View Psalms 4 in the note window.
David prays, reproves the wicked, and testifies the happiness of the
righteous, ver. 1 - 3.
Exhorts them to consider and serve God, ver. 4 - 5.
Declares his own experience of the grace of God, ver. 6 - 8.
To the chief musician on Neginoth, A psalm of David.
Title of the psalm. Chief musician - The director of the musick of
the temple. Neginoth - Or, on stringed instruments, as this word is
translated, (Hab 3:19).
1: O God - The witness and defender of my righteous cause.
2: My glory - By his glory probably he means that honour which God
had conferred upon him. Vanity - Wickedness. Lying - Those calumnies
which they raised against him, to make him odious to all the people.
3: Godly - Me, whom, though you traduce as an hypocrite, God hath
pronounced to he a man after his own heart, (1Sa 13:14).
For himself - In his stead, or to be his vicegerent, as all kings are, and
especially the kings of God's own people.
4: In awe - Be afraid, if not of me, yet of God, who hath engaged in
my cause. Sin not - By prosecuting your rebellion against God's authority.
On your bed - Calmly consider these things in the silent night, when you
are at leisure from distracting business. Be still - Compose your
tumultuous minds.
5: Offer - Unto God, that he may be reconciled to you.
Righteousness - Righteous sacrifices; which requires that the persons
offering them be righteous and do righteous things, and offer them
with an honest mind, with faith and true repentance. Without which,
he intimates, that all their sacrifices were of no esteem with God,
and would be wholly unprofitable to them.
6: Many - Of my followers, who are weary of waiting upon God.
Who - Who will put an end to our troubles, and give us tranquility.
Lift up - Upon me and my friends. Give us an assurance of thy love,
and evidence it by thy powerful assistance.
7: Thou hast - Whatsoever thou shalt do with me for the future,
I have at present unspeakable satisfaction in the testimonies of
thy love to my soul; more than worldly persons have in the time of
a plentiful harvest.
8: In peace - In tranquility of mind, resting securely upon God's
promises.
