Psalm 4

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. 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 my glory 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 in the Lord.

6Many are asking, “Who can show us any good?”
Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.

7You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound.

8I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

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 I. David begins with a short prayer (v. 1) and that prayer preaches. II. He directs his speech to the children of men, and, 1. In God’s name reproves them for the dishonour they do to God and the damage they do to their own souls (v. 2). 2. He sets before them the happiness of godly people for their encouragement to be religious (v. 3). 3. He calls upon them to consider their ways (v. 4). III. He exhorts them to serve God and trust in him (v. 5). IV. He gives an account of his own experiences of the grace of God working in him, 1. Enabling him to choose God’s favour for his felicity (v. 6). 2. Filling his heart with joy therein (v. 7). 3. Quieting his spirit in the assurance of the divine protection he was under, night and day (v. 8).

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Ps 4:1-8. On Neginoth, that is, stringed instruments, as the kind of musical accompaniment. On other parts of title, see [569]Introduction., The historical occasion was probably the same as that of the foregoing [see on [570]Ps 3:1]. The writer, praying for further relief, admonishes his enemies of the vanity of attacking God’s servant, exhorts them to repentance, and avows his confidence and peace in God’s favor.

1. Hear-as in Ps 3:4.

God of my righteousness-or, “my righteous God, as my holy hill” (Ps 2:6), who will act towards me on righteous principles.

thou hast enlarged-expresses relief afforded in opposition to “distress,” which is expressed by a word denoting straits or pressure. Past favor is a ground of hope for the future.