Псалом 4

The inscription indicates the purpose of the psalm for public use on stringed instruments (Heb. neginnot, Greek ἐν ὕμνοις; in Slav. “to the end,” i.e., for final performance; but in what way is not indicated, but is clarified by the term “in songs,” i.e. for vocal performance). In Hebrew, Greek. and the Latin Bibles the psalm is attributed to David. The close similarity of its contents with Ps.3 (cf. Ps.3 and Ps. 4:7), as well as the correspondence of its contents with the circumstances of David’s flight from Jerusalem during the rebellion of Absalom, confirm the authenticity of the inscription. David depicts himself “in cramped conditions,” and calls his enemies “loving vanity and seeking lies” (Ps. 4:2–3 v.), indicating the lack of food for the people with him, the desperation of the latter and obtaining food (Ps. 4: 7–8). This was the situation of David during his flight from Absalom, when he was in the Mahanaim desert and when the lack of food was filled with a gift brought by Sobi, Machir and Barzillai and consisting of flour, honey, barley, sheep and grains (2 Sam. 17:27-29). After turning to God with a prayer for help, David invites his enemies to come to their senses about the motives for their persecution and repent before God (2-6). David himself, having already received help from God, calmly falls asleep. According to the concluding words of the psalm, the latter can be called an evening prayer to God, complementing the third psalm, like a morning prayer (cf. Ps 3.6). Ps.4:2. When I cry, hear me, O God of my righteousness! In tight spaces, You gave me space. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer. In the straitened position of a persecuted man, David asks for protection from “the Lord of his righteousness.” The uprising of the people against David was prepared by Absalom, who presented his father before him as an unfit ruler who did not love his people, did not care about their welfare and as an unjust judge. The people who rebelled against David believed these words. David, realizing the injustice of these accusations, calls God “the God of his righteousness,” who sees the injustice of the persecution brought against him. The disasters experienced by a person are bonds for him, shackles that constrain him, therefore, “bringing him out into the open” means freeing him from disasters. David here recalls God’s previous blessings to him, for example, during persecution from Saul, when the Lord saved him, a righteous sufferer. Now David is also suffering undeservedly, which is why he prays “have mercy and hear”! Ps.4:3. Sons of husbands! How long will my glory be in reproach? How long will you love vanity and seek lies? Ps.4:4. Know that the Lord has set apart His holy one for Himself; The Lord hears when I call on Him. The consciousness of his rightness and the resulting confidence in divine help causes David to boldly turn to his enemies and denounce them. - “Sons of husbands” - sons from a noble family, i.e. nobles. “My glory” is my royal dignity. - “Love vanity” - love the petty, vain and fragile. David looks at the nobles who rebelled against him as acting on vain, power-hungry calculations, in the hope of currying favor with Absalom and taking an honorable position upon his accession. Their attempts to overthrow the king are fruitless, since the Lord “set apart for Himself His holy one,” whom He will protect. By “holy” David means himself, an innocent sufferer in the disasters he experiences. Ps.4:5. When you are angry, do not sin: meditate in your hearts on your beds, and be calm; Ps.4:6. offer sacrifices of righteousness and trust in the Lord. David advises his enemies to come to their senses and repent. - “Be angry, do not sin.” Anger at David stemmed from the recognition of David as an unfit administrator and an unjust judge. Such anger as fighting for the trampled truth is legal, but it should not lead people to sinful actions, to injustice against others, in this case David: you must first check whether the accusations brought against him are fair, and this is possible in a calm state of mind, to which he invites ("meditate... on your beds..., calm down"). The consequence of checking their actions in them will be repentance, which they must seal by making a sincere sacrifice to God ("sacrifice of righteousness") and place their hope in the arrangement of life on Him, and not on their own strength. Ps.4:7. Many say: “Who will show us good?” Show us the light of Your face, O Lord! Ps.4:8. You have filled my heart with joy from the time that their bread and wine [and oil] multiplied. Ps.4:9. I lie down calmly and sleep, for You, Lord, alone allow me to live in safety. Sincere faith in God is always justified. The few people who were devoted to him around David were close to despair when they had no means of food and cried out to God: “show us light” - and then the Lord helped them (see the introduction to the psalm). In this, David sees the hand of God above him, which is why, entrusting himself to His protection, he “calmly lies down and sleeps,” although his enemies are nearby. You might be interested in: