Psalm 4
Evangelical Heritage Version
Psalm 4
My Righteous God, Give Me Relief
Heading
For the choir director. With stringed instruments. A psalm by David.
A Prayer to God
1 My righteous God, answer me when I call.
When I was under pressure, you gave me relief.
Be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
A Rebuke to Enemies
2 You people, how long will you turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love empty delusions? Interlude
How long will you pursue lies?
3 Know this: The Lord has set apart
his favored one[a] for himself.
The Lord will hear when I call to him.
Advice to Friends
4 You may be upset, but do not sin.
When you are on your beds,
speak to your heart, but remain silent. Interlude
5 Offer righteous sacrifices,
and trust in the Lord.
6 Many are saying, “Who can show us any good?”
Shine the light of your face on us, O Lord.
Closing Prayer
7 You have placed joy in my heart greater than the joy
when grain and new wine are plentiful.
8 In complete peace I will lie down, and I will sleep,
for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Footnotes
- Psalm 4:3 The Hebrew word hasid refers to someone who receives and/or gives mercy. It is the most common title for a believer in the Psalms. Many translations use generic terms like devout, godly, or faithful. This translation uses favored when hasid refers primarily to a recipient of mercy and merciful when it refers primarily to a dispenser of mercy.
Psalm 4
Lexham English Bible
Safety in Yahweh
For the music director; with stringed instruments. A psalm of David.[a]
4 When I call, answer me, O God of my righteousness.[b]
In trouble deliver me.[c]
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.
2 O sons of man, how long will my honor[d] be a disgrace?
How long will you love vanity?
How long will you seek lies?[e] Selah
3 But know that Yahweh has set apart[f] for himself the faithful one.[g]
Yahweh hears when I call to him.
4 Be disturbed but do not sin.
Commune in your heart[h] on your bed and be silent. Selah
5 Offer correct sacrifices,[i]
and trust in[j] Yahweh.
6 Many are saying, “Who will show us something good?”
Lift up over[k] us the light of your face, O Yahweh.
7 You have put gladness in my heart
more than when[l] their grain and their wine abound.
8 In peace I will lie down and sleep at once,[m]
for you alone, O Yahweh, make me dwell safely.
Footnotes
- Psalm 4:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
- Psalm 4:1 Or “vindication”
- Psalm 4:1 Literally “make wide for me”
- Psalm 4:2 Or “glory”
- Psalm 4:2 Or “falsehood”
- Psalm 4:3 Or “treated specially”
- Psalm 4:3 Or “pious, godly one”
- Psalm 4:4 That is, “think it over”
- Psalm 4:5 Or “right sacrifices”
- Psalm 4:5 Literally “trust to”
- Psalm 4:6 Or “upon”
- Psalm 4:7 Literally “the time of”
- Psalm 4:8 Literally “together”
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
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