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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)