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Wisdom & Poetry · Old Testament

Psalms 4

Psalm 4: an evening prayer for hearing, gladness and safe sleep

General context

The speaker asks the God of his righteousness to hear him when he calls, saying that God enlarged him when he was in distress, and asks for mercy and hearing. He then turns to the sons of men, asking how long they will turn his glory into shame, love vanity and seek after leasing; Selah follows. He tells them to know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself and will hear when he calls. He instructs them to stand in awe and not sin, to commune with their own heart on their bed and be still, again marked by Selah, and to offer the sacrifices of righteousness and put their trust in the Lord. He reports that many say, who will show us any good, and asks the Lord to lift up the light of his countenance upon them. He says God has put gladness in his heart, more than in the time when their corn and wine increased. He closes by saying he will lie down in peace and sleep, because the Lord alone makes him dwell in safety.

Cited passages: Psalms 4:1, Psalms 4:2, Psalms 4:3, Psalms 4:4, Psalms 4:5, Psalms 4:6, Psalms 4:7, Psalms 4:8

Psalms 4 (KJV)

1Hear 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.

2O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.

3But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him.

4Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

5Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.

6There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.

7Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.

8I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

This page shows the King James Version. In the app, reading opens in the Berean Standard Bible unless you have chosen another translation. The reader includes five translations: the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), the King James Version (KJV), the World English Bible (WEB), the Bible in Basic English (BBE), and the American Standard Version (ASV). Search covers three of them: Berean Standard, King James, and World English. Basic English and American Standard readers search the King James words.

Historical context

The text as printed here carries no heading; verse 1 opens with "Hear me when I call", so no author, occasion or instrument is named in this source. The speaker is a single "I" who addresses two parties in turn: God in verses 1, 6 (second half), 7 and 8, and "ye sons of men" in verses 2-5. Those addressed are not named or numbered; they are said to shame the speaker's glory and to love vanity. "Their corn and their wine" in verse 7 refers to the same group without saying what the increase was. The distress of verse 1 is spoken of as past ("thou hast enlarged me") while the request to be heard is present. Selah marks two pauses, after verses 2 and 4. The bed of verse 4 and the lying down of verse 8 are the only setting details, and the text does not state where the speaker is or what the "sacrifices of righteousness" consist of.

Cited passages: Psalms 4:1, Psalms 4:2, Psalms 4:7, Psalms 4:4, Psalms 4:5, Psalms 4:8

Literary context

The psalm alternates its addressees. It opens and closes speaking to the Lord, and in between it turns on the sons of men with two "how long" questions and a string of commands: know, stand in awe, sin not, commune, be still, offer, trust. The quoted saying of the many, "Who will shew us any good?", is answered at once by the speaker's own prayer for the light of the Lord's countenance. Gladness of heart is set against the increase of corn and wine, an inward good measured against a harvest. Bed and sleep bind the poem: the sons of men are told to commune with their heart "upon your bed", and the speaker ends by lying down in peace to sleep. The word "hear" opens the poem as a plea and returns in verse 3 as a confidence. This psalm's closing line about safe sleep echoes the sleeping and waking of Psalm 3:5.

Cited passages: Psalms 4:2, Psalms 4:4, Psalms 4:6, Psalms 4:7, Psalms 4:8, Psalms 4:3, Psalms 3:5

Key moments

  1. Hear me when I call (Psalms 4:1). The speaker asks the God of his righteousness to hear him and have mercy.
  2. How long, sons of men (Psalms 4:2). He turns to the sons of men who shame his glory and love vanity.
  3. Be still on your bed (Psalms 4:4). He tells them to stand in awe, not sin, commune with their heart and be still.
  4. Who will show us any good? (Psalms 4:6). He quotes the many and asks the Lord to lift up the light of his countenance.
  5. Gladness beyond the harvest (Psalms 4:7). God has put gladness in his heart greater than when their corn and wine increased.
  6. Sleep in safety (Psalms 4:8). He will lie down in peace and sleep because the Lord alone makes him dwell in safety.

For reflection

The speaker claims a gladness greater than a good harvest brings, while still asking to be heard; what does the poem count as the good that the many are asking to be shown?

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