Psalms 4:1--5:1
ContextFor the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm of David.
4:1 When I call out, answer me,
O God who vindicates me! 2
Though I am hemmed in, you will lead me into a wide, open place. 3
Have mercy on me 4 and respond to 5 my prayer!
4:2 You men, 6 how long will you try to turn my honor into shame? 7
How long 8 will you love what is worthless 9
and search for what is deceptive? 10 (Selah)
4:3 Realize that 11 the Lord shows the godly special favor; 12
the Lord responds 13 when I cry out to him.
4:4 Tremble with fear and do not sin! 14
Meditate as you lie in bed, and repent of your ways! 15 (Selah)
4:5 Offer the prescribed sacrifices 16
and trust in the Lord! 17
4:6 Many say, “Who can show us anything good?”
Smile upon us, Lord! 18
than those who have abundant grain and wine. 20
4:8 I will lie down and sleep peacefully, 21
for you, Lord, make me safe and secure. 22
For the music director, to be accompanied by wind instruments; 24 a psalm of David.
5:1 Listen to what I say, 25 Lord!
Carefully consider my complaint! 26
1 sn Psalm 4. The psalmist asks God to hear his prayer, expresses his confidence that the Lord will intervene, and urges his enemies to change their ways and place their trust in God. He concludes with another prayer for divine intervention and again affirms his absolute confidence in God’s protection.
2 tn Heb “God of my righteousness.”
3 tn Heb “in distress (or “a narrow place”) you make (a place) large for me.” The function of the Hebrew perfect verbal form here is uncertain. The translation above assumes that the psalmist is expressing his certitude and confidence that God will intervene. The psalmist is so confident of God’s positive response to his prayer, he can describe God’s deliverance as if it had already happened. Such confidence is consistent with the mood of the psalm (vv. 3, 8). Another option is to take the perfects as precative, expressing a wish or request (“lead me”). See IBHS 494-95 §30.5.4c, d. However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew.
4 tn Or “show me favor.”
5 tn Heb “hear.”
6 tn Heb “sons of man.”
7 tn Heb “how long my honor to shame?”
8 tn The interrogative construction עַד־מֶה (’ad-meh, “how long?”), is understood by ellipsis in the second line.
9 tn Heb “emptiness.”
10 tn Heb “a lie.” Some see the metonymic language of v. 2b (“emptiness, lie”) as referring to idols or false gods. However, there is no solid immediate contextual evidence for such an interpretation. It is more likely that the psalmist addresses those who threaten him (see v. 1) and refers in a general way to their sinful lifestyle. (See R. Mosis, TDOT 7:121.) The two terms allude to the fact that sinful behavior is ultimately fruitless and self-destructive.
11 tn Heb “and know that.”
12 tn Heb “that the
13 tn Heb “hears.”
14 sn The psalmist warns his enemies that they need to tremble with fear before God and repudiate their sinful ways.
15 tn Heb “say in your heart(s) on your bed(s) and wail/lament.” The verb דֹמּוּ (dommu) is understood as a form of דָמָם (“wail, lament”) in sorrow and repentance. Another option is to take the verb from II דָמָם (damam, “be quiet”); cf. NIV, NRSV “be silent.”
16 tn Or “proper, right.” The phrase also occurs in Deut 33:19 and Ps 51:19.
17 sn Trust in the
18 tn Heb “lift up upon us the light of your face,
sn Smile upon us. Though many are discouraged, the psalmist asks the Lord to intervene and transform the situation.
19 tn Heb “you place joy in my heart.” Another option is to understand the perfect verbal form as indicating certitude, “you will make me happier.”
20 tn Heb “from (i.e., more than) the time (when) their grain and their wine are abundant.”
21 tn Heb “in peace at the same time I will lie down and sleep.”
22 tn Heb “for you,
23 sn Psalm 5. Appealing to God’s justice and commitment to the godly, the psalmist asks the Lord to intervene and deliver him from evildoers.
24 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word נְחִילוֹת (nÿkhilot), which occurs only here, is uncertain. Many relate the form to חָלִיל (khalil, “flute”).
25 tn Heb “my words.”
26 tn Or “sighing.” The word occurs only here and in Ps 39:3.