joy in my heart, more than they have when their grain and their wine are increased.
8 I will take my rest on my bed in peace, because you only, Lord, keep me safe.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 4
Commentary on Psalms 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 4
David was a preacher, a royal preacher, as well as Solomon; many of his psalms are doctrinal and practical as well as devotional; the greatest part of this psalm is so, in which Wisdom cries to men, to the sons of men (as Prov. 8:4, 5), to receive instruction. The title does not tell us, as that of the former did, that it was penned on any particular occasion, nor are we to think that all the psalms were occasional, though some were, but that many of them were designed in general for the instruction of the people of God, who attended in the courts of his house, the assisting of their devotions, and the directing of their conversations: such a one I take this psalm to be. Let us not make the prophecy of scripture to be of more private interpretation than needs must, 2 Pt. 1:20. Here
To the chief musician on Neginoth. A psalm of David.
Psa 4:1-5
The title of the psalm acquaints us that David, having penned it by divine inspiration for the use of the church, delivered it to the chief musician, or master of the song, who (according to the divine appointment of psalmody made in his time, which he was chiefly instrumental in the establishment of) presided in that service. We have a particular account of the constitution, the modelling of the several classes of singers, each with a chief, and the share each bore in the work, 1 Chr. 25. Some prophesied according to the order of the king, v. 2. Others prophesied with a harp, to give thanks, and to praise the Lord, v. 3. Of others it is said that they were to lift up the horn, v. 5. But of them all, that they were for song in the house of the Lord (v. 6) and were instructed in the songs of the Lord, v. 7. This psalm was committed to one of the chiefs, to be sung on neginoth-stringed instruments (Hab. 3:19), which were played on with the hand; with music of that kind the choristers were to sing this psalm: and it should seem that then they only sung, not the people; but the New-Testament appoints all Christians to sing (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16), from whom it is expected that they do it decently, not artfully; and therefore there is not now so much occasion for musical instruments as there was then: the melody is to be made in the heart. In these verses,
In singing these verses we must preach to ourselves the doctrine of the provoking nature of sin, the lying vanity of the world, and the unspeakable happiness of God's people; and we must press upon ourselves the duties of fearing God, conversing with our own hearts, and offering spiritual sacrifices; and in praying over these verses we must beg of God grace thus to think and thus to do.
Psa 4:6-8
We have here,
In singing these verses, and praying over them, let us, with a holy contempt of the wealth and pleasure of this world, as insufficient to make us happy, earnestly seek the favour of God and pleasingly solace ourselves in that favour; and, with a holy indifferency about the issue of all our worldly concerns, let us commit ourselves and all our affairs to the guidance and custody of the divine Providence, and be satisfied that all shall be made to work for good to us if we keep ourselves in the love of God.