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To the Director: With stringed instruments. A Davidic Psalm

Trust God under Adversity

When I call, answer me,
    my righteous God![a]
When I was in distress, you set me free.
    Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.

You people,
    how long will you malign my reputation?
How long will you love what is vain[b]
    and what is false?
Interlude
But understand this:[c]
    the Lord has set apart the godly for himself!
        The Lord will hear me when I cry out to him!

Be angry, yet do not sin.[d]
    Think about this[e] when upon your beds,
        and be silent.
Interlude
Offer sacrifices that are righteous,
    and put your confidence in the Lord.

Many are asking, “Who will help us to see better days?”[f]
    Lord, may the light of your favor[g] shine upon us.
You have given me more joy in my heart than at harvest times,
    when grain and wine abound.
I will lie down and sleep in peace,
    for you alone, Lord, enable me to live securely.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 4:1 Or God of my righteousness
  2. Psalm 4:2 I.e. what has no substance
  3. Psalm 4:3 The Heb. lacks this
  4. Psalm 4:4 Cf. Eph 4:26
  5. Psalm 4:4 The Heb. lacks this
  6. Psalm 4:6 Lit. cause us to see good
  7. Psalm 4:6 Lit. face

Safety in Yahweh

For the music director; with stringed instruments. A psalm of David.[a]

When I call, answer me, O God of my righteousness.[b]
In trouble deliver me.[c]
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.
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
But know that Yahweh has set apart[f] for himself the faithful one.[g]
Yahweh hears when I call to him.
Be disturbed but do not sin.
Commune in your heart[h] on your bed and be silent. Selah
Offer correct sacrifices,[i]
and trust in[j] Yahweh.
Many are saying, “Who will show us something good?”
Lift up over[k] us the light of your face, O Yahweh.
You have put gladness in my heart
more than when[l] their grain and their wine abound.
In peace I will lie down and sleep at once,[m]
for you alone, O Yahweh, make me dwell safely.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 4:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
  2. Psalm 4:1 Or “vindication”
  3. Psalm 4:1 Literally “make wide for me”
  4. Psalm 4:2 Or “glory”
  5. Psalm 4:2 Or “falsehood”
  6. Psalm 4:3 Or “treated specially”
  7. Psalm 4:3 Or “pious, godly one”
  8. Psalm 4:4 That is, “think it over”
  9. Psalm 4:5 Or “right sacrifices”
  10. Psalm 4:5 Literally “trust to”
  11. Psalm 4:6 Or “upon”
  12. Psalm 4:7 Literally “the time of”
  13. Psalm 4:8 Literally “together”