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Psalms 4

KJV · Chapter 4/150

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.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

David cries out to God for help in the midst of distress, rebukes those who trade his glory for vanity and lies, and closes by declaring that he can lie down and sleep in peace because the LORD alone gives him safety.

Explanation

This psalm is traditionally associated with evening prayers (which is why it is read alongside Psalm 3, a morning psalm, in Jewish liturgy). It contrasts the genuine joy that comes from God with the empty pursuit of material goods — 'thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased' describes an inner satisfaction greater than any material abundance. The closing line, about lying down and sleeping in peace, became a classic bedtime prayer in several traditions. Today's application: true joy and security do not depend on accumulating things, but on a trusting relationship with God.

Fun facts

  • This psalm is traditionally recited at night in Jewish and Christian liturgies, and is considered one of the earliest recorded 'bedtime prayers' in history.
  • The Hebrew word translated 'enlarged' (in verse 1) literally means broad, open space — the idea of God bringing someone out of a tight spot (a narrow place) into a wide-open place is a recurring metaphor in the psalms of deliverance.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Psalms 4:1The psalm opens with a cry for help, but already recalling a past occasion: God had made room in a time of pressure, like someone moving from a tight space into a wide-open one. It's that memory that gives him grounds to ask for help again.
  2. Psalms 4:2My glory here is David speaking of himself as the king anointed by God, not an abstract concept: it's the honor and position he received. The question is how long the people will keep insisting on dishonoring exactly that.
  3. Psalms 4:3David answers his accusers with certainty: God has already set apart for Himself those who are faithful to Him, so he can trust he will be heard whenever he cries out — this isn't a vague hope.
  4. Psalms 4:4It's practical advice against anger: before acting, settle things with yourself in silence, lying down, at night. The bed here isn't about sleep; it's the place of private reflection before deciding anything.
  5. Psalms 4:5It's advice for those who accuse him unjustly: instead of continuing to spread lies, it would be better to turn their attention to sacrifices offered with sincerity and place their trust in the Lord.
  6. Psalms 4:6While many people go around asking where they'll find something good in life, the psalmist asks for one specific thing: that God's face shine upon him, a Hebrew way of asking for favor and attention.
  7. Psalms 4:7Abundant grain and wine were the height of joy for any farmer in ancient times, something like a record harvest. The psalmist says the joy that comes from God surpasses even that concrete joy of a plentiful harvest.
  8. Psalms 4:8The psalm closes with the same simple image found in other psalms of trust: sleeping peacefully is proof that security doesn't depend on any circumstance, only on God.

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