Scripture Daily

Context No. 686 of 4322 · Psalms

Context · Reflection

Psalms 4:1-8: in context

1Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness. Give me relief from my distress. Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer. 2You sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonor? Will you love vanity and seek after falsehood? Selah. 3But know that the LORD has set apart for himself him who is godly; The LORD will hear when I call to him. 4Stand in awe, and don’t sin. Search your own heart on your bed, and be still. Selah. 5Offer the sacrifices of righteousness. Put your trust in the LORD. 6Many say, “Who will show us any good?” LORD, let the light of your face shine on us. 7You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their grain and their new wine are increased. 8In peace I will both lay myself down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me live in safety.

Psalm 4 is a prayer for the end of the day, the evening companion to Psalm 3's waking. It begins pressed and anxious, asking God for room in a tight place and relief from distress, and it turns on the people wearing the psalmist down, who love empty things and chase after lies and turn his honor into shame. But instead of trading their noise back to them, the psalm gives an instruction that turns inward. Tremble, and do not sin. Search your own heart as you lie on your bed, and be still. Paul would later borrow the first half of that line, be angry and do not sin.

The crowd, the psalmist says, keeps asking who will show us any good, always looking outside for the next thing that might help. He has stopped asking. You have put more gladness in my heart, he prays, than others have when their grain and wine are plentiful. His joy is not tied to the harvest coming in. And so the psalm ends where an evening prayer should, laid down for the night: in peace I will both lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety. The peace to sleep does not wait for the trouble to be over.

The psalm searches the heart in the dark and then sleeps in peace, without the day first going right. What has to be settled before I can lie down, and why can I not rest until it is?

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