The Prayer of Psalm 4
Psalm 4,
In this Psalm of David we see that first, he begins in verse 1 by speaking to God, then in verses 2 through 5, he is speaking to man. Then in verses 6 through 8, it appears that David is once again addressing his words to the Lord. But I would like us to primarily just focus on verse 1. Reading that again, he says, “Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer!”
In this first verse of Psalm 4, we have what to me, is a short, passionate prayer of David. And although the circumstances that drive David to pray are not specifically stated in the psalm, it appears that it may be in connection with the actions of men. Men whom David will later address in the psalm; men who oppose David; men who are attacking David's honor, turning his honor into shame; men who seem to be willing to be deceived, who love vain, empty words and seek after lies.
But whatever the circumstances may be, it appears that these circumstances that David is facing have caused David to experience distress, adversity, affliction; some type of trouble that has created a high level of pressure and stress in his life. Spurgeon writes that David's words suggest a picture of an army that is enclosed and hard-pressed by a surrounding enemy; trapped, as it were, seemingly with nowhere else to turn for escape. But yet, in this verse 1 of Psalm 4, we see that there is a place where David can turn. There is one to whom David can turn to in the midst of his distress. Where is it that David turns? Well, he turns to God. He turns to God in prayer. He calls out to God in prayer. And as he begins his prayer he begins with these words, “Answer me when I call.”
One might read this and think David is demanding that God answer his prayer. Something like a spoiled child coming to a parent and demanding that that parent answer his request for something he is asking for. But no, I do not believe this is what these words are implying. I believe that these words of David here are not so much a demand, but better read as words of pleading, begging for God to respond and to answer David's prayers. He cries out to God, pleading that God will answer His call for relief, his call for help to open a way for him so that he might escape.
As David calls out to God in prayer, I believe there is a sense that David is praying with confidence, confidence that God will hear and answer his prayer. And I say this for at least two reasons that I note in this prayer. Two reasons that I believe gave David confidence that his prayer to God would be answered.
First, I believe that he has confidence that comes from knowing God's mercy. He has seen it in the past when God has answered his past prayers. As he prays, he recounts how that in the past God has granted him relief when he was in distress. And therefore God, who has heard and answered his prayers in the past, gives him confidence that God will again be faithful, faithful to hear and answer his prayers for help now; now, as he is in the midst of distress.
But then secondly, I believe that his confidence comes from his knowledge of who God is. God is gracious. He says, “Be gracious to me.” He sees God as a God of grace and mercy, a God who answers his prayers, not because he deserves even the least of the mercies of God, but because God is abundant in mercy.
And then one other point to note in David's prayer to God. We see it in the beginning part of verse 1. He refers to God as, “O God of my righteousness!” Quoting from Spurgeon, he writes this,
To the choir master, with stringed instruments, a Psalm of David.
“Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! Oh men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies?
Selah
But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to Him. Be angry and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.
Selah
Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
In this Psalm of David we see that first, he begins in verse 1 by speaking to God, then in verses 2 through 5, he is speaking to man. Then in verses 6 through 8, it appears that David is once again addressing his words to the Lord. But I would like us to primarily just focus on verse 1. Reading that again, he says, “Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer!”
In this first verse of Psalm 4, we have what to me, is a short, passionate prayer of David. And although the circumstances that drive David to pray are not specifically stated in the psalm, it appears that it may be in connection with the actions of men. Men whom David will later address in the psalm; men who oppose David; men who are attacking David's honor, turning his honor into shame; men who seem to be willing to be deceived, who love vain, empty words and seek after lies.
But whatever the circumstances may be, it appears that these circumstances that David is facing have caused David to experience distress, adversity, affliction; some type of trouble that has created a high level of pressure and stress in his life. Spurgeon writes that David's words suggest a picture of an army that is enclosed and hard-pressed by a surrounding enemy; trapped, as it were, seemingly with nowhere else to turn for escape. But yet, in this verse 1 of Psalm 4, we see that there is a place where David can turn. There is one to whom David can turn to in the midst of his distress. Where is it that David turns? Well, he turns to God. He turns to God in prayer. He calls out to God in prayer. And as he begins his prayer he begins with these words, “Answer me when I call.”
One might read this and think David is demanding that God answer his prayer. Something like a spoiled child coming to a parent and demanding that that parent answer his request for something he is asking for. But no, I do not believe this is what these words are implying. I believe that these words of David here are not so much a demand, but better read as words of pleading, begging for God to respond and to answer David's prayers. He cries out to God, pleading that God will answer His call for relief, his call for help to open a way for him so that he might escape.
As David calls out to God in prayer, I believe there is a sense that David is praying with confidence, confidence that God will hear and answer his prayer. And I say this for at least two reasons that I note in this prayer. Two reasons that I believe gave David confidence that his prayer to God would be answered.
First, I believe that he has confidence that comes from knowing God's mercy. He has seen it in the past when God has answered his past prayers. As he prays, he recounts how that in the past God has granted him relief when he was in distress. And therefore God, who has heard and answered his prayers in the past, gives him confidence that God will again be faithful, faithful to hear and answer his prayers for help now; now, as he is in the midst of distress.
But then secondly, I believe that his confidence comes from his knowledge of who God is. God is gracious. He says, “Be gracious to me.” He sees God as a God of grace and mercy, a God who answers his prayers, not because he deserves even the least of the mercies of God, but because God is abundant in mercy.
And then one other point to note in David's prayer to God. We see it in the beginning part of verse 1. He refers to God as, “O God of my righteousness!” Quoting from Spurgeon, he writes this,
"The name by which the Lord is addressed deserves notice since it is not used in any other part of Scripture. It means, 'Thou are the author, the witness, the maintainer, the judge and the rewarder of my righteousness.'"
So it is to this God that David prays and makes his appeal in the midst of his distress. David looks to God for relief. And he is not coming to God in His own righteousness, but he is humbly, humbly coming into the presence of God by the virtue of the righteousness that has been given to him by God. He prays to God, God who is the source of His righteousness.
And while there's much more that can be said about this psalm, I would like us to just look down to verse 8. And in verse 8, we find what I believe is part of the result, the answer to David's prayer. He writes, “In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” The answer from God to David's prayer when he was in the midst of severe distress. It's not necessarily the removal of the cause of his distress, but that even in the midst of distress, David was granted peace. Peace that allows David to lie down and sleep. Peace that is securely resting in the safety that is only found in the Lord. So this is David's prayer. A very short prayer found in verse 1 of Psalm 4.
So what can we learn from this prayer of David, his prayer in the midst of distress? I suggest three things.
First, we see that when circumstances cause us to feel severe distress, even a sense of being trapped with no place to turn for help, we must remember that we can always, always turn to the Lord for help. He has promised to hear and answer the prayers of his people.
Secondly, in times of distress we can plead. As Spurgeon notes, we can plead the past mercies of God as a ground for present favor. The Lord has answered our prayers in the past, has He not? He has granted us relief in times of distress. And He is a faithful God, faithful to answer our prayers again as we come to Him. And we can come then in confidence, knowing that He will answer our prayers as we come to Him again, even in the midst of distress, seeking relief that only He might grant.
Thirdly, I think we can find comfort. Comfort and encouragement in knowing that we pray to a God, a God of grace and mercy. He has already heard and answered our prayer for relief from our greatest distress. The distress that we face due to the penalty of our sin; the distress of facing the wrath of God. But God, God, who's a God of grace and mercy, He made a way of escape for us and it is by His grace, through the blood of Christ, that we have been justified by faith in Christ. He has answered our prayer, our cry for forgiveness of sin. And if he has heard our prayer and granted us salvation, and has justified us and adopted us into his family, we can have confidence that he will again answer our prayers. If He answered this prayer in the past, we can have confidence that he will surely, surely hear and answer our prayers for relief from other distresses that we may face. Even if he does not remove the cause of the distress, he will surely grant us peace in the midst of our times of distress. So with these things, may this prayer of David found in Psalm 4, even help us and encourage us as we come to a God of mercy, as we come to Him in prayer.
And while there's much more that can be said about this psalm, I would like us to just look down to verse 8. And in verse 8, we find what I believe is part of the result, the answer to David's prayer. He writes, “In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” The answer from God to David's prayer when he was in the midst of severe distress. It's not necessarily the removal of the cause of his distress, but that even in the midst of distress, David was granted peace. Peace that allows David to lie down and sleep. Peace that is securely resting in the safety that is only found in the Lord. So this is David's prayer. A very short prayer found in verse 1 of Psalm 4.
So what can we learn from this prayer of David, his prayer in the midst of distress? I suggest three things.
First, we see that when circumstances cause us to feel severe distress, even a sense of being trapped with no place to turn for help, we must remember that we can always, always turn to the Lord for help. He has promised to hear and answer the prayers of his people.
Secondly, in times of distress we can plead. As Spurgeon notes, we can plead the past mercies of God as a ground for present favor. The Lord has answered our prayers in the past, has He not? He has granted us relief in times of distress. And He is a faithful God, faithful to answer our prayers again as we come to Him. And we can come then in confidence, knowing that He will answer our prayers as we come to Him again, even in the midst of distress, seeking relief that only He might grant.
Thirdly, I think we can find comfort. Comfort and encouragement in knowing that we pray to a God, a God of grace and mercy. He has already heard and answered our prayer for relief from our greatest distress. The distress that we face due to the penalty of our sin; the distress of facing the wrath of God. But God, God, who's a God of grace and mercy, He made a way of escape for us and it is by His grace, through the blood of Christ, that we have been justified by faith in Christ. He has answered our prayer, our cry for forgiveness of sin. And if he has heard our prayer and granted us salvation, and has justified us and adopted us into his family, we can have confidence that he will again answer our prayers. If He answered this prayer in the past, we can have confidence that he will surely, surely hear and answer our prayers for relief from other distresses that we may face. Even if he does not remove the cause of the distress, he will surely grant us peace in the midst of our times of distress. So with these things, may this prayer of David found in Psalm 4, even help us and encourage us as we come to a God of mercy, as we come to Him in prayer.
Posted in Pastor Devotional