Psalms in Poetic Form: Psalm 4

Clear hear to read PSALM 4 in poetic form.

Background

This Psalm of David shows the Messiah’s absolute trust in God. It concludes: “For thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety (confidence).” David is confronted by those who love falsehood, but the Lord sets him apart and hears him. David spent time “communing with his heart” in deep reflection upon God’s goodness. He anticipated his son, the Messiah, who would “offer the sacrifices of righteousness.” David was glad and at peace, for he knew that the Lord would send the Messiah to deliver His people.

Structure

This Psalm (like Psalm 3) is separated by the Hebrew term “Selah,” which means to pause. Some Bible teachers say this connected the truths that come before and after the term. Psalm 4 is structured as follows:

(Verses 1,2) The righteous God will hear the Messiah in the face of shameful men who seek after falsehood
Pause
(Verses 3,4) God’s hears and responds to the “godly,” the Messiah
Pause
(Verses 5 – 8) The Messiah’s trust in God Who brings light, gladness, and peace

Key Scriptures

Verse 1—”Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness.” David prayed to the righteous God when he was in distress. David’s son, the Messiah, prayed this way in the garden during his great distress. John 17:25: “O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.”

Verse 3—”The Lord will hear when I call unto Him.” David knew this, and Jesus Christ knew this even greater. John 11:41,42: “Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.”

Verse 4—“Commune with your own heart.” Jesus Christ was the greatest example of searching your own heart. He went to the Father in prayer—it was his way of life. Matthew 14:23: “And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.” Mark 1:35: “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” Perhaps his greatest time of self-reflection and prayer was before his death: Matthew 26:36: “Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.” (This heartfelt prayer is found in John 17.)

Verse 5—“Offer the sacrifices of righteousness.” Only one perfect sacrifice could be made by the righteous man—the Messiah, Jesus Christ. He had sinless blood (Matthew 27:4; I Peter 1:19; Hebrews 2:14). He had the righteousness of God (II Corinthians 5:21). He justified us through his blood (Romans 5:9). He is the perfect sacrifice for all time (Hebrews 10:12).

Verse 8—“For thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.” David was rescued, by God’s grace, time and again from death and evil men. And centuries later, God constantly delivered His Son, Jesus Christ, from the attacks and murderous attempts by the adversary to kill him. Please see the blog Escape Arists for more details.

FOR FURTHER STUDY

All 150 of The Psalms in Poetic Form are available from Amazon in a book, either Large Print or a smaller Bedside Reader. Also available for free with a Kindle Unlimited membership. Enjoy!

The entire blog series is now available in the publication The Psalms: Background & Structure with Key Scriptures Explained.