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Psalm Four
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 4
To the chief Musician on Neginoth, a Psalm of David. This psalm is
inscribed "to the chief musician", or "conqueror"F4Jarchi,
Aben Ezra, Kimchi, & Ben Melech in loc. : who excelled others in the art of
music, and carried the glory from them; who was very skilful, and instructed
others in it, and was the master of the song, as Chenaniah, 1 Chronicles 15:22; who set the tune, led
on the psalm, and had the whole direction and management of it; and so the
Jewish doctorsF4Jarchi, Aben Ezra, Kimchi, & Ben Melech in loc.
generally understand it of one that presided over the rest of the musicians and
singers; and to such an one was this psalm sent, to be sung in public worship:
for the psalms of David were not composed for private use only, but for public
service; and were committed into the hands and care of the chief of the
singers, as Asaph and others; see 1 Chronicles 16:7; by whom they were
preserved and transmitted to future ages for the use of the church, not only in
the former but in the present dispensation. The Septuagint interpreters, and
after them the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions, render it "unto the
end", or for ever; to this agrees the sense of R. Saadiah GaonF5Apud
Aben Ezra in loc. , who says,
"this
is a psalm of David, who gave it to one of the singers to sing it continually,'
as
if it was לנצח, "for ever"; but the former
sense is best, to understand it of the chief musician, or precentor, who is
said to be "on neginoth": the singular; "neginah", is used
in the title of Psalm 61:1, and it is sometimes rendered
"a song", as in Job 30:9; hence the Vulgate Latin version
here renders it "in songs"; and the Septuagint renders it "in
psalms"; and then the meaning is, that this person was the chief man that
presided over the songs and psalms: though the Jewish writersF6Kimchi
& Ben Melech in loc. and others in Aben Ezra in loc. , for the most part,
interpret it of a musical instrument so called; not such an one as was blown,
as the pipe and trumpet, but what was played upon with the hand; see 1 Samuel 16:16; a stringed instrument,
which was touched with the fingers as an harp, or struck with a quill or bow as
a violin. And as there were various instruments of music used in the temple
service, so there were persons set over them, some over one sort, and some over
another; and this man presided over the instruments that were played with the
hand: and it looks as if this psalm was to be sung to such an instrument, by
its being inscribed and sent to him. Aben Ezra takes the word to be, "the
beginning of a song"; and the Targum renders the whole, "to sing upon
the chorus" or "dances". It is called "a Psalm of
David", being written by him, under the inspiration of the Spirit of God;
the occasion of it was Absalom's rebellion; and it was written when he fled
from him, as the preceding, as Kimchi thinks; but, according to Lightfoot and
others, it was the rebellion of Sheba, 2 Samuel 20:1, though others refer it to
the time of his distresses and persecutions by Saul; according to the Jewish
RabbinsF7Kimchi Praefat. in Psalm. , where there are the words ניצוח וניגון, as they are both in
this title, the psalm belongs to future time, to the world to come, to the
times of the Messiah.
Psalm 4:1 Hear
me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my
distress; Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
YLT
1To 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.
Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness,.... Or,
"my righteous God"F8אלהי צדקי. , who is righteous in his nature, ways, and works,
the just Judge of the whole earth, who will do right; or "the vindicator
of my righteousness", as the Syriac version renders it; that is, of his
innocence and uprightness, which the Lord knew and was a witness of: and since
he was his covenant God, he doubted not but he would bring it forth as the
light, and favour his righteous cause, and do him justice upon his enemies: or
the psalmist addresses God in this manner, because he was the author of his
righteousness, and was the justifier of him, by imputing the righteousness of
his Son unto him. So Christ addresses his Father, John 17:26; who he knew would justify him,
and by whom he was justified as the surety of his people, when he, rose from
the dead: and so the saints can draw nigh to God the Judge of all, through the
righteousness of Christ; knowing that he is just, and the justifier of him that
believes in Jesus; and that he is just and faithful to forgive their sins, and
cleanse them from all unrighteousness, on account of his blood. The petition
put up by the psalmist is, to be heard when he called, that is, to hear his
prayer, as it is explained in the latter part of the verse: and God is a God
hearing prayer; and so David, Christ, and all the saints, have found him to be:
and the encouragement to pray to the Lord, in hope of being heard, arose from
past experience of divine goodness;
thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; when he had
like to have been killed by Saul casting a javelin at him; and when his house
was watched by men that Saul set there, and he was let down through a window
and escaped; and when he was shut in at Keilah, where Saul thought he had him
safe; and at other times, to which he may here refer, as in Psalm 18:19; and this may be applied to the
Messiah, when in the garden, beset with sorrows, and an angel strengthened him;
and when on the cross, surrounded by various enemies, whom he conquered; and
when in death and the grave, from the pains and cords of which he was loosed,
and set in a large place. And this agrees also with the experience of the
saints; who, when in distress through sin, Satan, and the law, have been set
free, through the Gospel proclaiming liberty to the captives to such enemies;
and the opening of the prison to them that have been bound by them: and when
they have been so shut up and straitened in themselves, that they could not
come forth in the discharge of duty, and in the exercise of grace; through the
Spirit of the Lord, who is a spirit of liberty, they have been enlarged in the
duty of prayer and of praise, and in the exercise of faith and love; and their
hearts have been enlarged through the discoveries of the love of God towards
them, so that they have run cheerfully in the ways of his commandments; who
also gives them largeness of heart, an increase of the knowledge of Christ, and
of the love of God, and tills them with joy and peace in believing, and draws
out the desires of their souls to his name, and the remembrance of him;
have mercy upon me: the psalmist pleads no merit nor worthiness
of his own, but applies to the grace and mercy of God; and sensible of his sin,
both original and actual, he entreats a discovery of pardoning grace and mercy.
The words may be rendered, "be gracious unto me"F9חנני "gratiosus esto mihi", Junius &
Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius. , or "show me favour"; bestow the
blessings of grace, grant larger measures of grace, and fresh supplies of it:
and so all sensible sinners apply to God for mercy; and all the saints have
recourse to him as the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, for every
mercy, both temporal and spiritual. Nor is this unsuitable to the Messiah, as
man and Mediator; with whom, God keeps his mercy for evermore, as the head and
surety of his people, and upon whom, as man, the grace of God was; and who increased,
as in stature, so in favour with God and man; and which, no doubt, was
desirable by him;
and hear my prayer: the same petition with that in the
beginning of the verse; invocation and prayer being the same thing.
Psalm 4:2 2 How long, O you sons of
men, Will you turn my glory to shame? How long will you love
worthlessness And seek falsehood? Selah
YLT
2Sons of men! till when [is]
my glory for shame? Ye love a vain thing, ye seek a lie. Selah.
O ye sons of men,.... Meaning great men, the nobles of
Israel; and so the Jewish interpretersF11Jarchi, Aben Ezra, Kimchi,
& Ben Melech in loc. generally explain it; such as Ahithophel, and others,
who were in the conspiracy with Absalom, 2 Samuel 15:12, and so they were the kings
and princes of the earth, and the rulers of the Jewish sanhedrim, the chief
priests and elders, who were the enemies of Christ; and such, generally
speaking, have been the persecutors of the saints; these men of power and
authority, of dignity and honour, and who were in high places, and boasted of
their titles and grandeur, the psalmist addresses by way of expostulation in
the following words;
how long will ye turn my glory into shame? Meaning
either God, who was his glory, Psalm 3:3; whom they reproached when they
said there was no help for him in him; or his tongue, the instrument of praise,
and the songs of praise he expressed by it, Psalm 7:8; which they jeered and scoffed
at: or rather his royal glory and majesty, which they attempted to vail by
casting him down from his excellency, by dethroning him, and setting up Absalom
in his room. So the Jews endeavoured to turn the glory of Christ into shame,
which lay in his being the only begotten of the Father; by denying his sonship,
by condemning him to death; because he said he was the Son of God; and by
mocking at him under that character on the cross; and also by their spitting
upon, buffeting, and crucifying the Lord of glory; by reproaching his Gospel,
ministers, and people; and by not acknowledging him as the Messiah, and
submitting to his righteousness. And wicked men do as much as in them lies to
turn the glory of the saints into shame, by aspersing their character, taking
away their good name and reputation among men; by reproaching and reviling them,
and speaking all manner of evil of them; and by persecuting them in the most
violent manner;
how long will ye love
vanity; or "a vain thing"F12ריק
"inane", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Cocceius; "inanem
rem", Piscator. . Such as the placing of Absalom upon the throne, on which
their hearts were set; and such was the vain imagination of the Jews, with
which they pleased themselves, that Jesus should die, and his name perish; and
such are all the attempts of wicked men to ruin and destroy the people and interest
of Christ; for no weapon formed against them shall prosper;
and seek after leasing? Or "a
lie"F13כזב "mendacium",
Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator,
&c. ; or that which fails and deceives, as a lie does: and such were all
the counsels and designs of the great men of Israel against David: and so the
Jews may be said to seek after a lie, when they seek after another Messiah
besides Jesus of Nazareth: for every other proves a "Bar Cozbi", that
is, the son of a lie; as the false Messiah in Adrian's time was called by
themselves. And so do all such as seek after and embrace false doctrines,
errors, and heresies, and are given up to believe them. Now the psalmist
suggests that these great men were obstinate, and continued in these sinful
practices; and that in the issue all their efforts would be vain and fruitless;
and which he further strengthens by observing to them what follows.
Selah; on this word; see Gill on Psalm 3:2.
Psalm 4:3 3 But know that the Lord has set apart[a] for
Himself him who is godly; The Lord will hear when I call to
Him.
YLT
3And know ye that Jehovah
Hath separated a saintly one to Himself. Jehovah heareth in my calling to Him.
But know,.... Take notice of it, consider it, be assured of the truth, of
it; it may be depended upon as fact,
that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: which may be
understood of David himself, an holy good man; a man after God's own heart;
whom the Lord chose, and in a marvellous manner separated from the rest of his
brethren; took him from the sheepfold, and set him upon the throne of Israel,
for the glory of his great name; and therefore the attempts of his enemies
against him would be without success: and also of the Messiah, God's Holy One,
whom he has chosen out from among the people to be their Saviour and Redeemer,
to the glory of his grace; wherefore the work of the Lord has prospered in his
hands: and likewise of all the saints, and of their election; which act is
expressed by their being set apart, or separated from others, who are called
the rest; and which is a marvellous act of grace: for the word may be rendered,
"he hath wonderfully set apart"F14So Ainsworth. הפלה "mirificavit", V. L. "mirabilem
effecit", Gejerus . It is an amazing instance of grace that God should
make one to differ from another, and separate them from their mother's womb,
and call them by his grace. The object of this act is "him that is
godly", or "holy"F15חסיד
"sanctum", V. L. Muis, De Dieu. : not that any are set apart or
chosen by God for their godliness, or holiness; for they are chosen through
sanctification of the Spirit, and not because they were or it was foreseen they
would be holy. Holiness, faith, godliness, and good works, are the fruits of
election, and not the causes of it: but the word חסיד,
rendered "godly", signifies "good" and "merciful"F16"Eum
quem benigne acceperit", Junius & Tremellius; "beneficiarium",
Gejerus, Michaelis; "gratia vel favore a Deo affectum", Hammond. ;
and designs one, that God is good, and gracious, and merciful unto; who is an
object of his free grace and favour; and therefore he chooses and sets him
apart of his own grace and mercy, and according to his sovereign will and
pleasure: and that "for himself"; for his own use and service, for
his praise and honour, and to the glory of his grace; which is his grand end in
predestination, election, and in all spiritual blessings. And now all attempts
against such persons are in vain; all charges against them are of no avail; all
methods, whether by open force of persecutors, or by the cunning of false
teachers, that lie in wait to deceive, to prevail against them, prove failures:
and God will avenge his elect, that cry unto him day and night; as follows;
the Lord will hear when I call unto him; and deliver
out of the hands of enemies, and cut them off: wherefore it is a vain thing for
men to set themselves against Christ and his people.
Psalm 4:4 4 Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate
within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah
YLT
4`Tremble ye, and do not
sin;' Say ye [thus] in your heart on your bed, And be ye silent. Selah.
Stand in awe, and sin not,.... That is, stand in awe
of God, and his righteous, judgments; be afraid of him, and tremble before him;
make him your fear and your dread, and go on no longer and proceed no further
in sinning against him. The Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and
Ethiopic versions, render it, "be ye angry, and sin not": which are
the words of the apostle, Ephesians 4:26; referring to this place;
and which doubtless is the reason of these versions. There is an anger that is
sinful, when it is without a cause, or exceeds due bounds, and is not directed
to a good end, and is productive of bad effects, by words or deeds; and when it
is soon raised, or long continued; and there is an anger that is not sinful;
when it arises from a true zeal for God and religion; when it is kindled, not
against the persons, but sins, of men; and when it is continued to answer good
purposes; as the good of those with whom we are angry, and the glory of God,
and the promoting of the kingdom and interest of Christ;
commune with your own heart upon your bed: when retired
from men and business, and you are at leisure to think and meditate then
reflect upon your actions, seriously consider them; ask your heart some proper
and close questions; examine narrowly and thoroughly the principles on which,
and the views with which, you act;
and be still; cease from all your rage and fury against
me, against the Lord, and against his people; or "say in your own
hearts"F17אמרו בלבבכם
"dicite in corde vestro", Montanus, Cocceius, Gussetius;
"loquimini", Pagninus, Piscator. , as follows.
Selah; on this word; see Gill on Psalm 3:2.
Psalm 4:5 5 Offer the sacrifices of
righteousness, And put your trust in the Lord.
YLT
5Sacrifice ye sacrifices of
righteousness, And trust ye unto Jehovah.
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,.... Offer for
sacrifice things righteously gotten, for the Lord hates robbery for burnt
offering, Isaiah 61:8. Some respect may be had to the
unrighteous acquisitions of Absalom and his men, and who were now in possession
of Jerusalem, and of the altars of the Lord, and were sacrificing on them; in
which they gloried; and to which this may be opposed. Likewise sacrifices of
righteousness are such as were according to the law, and were offered in a
right manner; which were not maimed, nor had any blemish in them; see Malachi 1:13; and particularly such as were
offered up in the faith of the great sacrifice, Christ; for, without faith, it
is impossible to please God by any sacrifice. And this sense is confirmed by
the following clause, which requires trust in the Lord. Moreover,
righteousness, with the Jews, signifies alms, beneficence, showing mercy to the
indigent; and acts of liberality are sacrifices, with which God is well
pleased; and which are preferred by him to the sacrifices of the ceremonial
law, Hebrews 13:16. The sacrifices also of a
broken heart, and of a contrite spirit, are such as God esteems of; he looks to
those that have them, and dwells with them. And to this sense the Chaldee
paraphrase inclines, in which the words are thus paraphrased;
"subdue
your corruptions, and it shall be reckoned to you as a sacrifice of
righteousness?'
and
why may not the sacrifice of praise for mercies received, especially for the
righteousness of Christ, be at least included, if not principally designed;
since these are sacrifices which, under the ceremonial law, were more pleasing
to God than others; and are always acceptable to him through Jesus Christ our
Lord? Agreeably to this, Aben Ezra thinks the peace offerings are intended,
which were in a way of thanksgiving; and are opposed to sin offerings, and
trespass offerings, and burnt offerings; from the last of which sacrifices of
righteousness are distinguished in Psalm 51:19;
and put your trust in the Lord: not in your strength, in
horses and chariots, and numbers of men; nor in wise counsels, nor in riches,
nor in fleshly privileges, nor in works of righteousness, or sacrifices of
righteousness: for though they are to be performed, they are not to be trusted
in; nor in your own hearts. And while the psalmist is striking at the false
confidence of the sons of men he is addressing, he may at the same time be
thought to be encouraging those that were with him to trust in the Lord,
Jehovah, the Son of God, before spoken of by him as the object of trust, Psalm 2:12; to trust in his person for the
acceptance of their persons and sacrifices of righteousness; and in his
righteousness for justification; in his blood for pardon; in his sacrifice for
expiation of sin; in his fulness for daily supplies; and in his power for
protection and safety. And it is right to trust in him at all times; in times
of affliction, temptation, and desertion: he is always the same; in him is
everlasting strength; he has an heart as well as an ability to help and
succour, and none ever trusted in him and were confounded. Such have peace and
safety, and can want no good thing.
Psalm 4:6 6 There are
many who say, “Who will show us any good?” Lord, lift up the
light of Your countenance upon us.
YLT
6Many are saying, `Who doth
show us good?' Lift on us the light of Thy face, O Jehovah,
There be many that say,
who will show us any good?.... These may be thought
to be the men of the world; carnal worldly minded men, seeking after temporal
good, and taking up their rest and contentment in it; to whom the psalmist
opposes his wish and request, in the following words. Or these are the words of
the men that were along with David, wishing themselves at home and in their
families, enjoying the good things of life they before had; or rather these are
the words of the same many, the enemies of David, spoken of in Psalm 3:1; who were wishing, as Kimchi
observes, that Absalom's rebellion might prosper; that David might die and his
son reign in his stead, so the evil they wished to him was good to them: or
they may be the words of the same men, expressing the desperate condition that
David and his friends were in, which the psalmist represents in this manner,
"who will show us any good?" none, say they, will show them any good,
neither God nor man; there is no help for him in God; he and his friends must
unavoidably perish: and this produces the following petition,
Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us; meaning his
gracious presence, the manifestations of himself, the discoveries of his love,
communion with him, the comforts of his Spirit, and the joys of his salvation;
suggesting that in the enjoyment of these things lay their good and happiness,
and their safety also; his face and favour, love and grace, being as a shield
to encompass them, and as a banner over them, Psalm 5:12; and so Jarchi observes, that
the word here used signifies to lift up for a bannerF18So Gussetius,
Ebr. Comment. p. 515, 518. ; so, me respect seems to be had to the form of the
priests blessing, Numbers 6:24; and the words are opposed to
the good desired by carnal men, and express the true happiness of the saints, Psalm 89:15; this is a blessing wished for
not only by David, but by his antitype the Messiah, Matthew 27:46; and by all believers.
Psalm 4:7 7 You have put gladness in
my heart, More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.
YLT
7Thou hast given joy in my
heart, From the time their corn and their wine Have been multiplied.
Thou hast put gladness in my heart,.... The Ethiopic version
reads it "into our heart"; in granting the above request; for,
nothing so rejoices the hearts of God's people as the light of his countenance,
or the enjoyment of his gracious presence: this was matter of exceeding joy to
Christ himself, Psalm 21:6; and so it is to all his
members; this causes inward gladness, gladness of heart, and is opposed to the
external rejoicings of wicked men and of hypocrites: and this is of God's
putting into the heart; and indeed none can put gladness either into a wounded
conscience, into the heart of a sensible sinner, or into the soul of one that
is panting after the presence of God, and communion with him, but God himself;
more than in the time that their corn and their wine
increased: meaning the time of harvest and of vintage; when there is a good
harvest, and a good vintage, there is joy among men, and the contrary when it
is otherwise, Isaiah 9:3; these things being of general
use, spread an universal joy among people; there is scarce any earthly thing
that occasions more joy than these do: and yet the joy on such occasions is not
to be compared with spiritual joy, that is a joy unspeakable and full of glory.
Some take the מ to be not comparative, but causal,
and render the wordsF19מעת דגנם "a vel ex tempore quo frumentum eorum",
&c. Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus, Cocceius. , "thou hast put gladness
in ray heart from the time that their corn", &c. as do the Chaldee
paraphrase and Syriac versions; and the Arabic version renders it,
"because of the multitude of fruits", &c. and then the sense is,
as if David should say concerning his enemies,
"I
never envied their prosperity, I always rejoiced when they had a good harvest,
or vintage, and still do; and yet they have rose up and rebelled against me,
and requited me evil for good.'
And
this sense is given into by the Jewish commentatorsF20Jarchi, Aben
Ezra, & Kimchi in loc. , and shows of what an admirable spirit, and in what
a sweet disposition of mind, the psalmist was; that while his enemies were
seeking his life he was rejoicing in their prosperity; and is a sad aggravation
of their wickedness: and this may also be understood of the rejoicing of David,
and even of the Messiah, and likewise of all good men, at the spiritual
prosperity of the saints, at any increase of grace, spiritual knowledge, and
joy, signified by these outward things, as in Jeremiah 31:12; the Septuagint, Vulgate
Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, add "oil" to corn and
wine.
Psalm 4:8 8 I will both lie down in
peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
YLT
8In peace together I lie
down and sleep, For Thou, O Jehovah, alone, In confidence dost cause me to
dwell!
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep,....
Signifying, that he had such a calmness and serenity of mind, amidst all his
troubles, that he could not only lay himself down in great peace, and much
composure of mind, but sleep also, and that as soon as laid down almost; some
lay themselves down, but cannot sleep, through the anxiety of their minds; but
the psalmist could do both: or the word rendered "both" may he translated
"together"F21יחדו
"simul", Musculus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Gejerus,
Cocceius. ; and the sense be either that he would lie down and sleep together
with his friends, committing himself and them to the care and protection of
God; or that he should lie down and sleep together with his enemies; meaning
that he was assured that there would quickly be a reconciliation and peace
between them; see Proverbs 16:7;
for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety; suggesting
that his protection and safety were owing to the power and presence of God
only; and that was the reason of the tranquillity of his mind, and why he slept
so quietly in the night watches, though in such danger from his enemies; or
"thou, Lord, makest me only" or "alone"F23לבדד "me solum", Cocceius; "me
seorsim", Gejerus. , being solitary and destitute of friends, to dwell in
safety; finder the shadow of thy wings, encompassed by thy favour, and
surrounded by thy power; see Deuteronomy 33:28.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)