1 Answer me when I call to you,
my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
2 How long will you people turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods[b]?[c]
3 Know that the LORD has set apart his faithful servant for himself;
the LORD hears when I call to him.
4 Tremble and[d] do not sin;
when you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent.
5 Offer the sacrifices of the righteous
and trust in the LORD.
6 Many, LORD, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
Let the light of your face shine on us.
7 Fill my heart with joy
when their grain and new wine abound.
8 In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, LORD,
make me dwell in safety.
Comments from McGurgle
Almost everyone can point to a time in life when they were deeply happy. For some, it was when they first met their life partner and then marriage. For many these were those times of joy. For others, school or university days stand out. Some even point to the birth of children. For others it's an event or a time when they gave something to someone else who was in dire need. For others still it was simply in the welcome and hospitality of friends.
Then, there are times that are unpleasant and hurt even now to think about them.. Some times we have had to face a tragic time or season in life that brings us low. The loss of a loved one for example, or a severe family illness where the burdens of daily life become overwhelming. For others still the unpleasant times are the times when we become acutely aware of the experiences of our youth, and also remember the pain of it as well. The bullying at school, the way a father or mother treated them. The shunning of friends and so on.
Why are some times better than others? Why do some people yearn for the “good old days” or look forward to the “green pastures” that lie ahead? Isn’t today enough? These are the kind of questions that Psalm 4 poses. Psalm 4 is a prayer of supplication that could be divided into three sections: 1) The call for God’s answer (4:1) from the criticism of enemies (4:2), The reminder of God’s power and the need for faith in the Lord (4:3-5), The prayer for better times (4:5) with the thought that the present can give more joy than any imagined future (4:5-8).
We can see from the psalm that night time sleep marks the test of happiness in the now. 4:5 has the challenge to cease sinning and to reflect in silence on your bed. 4:8 It is an act of faith that the faithful person could lie down and sleep in the peace only the Lord could provide. Sleep was a time of restoration and rest; dreams were also a means for God to reveal his will. For the ancient Jew (and many modern believers), the quantity and quality of sleep implied a test for a clear conscience and a place close to the Lord.
There is certainly not anything wrong with fondly remembering the past or planning for the future. But, should we look behind or ahead for some sense of spiritual fulfillment? If we do, we will only play a game of “what was?” or “what could be?” and not “what is.” If nothing else, Psalm 4 plants us in the spiritual present. In the word's of Mick Jagger "You can't always get want you want, but....you might just get what you need" We might not have everything we want, but God gives us all we need for now and that is more than enough.
Take time to consider how God provides for you at this moment. Despite your desires for better times, thank him for his faithfulness and his providence in "the present moment" and be content with God's place for you in the now.
Almost everyone can point to a time in life when they were deeply happy. For some, it was when they first met their life partner and then marriage. For many these were those times of joy. For others, school or university days stand out. Some even point to the birth of children. For others it's an event or a time when they gave something to someone else who was in dire need. For others still it was simply in the welcome and hospitality of friends.
Then, there are times that are unpleasant and hurt even now to think about them.. Some times we have had to face a tragic time or season in life that brings us low. The loss of a loved one for example, or a severe family illness where the burdens of daily life become overwhelming. For others still the unpleasant times are the times when we become acutely aware of the experiences of our youth, and also remember the pain of it as well. The bullying at school, the way a father or mother treated them. The shunning of friends and so on.
Why are some times better than others? Why do some people yearn for the “good old days” or look forward to the “green pastures” that lie ahead? Isn’t today enough? These are the kind of questions that Psalm 4 poses. Psalm 4 is a prayer of supplication that could be divided into three sections: 1) The call for God’s answer (4:1) from the criticism of enemies (4:2), The reminder of God’s power and the need for faith in the Lord (4:3-5), The prayer for better times (4:5) with the thought that the present can give more joy than any imagined future (4:5-8).
We can see from the psalm that night time sleep marks the test of happiness in the now. 4:5 has the challenge to cease sinning and to reflect in silence on your bed. 4:8 It is an act of faith that the faithful person could lie down and sleep in the peace only the Lord could provide. Sleep was a time of restoration and rest; dreams were also a means for God to reveal his will. For the ancient Jew (and many modern believers), the quantity and quality of sleep implied a test for a clear conscience and a place close to the Lord.
There is certainly not anything wrong with fondly remembering the past or planning for the future. But, should we look behind or ahead for some sense of spiritual fulfillment? If we do, we will only play a game of “what was?” or “what could be?” and not “what is.” If nothing else, Psalm 4 plants us in the spiritual present. In the word's of Mick Jagger "You can't always get want you want, but....you might just get what you need" We might not have everything we want, but God gives us all we need for now and that is more than enough.
Take time to consider how God provides for you at this moment. Despite your desires for better times, thank him for his faithfulness and his providence in "the present moment" and be content with God's place for you in the now.
McGurgle
