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Psalms 4

BSB·8 verses ·Old Testament
✦ Tap any verse to open Scripture Explorer — original Hebrew/Greek, commentary, notes & highlights
1Answer meעֲנֵ֤נִי׀‘ă·nê·nî — To answer, respond, or testifyH6030 — Full Word Study → when I callבְּקָרְאִ֡יbə·qā·rə·’î — To call, summon, or proclaimH7121 — Full Word Study →, O Godאֱלֹ֘הֵ֤י’ĕ·lō·hê — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study → of my righteousnessצִדְקִ֗יṣiḏ·qî — Righteousness, justice, right standingH6664 — Full Word Study →! You have relievedהִרְחַ֣בְתָּhir·ḥaḇ·tā — to enlarge, make wide, expandH7337 — Full Word Study → my distressבַּ֭צָּרbaṣ·ṣār — Narrow, tight, or distress; an adversary or enemyH6862 — Full Word Study →; show me graceחָ֝נֵּ֗נִיḥān·nê·nî — To show favor, mercy, or compassion; to be graciousH2603 — Full Word Study → and hearוּשְׁמַ֥עū·šə·ma‘ — to hear, listen, obeyH8085 — Full Word Study → my prayerתְּפִלָּתִֽי׃tə·p̄il·lā·ṯî — Prayer; formal or spontaneous petition to GodH8605 — Full Word Study →. 2How longעַד־‘aḏ- — until, till, up to (temporal or spatial limit)H5704 — Full Word Study →, O menבְּנֵ֥יbə·nê — Son; descendant; member of a groupH1121 — Full Word Study →, will my honorכְבוֹדִ֣יḵə·ḇō·w·ḏî — weightiness, honor, splendor, gloryH3519 — Full Word Study → be malignedלִ֭כְלִמָּהliḵ·lim·māh — Shame, dishonor, disgraceH3639 — Full Word Study →? How long will you loveתֶּאֱהָב֣וּןte·’ĕ·hā·ḇūn — To love; affection, attachment, or preferenceH157 — Full Word Study → vanityרִ֑יקrîq — Empty, vain, futile, without substance or purposeH7385 — Full Word Study → and seek afterתְּבַקְשׁ֖וּtə·ḇaq·šū — To seek, search for, or request earnestlyH1245 — Full Word Study → liesכָזָ֣בḵā·zāḇ — Lie, falsehood, deceptionH3577 — Full Word Study →? Selahסֶֽלָה׃se·lāh — Pause or SelahH5542 — Full Word Study → 3Knowוּדְע֗וּū·ḏə·‘ū — to know, understand, perceiveH3045 — Full Word Study → thatכִּֽי־kî- — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → the LORDיְ֭הוָהYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → has set apartהִפְלָ֣הhip̄·lāh — to distinguish, set apart, make separateH6395 — Full Word Study → the godlyחָסִ֣ידḥā·sîḏ — The pious one; one characterized by faithfulness and covenant loyaltyH2623 — Full Word Study → for Himself; the LORDיְהוָ֥הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → hearsיִ֝שְׁמַ֗עyiš·ma‘ — to hear, listen, obeyH8085 — Full Word Study → when I callבְּקָרְאִ֥יbə·qā·rə·’î — To call, summon, or proclaimH7121 — Full Word Study → to Himאֵלָֽיו׃’ê·lāw — to, toward, against; directional and relational prepositionH413 — Full Word Study →. 4Be angryרִגְז֗וּriḡ·zū — to tremble, shake, or be disturbedH7264 — Full Word Study →, yet do notוְֽאַל־wə·’al- — do not; negative imperative particleH408 — Full Word Study → sinתֶּ֫חֱטָ֥אוּte·ḥĕ·ṭā·’ū — To sin; to miss the mark; to commit wrongdoingH2398 — Full Word Study →; onעַֽל־‘al- — upon, over, against; concerningH5921 — Full Word Study → your bedמִשְׁכַּבְכֶ֗םmiš·kaḇ·ḵem — bed, sleeping place, or couchH4904 — Full Word Study →, searchאִמְר֣וּ’im·rū — to say, speak, declareH559 — Full Word Study → your heartבִ֭לְבַבְכֶםḇil·ḇaḇ·ḵem — The inner self; mind, will, understandingH3824 — Full Word Study → and be stillוְדֹ֣מּוּwə·ḏōm·mū — to be silent, still, or ceaseH1826 — Full Word Study →. Selahסֶֽלָה׃se·lāh — Pause or SelahH5542 — Full Word Study → 5Offerזִבְח֥וּziḇ·ḥū — to slaughter an animal as a sacrifice or offeringH2076 — Full Word Study → the sacrificesזִבְחֵי־ziḇ·ḥê- — sacrificial offering; animal sacrificeH2077 — Full Word Study → of the righteousצֶ֑דֶקṣe·ḏeq — Righteousness, justice, right standingH6664 — Full Word Study → and trustוּ֝בִטְח֗וּū·ḇiṭ·ḥū — to trust, rely on, have confidenceH982 — Full Word Study → inאֶל־’el- — to, toward, against; directional and relational prepositionH413 — Full Word Study → the LORDיְהוָֽה׃Yah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →. 6Manyרַבִּ֥יםrab·bîm — great, many, abundant, mightyH7227 — Full Word Study → askאֹמְרִים֮’ō·mə·rîm — to say, speak, declareH559 — Full Word Study →, “Whoמִֽי־mî- — who? what person?H4310 — Full Word Study → can show usיַרְאֵ֪נ֫וּyar·’ê·nū — to see, perceive, behold, experienceH7200 — Full Word Study → the goodט֥וֹבṭō·wḇ — good, beneficial, pleasing, wellH2896 — Full Word Study →?” Shineנְֽסָה־nə·sāh- — To lift up, raise, or bear; to carry or supportH5375 — Full Word Study → the lightא֨וֹר’ō·wr — Light; brightness; illuminationH216 — Full Word Study → of Your faceפָּנֶ֬יךָpā·ne·ḵā — face; presence; beforeH6440 — Full Word Study → upon usעָ֭לֵינוּ‘ā·lê·nū — upon, over, against; concerningH5921 — Full Word Study →, O LORDיְהוָֽה׃Yah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →. 7You have filledנָתַ֣תָּהnā·ṯat·tāh — to give, grant, or bestowH5414 — Full Word Study → my heartבְלִבִּ֑יḇə·lib·bî — Heart; the center of emotion, will, and intellectH3820 — Full Word Study → with more joyשִׂמְחָ֣הśim·ḥāh — Joy, gladness, rejoicingH8057 — Full Word Study → than whenמֵעֵ֬תmê·‘êṯ — Time, season, or appointed momentH6256 — Full Word Study → grainדְּגָנָ֖םdə·ḡā·nām — grain, wheat, cereal cropH1715 — Full Word Study → and new wineוְתִֽירוֹשָׁ֣םwə·ṯî·rō·wō·šām — new wine, freshly pressed or fermented grape juiceH8492 — Full Word Study → aboundרָֽבּוּ׃rāb·bū — to multiply, increase in number or abundanceH7231 — Full Word Study →. 8I willיַחְדָּו֮yaḥ·dāw — together, united, as oneH3162 — Full Word Study → lie downאֶשְׁכְּבָ֪ה’eš·kə·ḇāh — to lie down, recline, sleepH7901 — Full Word Study → and sleepוְאִ֫ישָׁ֥ןwə·’î·šān — to sleep; to be asleep; dormant or inactiveH3462 — Full Word Study → in peaceבְּשָׁל֣וֹםbə·šā·lō·wm — Peace, wholeness, well-being, prosperityH7965 — Full Word Study →, forכִּֽי־kî- — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → Youאַתָּ֣ה’at·tāh — You; second-person pronoun (singular or plural)H859 — Full Word Study → aloneלְבָדָ֑דlə·ḇā·ḏāḏ — Alone, solitary, isolationH910 — Full Word Study →, O LORDיְהוָ֣הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →, make me dwellתּוֹשִׁיבֵֽנִי׃tō·wō·šî·ḇê·nî — to dwell, inhabit, settle, remainH3427 — Full Word Study → in safetyלָ֝בֶ֗טַחlā·ḇe·ṭaḥ — Security, confidence, trust, or safetyH983 — Full Word Study →.
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Chapter Commentary — Psalms 4
Chapter Overview

Chapter Overview

Psalm 4 is a beautiful evening prayer of trust and vindication, likely written when David faced accusation or misrepresentation from his enemies. Rather than responding with anger or defensiveness, David demonstrates the mature faith of someone who has learned to cast his cares upon God. The psalm moves from urgent petition (verses 1–2) through spiritual instruction (verses 3–5) to confident rest (verses 6–8). Its central message is that genuine security and joy come not from worldly gain or human approval, but from knowing that God has heard us and set us apart for himself.

Verses 1–2: The Cry for Help and the Problem of Shame

David opens with a direct appeal: "Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness." Notice that he calls God the God of his righteousness—not claiming personal perfection, but trusting that God is the source and sustainer of whatever righteousness he possesses. He recalls how the Lord "hast enlarged me when I was in distress," a beautiful expression of past deliverance that strengthens faith for present need.

Verses 2 then shifts to address his accusers—"O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame?" His enemies are attempting to discredit him, turning his honor into disgrace and loving "vanity, and seek after leasing" (that is, lies and deception). The pastoral point here is important: opposition and false accusation are real, and our feelings about them are valid. But notice David does not retaliate; instead, he brings them before God.

Verses 3–5: The Assurance of God's Selection and Our Response

Here David shifts from complaint to confidence. "But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself." This is the turning point. The Hebrew word chasid (godly, or faithful one) indicates those who live in covenant loyalty to God. God has separated such a person—marked them as His own. This is not earned; it is an act of sovereign grace. The promise follows: "the LORD will hear when I call unto him."

Verses 4–5 then offer practical spiritual counsel. "Stand in awe, and sin not" calls for reverence and moral seriousness in the presence of God's holiness. "Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still" is an invitation to honest self-examination and quiet reflection before sleeping—what we might call examined prayer. Rather than nursing grudges through the night, David practices introspection and surrender. Then: "Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD." True sacrifice is not mere ritual, but a life aligned with God's will, offered with trust.

Verses 6–8: The Joy of God's Presence and Peaceful Rest

The final movement reveals the deep reward. Many people say "Who will shew us any good?"—they pursue material prosperity and worldly validation. But David's request is different: "LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us." He desires God's favor and presence above all else.

And the result? "Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased." His joy exceeds what material abundance could offer. Finally, in verses 8, David achieves perfect peace: "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety." Not the sleep of exhaustion, but the sleep of trust—the security that comes from knowing God alone provides true protection.

Application for Today

When facing accusation, disappointment, or the world's pressure to chase empty things, remember David's example. Bring your complaint honestly to God, examine your own heart, align yourself with righteousness, and rest in the assurance that God has set you apart for himself. The joy found in His presence far exceeds any earthly gain, and His protection allows us to sleep in peace.

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