A Psalm of David: Psalm 4: Comments by Dennis Edwards
1 Here me when I call, O God of my righteousness: You have
enlarged (or relieved) me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear
my prayer.
David is reminding himself that his righteousness depends
completely upon the Lord. We in ourselves are not righteous in comparison to
God. We are incapable of reaching up to God in our own righteousness. Our own
righteousness is stinking filthy rags, Isaiah 64:6. We are dependent upon God
Himself, coming into the world as the Second Person of the Trinity, laying down
His life for us, to reconcile us with God. His blood covers our sins, and
offers to us the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord to all
those who believe.
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and the
renewing of the Holy Ghost,” Titus 3:5. It is Jesus’ righteousness that saves
us, through God’s mercy. “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should
boast,” Ephesians 2:8-9. The gift of God is Jesus Christ to all those that
believe.
The gospel message, the good news, is that God Himself has
made a way of escape for us from our human condition because of the fall of
Adam. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered the world, and death by sin; and so,
death passed upon all men, for all have sinned,” Romans 5:12. Mankind has
inherited a tendency to rebel against God from Adam. However, Jesus is the door
to eternal life and offers an escape from the cycle of sin and death. Jesus
said, “He that hears My word, and believes on Him that sent Me, has everlasting
life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death into
life,” John 5:24.
Apostle Paul explains, “Therefore, as by the offence of one
judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one
(Jesus) the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by
one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall
many be made righteous,” Romans 5:18-19. “For He (God the Father) has made Him
(God the Son) to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the
righteousness of God in Him (Jesus),” 2 Corinthians 5:21. “And be found in Him,
not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through
faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith,” Philippians 3:9.
Our sins have separated us from God, but through Jesus’
submission and obedience to God, through His willingness to go to the cross for
our sake, we can now be clothed in Jesus’ righteousness through our faith and
obedience to Him. “But as many as received Him (Jesus), to them (the new
believers) gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe
on His name,” John 1:12. “Wherefore, God also has highly exalted Him, and given
Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth, and things under the
earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of God the Father,” Philippians 2:9-11.
In the second half of the first verse, David is reminding
God of His past faithfulness to hear David’s prayers and he implores God to
hear him once again.
2 O you sons of men, how long will you turn my glory into
shame? How long will you love vanity and seek after leasing (or sin)? Selah
David compares himself in contrast with the men of the world
that love the things of the world and follow after sin and pride. Apostle John
has written, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If
any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is
in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of
life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and
the lust thereof: but he that does the will of God abides forever,” 1 John
2:15-17.
3 But know that the LORD has set apart him that is godly for
Himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto Him.
The word sanctify means to set apart or be separated for a
sacred purpose or for religious use. God has set apart His people to be an
example to the world. Apostle Peter explains, “But you are a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show
forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous
light,” 1 Peter 2:9. Apostle Paul also wrote, quoting from the Old Testament:
“Wherefore, come out from among them, and be you separate, says the Lord, and
touch not the unclean thing (sin, in whatever form it tempts you); and I will
receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and you shall be my sons and
daughters, says the Lord almighty,” 2 Corinthians 6:17-18.
As we set apart ourselves for God, God will bring His
presence upon us. Jesus promised, “If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and
My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with
him,” John 14:23. “If you shall ask anything in My name, I will do it,” John
14:14. God will answer our prayers because we are abiding in Him and being
obedient to Him.
4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart
upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
God wants us to get quiet before Him. In the psalms we read,
“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will
be exalted in the earth,” Psalm 46:10. It is in those quiet moments with God
that we receive His strength. “In quietness and confidence shall be your
strength,” Isaiah 30:15b. If we stop for a moment to enjoy God’s creation
during a sunrise, or sunset, or a walk under the stary sky at night, or by
sitting on a quiet beach, or in almost any nature filled environment, we can
feel His presence and hear His voice. Before we start the day, we can also
commune with God through the gift of prayer, and let His presence commune to us
the needed strength and wisdom for the day.
Apostle Paul admonishes, “Be anxious for nothing; but in
everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be
known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall
keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus,” Philippians 4:6-7. If we seek
the face of God early in the morning or in the evening, God’s presence will go
with us and give us peace. In Isaiah we find, “I will keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on Me, because he trusts in me,” Isaiah 26:3.
5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust
in the LORD.
As we expressed earlier, our only righteousness is in Jesus.
However, David wrote, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and
a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise,” Psalm 51:17. Therefore, God
wants us to be humble and broken before Him. Elsewhere David penned, “The Lord
is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saves such as be of a
contrite spirit,” Psalm 34:18. Apostle James wrote, “God resists the proud, but
gives grace to the humble,” James 4:6b. The Lord also has spoken through
Isaiah, “To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite
spirit, and who trembles at My word,” Isaiah 66:2b. Are we humble and God
fearing? If so, God will attend to our prayers.
Elsewhere, Apostle Paul says our lives should be a living
sacrifice to God. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,
that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable with God,
which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be
you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove (or
demonstrate) what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God,”
Romans 12:1-2. We should live our lives in sacrificial service to God and our
fellow man. We do that by having our lives transformed by God’s word and Holy
Spirit. We love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, and soul; and we
love our neighbour as ourselves, Matthew 22:37-39.
6 There be many that say, Who will show us any good? LORD,
lift up the light of Your countenance (or presence) upon us.
Though there may be doubters and unbelievers all around us,
the Lord will put His spirit, His presence, upon us if we fear Him and follow
in His steps. His presence shall go with us, Exodus 33:14.
7 You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the time
that their corn and their wine increased.
God presence is better than wealth and riches. In the psalms
we find, “The law of Your mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and
silver,” Psalm 119:72. God’s word is such a comfort and strength that its
effects are better than material benefits. Habakkuk says, “Although the fig
tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the
olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut
off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice
in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my
strength, and He will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and He will make me to
walk upon the high places,” Habakkuk 3:17-19.
Did ever see a mountain goat climbing on the sides of a
mountain sometimes in the most precarious places? God promises that if we walk
in extreme praise, in the face of whatever difficulty in life we may be facing,
whether it be health, family, or finances; He will keep us and give us feet like
a mountain goat, in that, like a mountain goat, we will be able to keep our
feet even in the most difficult and dangerous places. If we are able to praise
God through our testing’s and our afflictions, He will make our feet to stand,
and we will run and keep our balance, even in the winds of adversity.
8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for You,
LORD. Only make me to dwell in safety.
If we are abiding in Jesus, following His word, listening
and obeying the voice of the word and the voice of the Holy Spirit in our
conscience, we can have the peace of God that passes all understanding. The
psalms tell us, “Great peace have they which love thy law and nothing can
offend them,” Psalm 119:165. Jesus said, “These things I have spoken unto you,
that in Me you shall have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation, but
be of good cheer, (be encouraged), I have overcome the world,” John 16:33.
Our peace is in Jesus, He is our peace. He has said, “Peace
I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto
you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid,” John 14:27. As
we keep our minds stayed on Him, He gives us His peace that passes all understanding.
We can rest assured, because we trust in Him, and in His promises to us.
Apostle Paul, also affirms, “Those things, which you have both learned, and
received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with
you,” Philippians 4:9. The psalmist tell us, “Because you have made the Lord,
which is my refuge, even the most High, your habitation; there shall no evil
befall you, neither shall any plague come nigh your dwelling. For He shall give
His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways,” Psalm 91:9-11. Lord,
keep us in Your ways. Let us dwell in the secret place of the most High, under
the shadow of Your wings, Psalm 91:1.
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