psalm 4

​Psalm 4:1-2:
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.
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.

Psalm 4:3:
But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly; The Lord will hear when I call to Him.

By "the godly" is meant, of course, the psalmnist. He is sure that he belongs to God and is set apart, so that no real evil can touch him; but does he build this confidence on his own character or on Jehovah's grace? The answer depends on the meaning of the word rendered "godly," which appears for the first time in the Psalter. So far as its formed concerned, it may be either active, or one who shows chesed (lovingkindness or favor), or passive, one to whom it is shown. But the usage in the Psalter seems to decide in favor of the passive meaning, which is also more in accordance with the general biblical view which traces to all man's hopes hopes and blessings, not to his attitude to God but to God's to him, and regards man's love to God as a derivative, "Amati amamusm amantes amplius meremur amari" (Bern). Out of His own deep heart of love Jehovah has poured His lovingkindness on the psalmist, as he thrillingly feels, and He will take care that His treasure is not lost; therefore this conviction, which has flamed up anew since the moment before when he prayed, brings with it the assurance that He "hears when I cry" as he had just asked Him to do.

Psalm 4:6-8:
There are many who say, “Who will show us any good?” Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.
7 You have put gladness in my heart, More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.
8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

The many ask. Who?; he prays, "Lord." They have vague desires after God; he knows what he needs and wants. Therefore in the brightness of that Face shining upon him his heart is glad. The mirth of harvest and vintage is exuberant, but it is poor beside the deep, still blessedness which trickles round the  heart that craves most of the light of Jehovah's countenance. That craving is joy and the fruition is bliss. The psalmist here touches the bottom, the foundation  on which every life that is not vanity is based, and verifies itself in every life that is so based. Strange and tragic that men should forget it and love vanity which mocks them, and, though won, still leaves them looking wearily round the horizon for any glimmer of good! The glad heart possessing Jehovah can, on the other hand, lay down in peace and sleep, though foes stand round. ​