INTRODUCTION
In a world of sin and tragedy, evil men and corrupt leaders, it is easy for God’s people to be tempted to panic, to give in to anxiety or anger, to lash out in desperation. But Christians are to be marked by faith that knows God is righteous, God is for us, and He hears us.
The Text: “To the chief musician on Neginoth, a psalm of David: Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness…” (Ps. 4:1-8)
SUMMARY OF THE TEXT
This psalm is part of a collection for the “chief musician,” and this one is to be played on stringed instruments and is a psalm of David. Psalm 4 has a number of similarities to the previous psalm and may come from the same time period (fleeing from Absalom) or may be from another time like when he was on the run from Saul.
David asks God to hear him, and he addresses God as “the God of my righteousness,” which is explained by the fact that God has often answered David’s prayers to deliver him from the narrowest troubles (Ps. 4:1). God is righteous, and God has proven it in the past. And David knows that this is pure mercy (Ps. 4:1).
David addresses his enemies directly in this prayer, asking how long they will slander him with lies, and the psalm pauses to meditate on how empty it all is (Ps. 4:2). Worship is not a private religious gathering; it is in the presence of our enemies (Ps. 23:5). David insists that God has chosen him and will therefore answer him (Ps. 4:3). He says his enemies should stop their lying babble for a minute, tremble before God, stop their sinning, and mediate for a moment in silence (Ps. 4:4). If they did that honestly, it would drive them to repent and be cleansed by sacrifice and put their trust in God (Ps. 4:5).
Finally, David contrasts two different kinds of joy: many are carnal and worldly and look for happiness entirely in material goods (wealth, houses, cars, wine), but David says he has more joy in the smile of God than all of that (Ps. 4:6-7). And like Psalm 3, David says this gives him a kind of peace that allows him to lay down and enjoy deep and restful sleep (Ps. 4:8).
GOD OF MY RIGHTEOUSNESS
The doctrine of justification by faith alone means that God is our righteousness, our justice, and our vindication. “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifies” (Rom. 8:33). This means that God declares sinners righteous for the sake of Christ. While it is painful to be falsely accused, it is not fatal for Christians because we stand before God and the world in the righteousness of Christ (Rom. 3:22, Phil. 3:9). He is our judge, our witness, and our jury. But if the attacks and opinions of men constantly shake you, are you justified before God? To be justified is to be assured that nothing can separate you from God (Rom. 8:33-39). “If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:31-32). Faith is the gift that rests in that strong tower.
SET APART
David once again appeals to God’s promise to him and his house, that his throne will be established forever (cf. 2 Sam. 7). This was a particular promise to David, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and therefore it has a specific application to those who are in Christ: “According as He hath chosen us in Him [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: having predestined us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will” (Eph. 1:4-5).
The doctrine of election means all Christians can pray Psalm 4 with the same confidence: “The Lord hath set [me] apart for Himself: the Lord will hear when I call.” Charles Spurgeon said, “Since He chose to love us he cannot but choose to hear us.” Faith knows that God hears.
BETTER THAN WINE
We can consider the next couple of sections together: When the godly tremble before God and quiet their hearts on their beds, they have great peace and joy in the pleasure of God – more than all earthly comforts (Ps. 4:4, 6-7). They can see their sin and repent through the final sacrifice of Christ, and the joy and peace of salvation flood their hearts (Ps. 4:5, 7).
But those who do not know God cannot stand silence. They refuse to tremble before God and stop their sinning. They cannot sleep unless they have done some mischief, unless they have caused someone to fall (Prov. 4:16). Their only happiness is the temporary buzz of paychecks and wine (Ps. 4:7). But the light of God’s countenance on His chosen people (in spite of our sin) – His favor, His love, His smile – lightens every moment. Thomas Watson says, “There is as much difference between heavenly comforts and earthly, as between a banquet that is eaten, and one that is painted on the wall.”
CONCLUSION: THE CHRISTIAN’S GOODNIGHT
God justifies the ungodly. God is perfectly righteous, and by the sacrifice of Christ, the ungodly are made righteous. When you tremble before God and are silent before Him, you know your sin, your failures, but God is the One who hears those who cry out for His righteousness. And His righteousness become our righteousness.
There are only two kinds of people in this world: those who trust in their own righteousness and those who trust in the righteousness of Christ. Those who trust in their own righteousness are trying to justify themselves.
They must constantly try to protect themselves, defend themselves, and prove themselves, and so they’re constantly exhausted and miserable. But faith in Christ knows that God hears and so it sleeps soundly in the face of every accusation.