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Psalms 4
Psalms 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. In the Hebrew this psalm beings with the words: "LeMenatsaech BeNiginot LeDavid" translated as "To He Who grants victory through the art of music, for David". S.R. Hirsch comments that through music one can obtain spiritual inspiration to enable one to overcome whatever adverse forces one may be facing. King Saul suffered from mental anguish and David through his music had been able to alleviate his suffering 2-Kings 3:15.I myself never understood much about music. My attempts at singing where once compared (by a good-natured friend) to the braying of a donkey. On the other hand one of my sons composes modern-type music which is not bad. Also on my mother's side my great-grandfather was reportedly an accomplished violinist. According to reports he had been appointed to the King of Denmark. I do not know if this is true or not but if so it must be recorded somewhere: A Jew named "Jacoby" appointed as official violinist to the King of Denmark must have been exceptional at the time and should be of interest to historians. Or maybe it's a familial wishful think? Sometimes we underrate our ancestors (and ourselves) and sometimes we do the opposite. <<HEAR ME WHEN I CALL, O GOD OF MY RIGHTEOUSNESS>>: This Psalm was a personal prayer of King David that anyone who wishes may now use as a personal prayer to ask God for help. The Midrash (Yalkut Shimeoni) points out that this Psalm may also be seen as a cry of the Tribe of Judah for assistance in time of trouble, cf. " HEAR, LORD, THE VOICE OF JUDAH, AND BRING HIM UNTO HIS PEOPLE" [Deuteronomy 33:7], re-unite him with his brothers? [Psalms 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. <<YE SONS OF MEN>>: In Hebrew "Bnei Ish" meaning (as the Radak points out) great men or important men. Even today Biblical Critics and all kinds of other cranks belittle the greatness of King David. In a sense, nothing has changed. Everything in the Bible is almost immediately applicable to the situation today. [Psalms 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. [Psalms 4:4] STAND IN AWE, AND SIN NOT: COMMUNE WITH YOUR OWN HEART UPON YOUR BED, AND BE STILL. SELAH. [Psalms 4:5] OFFER THE SACRIFICES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND PUT YOUR TRUST IN THE LORD. [Psalms 4:6] THERE BE MANY THAT SAY, WHO WILL SHEW US ANY GOOD? LORD, LIFT THOU UP THE LIGHT OF THY COUNTENANCE UPON US. <<LIFT THOU UP>>: S.R. Hirsch points out that in Hebrew this can also be understood to mean "Set the light of your favor upon us as a mark of our distinction". [Psalms 4:7] THOU HAST PUT GLADNESS IN MY HEART, MORE THAN IN THE TIME THAT THEIR CORN AND THEIR WINE INCREASED. The inner happiness that comes with walking with God leads to salvation. This must be often worked upon and striven for since spiritually-inclined people also have a tendency towards depression. At all events the Psalms are a valuable tool and should be utilized. Oliver Cromwell knew the Psalms by heart or nearly so. Elizabeth-1 was also familiar with them as well as learning Hebrew. [Psalms 4:8] I WILL BOTH LAY ME DOWN IN PEACE, AND SLEEP: FOR THOU, LORD, ONLY MAKEST ME DWELL IN SAFETY. PSALMS INDEX HOME |