Evening Prayer of Trust in God. Psalm 4:1-8

Transcription

1 1 Evening Prayer of Trust in God Psalm 4:1-8

2 2 Text: Psalm 4:1-8, Evening Prayer of Trust in God 1. Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. 2. O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah. 3. But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him. 4. Stand in awe, and sin not; commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. 5. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord. 6. There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. 7. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. 8. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety. Introduction: I. The heading, superscription to this Psalm reads: For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David. A. Matthew Henry via Coffman wrote, All of the singing was done by the choristers, not by the people; but the New Testament appoints all Christians to sing.

3 Ephesians 5:19, Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 2. Colossians 3:16, Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. B. Isaiah 38:20, The Lord was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord. II. Smith refers to this psalm as an evening hymn in which... A. an appeal is made to rebels to repent. B. two appeals are made for God s help. C. a final affirmation is made of trust in the Lord. D. Psalm 4 is regarded as a companion of Psalm 3, the morning prayer. (Tesh and Zorn) III. Principles: A. This Psalm, as is true of Scripture in general, can fill the need of many souls under many circumstances. (Tesh and Zorn) B. This Psalm is a petition for help from God, by one who is confident, in spite of the skepticism of others, that God will respond. (Tesh and Zorn)

4 4 Commentary: A Cry For Help Psalm 4:1, Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. I. God himself is not merely a righteous God in his own right but He is also the author of my righteous disposition. (Matthew Henry via Coffman) A. Coffman well said, God is indeed the author of all the good that might be done by anyone. B. David had full faith in the righteousness of God. (Smith) C. God saw that David s cause was righteous and would give David aid. (The Pulpit Commentary) II. Answer me when I call you,... (NIV) III. Give me relief (set me at large, AKJV) from my distress; (NIV) A. God had enlarged David, made room for David, given him prosperity. (The Pulpit Commentary) IV. be merciful to me and hear my prayer. (NIV) A. The worshipper does not plead any merit or worthiness of his own but bases his petition upon the mercy of God. (Coffman) B. Scriptures:

5 Psalm 5:2, Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. 2. Psalm 6:2, Have mercy upon me, O Lord; for I am weak: O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed. 3. Psalm 9:13, Have mercy upon me, O Lord; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death: 4. Psalm 27:7, Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. 5. Psalm 30:10, Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper. V. Note the petitions in verse one; viz., A. Answer me. B. Be merciful to me. C. Hear my prayer. D. Give me relief. (Tesh and Zorn) A Warning to the Ungodly Psalm 4:2, O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah. I. How long, O (sons, AKJV) men, will you turn my glory into shame? (NIV)

6 6 A. It is a shame for men created in the image of God to live in sin and in this way disgrace both themselves and God. B. David s glory refers to his personal honor and royal dignity. (Smith) C. O men or O ye sons of men may be a title of honor, rank and dignity which has been rendered by Kay as sons of the brave, but here the phrase is rather equivalent to sire. (Pulpit Commentary) D. God s glory is turned to shame by the sins of those who purport to be his follows. 1. This may be a veiled reference to Joab, Abishai, et. al. among David s followers who, by their misdeeds, reflected poorly on David and his government. (Pulpit commentary) II. How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? (NIV) A. Delusions, vanities and false gods (idols), falsehoods, lies regrettably are not uncommon. B. Romans 1:25, Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. C. Delusions and lies, falsehoods include astrology, witchcraft, superstition and idolatry. (Knight) D. Joab s treachery and falsehood were notorious. (Pulpit Commentary) 1. 2 Samuel 3:27, And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly and

7 7 smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother Samuel 10:8-10, And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entering in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ish-tob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the field. When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians: And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon. E. Jeremiah 2:13, For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. Psalm 4:3, But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him. I. Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; (NIV) A. To be God s special people we must be godly, like God. B. David is confident of victory because he is a godly man. (Smith) C. Knight associated godly here with saints in the New Testament. 1. Acts 9:32, And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. 2. Philippians 1:1, Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

8 8 D. David was godlike in that he never pardoned Joab s wrongs and even protested them on one occasion. (Pulpit Commentary) 1. 2 Samuel 3:28, And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner: 2. 1 Kings 2:5, 6, Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet. Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace. E. Psalm 86:2, Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. 1. It is such a one as this that God sets apart for himself. (Tesh & Zorn) II. the Lord will hear when I call to him. (NIV) A. Regardless of the resistance David experienced even from some within his own ranks, David was convinced that God would hear his prayers. (Pulpit Commentary) Psalm 4:4, Stand in awe, and sin not; commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. I. In your anger do not sin; (NIV) A. Stand in awe before God; do not sin.

9 9 B. David here tells his enemies that they should not allow their anger with his government to lead them into sinful revolution. (Smith) C. Ephesians 4:26, Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: D. This may have been directed toward David s loyal followers who may have been tempted to retaliate improperly because of their anger Samuel 16:9, Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head Samuel 18:11, 14, And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle. Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak Samuel 19:21, But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord s anointed? E. Before God the righteous and/or those given to delusions are to stand in awe, tremble and shake violently. II. when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Selah (NIV) A. Search is commune and silent is rendered still in the AKJ.

10 10 B. When you are angry, give yourself time to cool off before acting. Psalm 4:5, Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord. I. Offer right sacrifices... (NIV) A. Right sacrifices are those God has commanded. B. 1 Peter 2:4, 5, To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious. Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. C. Here the reference may be to such things as a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart. (Pulpit commentary) 1. Psalm 51:17, The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. 2. Psalm 27:6, And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord. D. Right sacrifices are offered to Jehovah, not to idols. II. and (put your) trust in the Lord. (NIV) A. When we walk with the Lord In the Light of His Word What a glory he sheds on our way! While we do His good will, He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey. Not a shadow

11 11 can rise, Not a cloud in the skies, But His smile quickly drives it away; Not a doubt or a fear, Not a sigh nor a tear, Can abide while we trust and obey. Not a burden we bear, Not a sorrow we share, But our toil He doth richly repay; Not a grief nor a loss, Not a frown or a cross, But is blest if we trust and obey. But we never can prove The delights of His love Until all on the altar we lay; For the favor He shows, And the joy He bestows, Are for them who will trust and obey. Then in fellowship sweet We will sit at His feet, Or we ll walk by His side in the way; What He says we will do, Where He sends we will go, Never fear, only trust and obey. Trust and obey, for there s no other way To be happy in Jesus, But to trust and Obey. Amen. (J. H. Sammis, D. B. Towner, Tabernacle Hymns, Number Five) Joy In The Lord Psalm 4:6, There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. I. Many are asking,... (NIV) A. Are ministers answering the questions people are asking? B. Are people asking the right questions? C. Smith wrote, The masses had not yet made up their mind whether to follow idols, the rebels or not. II. Who can show us any good? (NIV) A. The pessimist asks this question with the expectation that the answer is, Nobody. (Pulpit Commentary) B. Others may be asking this question to sincerely obtain a correct answer.

12 12 III. Let (lift up) the light of your face (countenances) shine upon us, O Lord. (NIV) A. Smile on us, (Moffatt) Look on us with kindness. (GNB) (via Coffman) B. Good comes from the Lord and is extended to those who have the light of God s countenance shining on them. C. Scriptures: 1. Numbers 6:24-26, The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them. 2. Psalm 31:16, Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies sake. 3. Psalm 80:3, Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. Psalm 4:7, Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. I. You have filled my heart with (gladness, AKJV) greater joy... (NIV) A. Coffman wrote that the dramatic contrast in verses 7 and 8 is between the pessimism, dissatisfaction, and unhappiness of the vast majority of mankind with the joyful gladness and satisfaction of the soul truly in harmony with God s will.

13 13 B. David knows a joy and peace which are independent of outward circumstances. No anxieties would delay his sleep. In unshaken faith he claims Yahweh as his sole protector beside whom he needs no others. (Smith) C. Isaiah 9:3, Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. D. Happiness is something we can enjoy; then it evaporates and leaves us empty. Joy is built into the revelation of the grace of God; for joy never evaporates, since joy belongs to God, and God is always with us. (Knight) E. The happy are not thankful: The thankful are happy. II. than when their grain and new wine abound. (NIV) A. Knight made the point that Palestinian farmers looked forward to two harvests a year, a grain harvest and a grape harvest. B. David s inner peace with God s love in his heart far exceeds any earthly contentment. Psalm 4:8, I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety. I. I will lie down and sleep in peace. (NIV) A. Numbers 6:22-27, And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee,

14 14 and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them. B. When both harvests had been garnered, the farmer could rest in peace knowing his needs but been met for another year. C. God s gift is peace of mind in the midst of this wicked world. (Knight) 1. Psalm 3:5, I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. II. for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. (NIV) A. The Lord had brought Israel safely through the wilderness, established them in Canaan and would provide care and safety for David in all his trials. (Pulpit Commentary) 1. Deuteronomy 32:12, So the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him. 2. Psalm 44:2, 3, How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out. For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them. B. Whether or not David s problems were removed, he would sleep in peace and dwell in safety because of his trust in God. Conclusion: I. This Psalm addresses vital principles including:

15 15 A. God cares for the righteous. B. Sin is the road to gloom and doom, not happiness because of how God regards sin. 2. what sin does to the sinner. 3. what sin does to others. 4. what sin costs, even the life of God s Son on the cross. C. The supreme quest of life is happiness and contentment through a trusting faith in God and conduct that is a reflection of Godlikeness. (Pulpit Commentary)

16 16 References Coffman, James Burton, Psalms, Volumes 1 and 2, Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version, National Publishing Company, The Gideons International, Nashville, Holy Bible, New International Version, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Knight, George A.F., The daily Bible Study Series, Psalms, Volume 1, The Westminster Press, Philadelphia, Sammis, J. H., Towner, D.B., Tabernacle Hymns, Number 56, Tabernacle Publishing Company, Chicago, 1964 Smith, James E., The Wisdom Literature and Psalms, College Press Publishing Company, Joplin, Missouri, Tesh, S. Edward and Zorn, Walter D., Psalms, Volume 1, The College Press NIV Commentary, College Press Publishing Company, Joplin, Missouri, Youngblood, Ronald F., Bruce, F.F., and Harrison, R. K., Nelson s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1995.

17 17 Questions Psalm 4: For what purpose and to whom was Psalm 4 originally written? 2. Who wrote this psalm? 3. Why is this psalm referred to as an evening hymn? 4. Name two principles taught by Psalm 4 listed in the introduction to this outline. 5. List the petitions contained in verse 1.

18 What circumstances led to the writing of Psalm 4? Feel free to consider several possibilities. 7. Who were the men of verse 2? 8. How can glory be turned to shame? 9. What delusions and lies were in mind in verse 2. What are some prominent delusions or lies which plague the present generation?

19 Who are the godly whom Jehovah sets apart for himself? 11. What are essential characteristics of godliness? 12. How confident are you that God in heaven really hears you when you pray? 13. What connections are there between anger and sin? What precautions should the devout take in regard to anger and sin? 14. What connection is there between anger and sin and when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent?

20 What are right sacrifices? 16. What were many asking in verse 6? Why was this question asked? _ 17. What questions are many people asking today? 18. Give specifics regarding the contents of the blessings requested in Psalm 4:66 and mentioned in Numbers 6:24-26, Psalm 31:16 and Psalm 80:3.

21 When did grain and new wine abound? What was the result of this bounty? 20. Compare the happiness of this world with the joy God gives. 21. How could David lie down and sleep when trouble and danger threatened on every side? 22. Could you lie down and sleep when trouble surrounds you? 23. List vital principles found in the conclusion to this lesson.

22 What is the most important lesson this psalm presents (according to your best judgment)? 25. How do a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart relate to trust in God and confidence that God will answer our prayers?