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Psalm 4

Confident Plea for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

Answer me when I call, O God of my right!
    You gave me room when I was in distress.
    Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.(A)

How long, you people, shall my honor suffer shame?
    How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah(B)
But know that the Lord has set apart the faithful for himself;
    the Lord hears when I call to him.(C)

When you are disturbed,[a] do not sin;
    ponder it on your beds, and be silent. Selah(D)
Offer right sacrifices,
    and put your trust in the Lord.(E)

There are many who say, “O that we might see some good!
    Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord!”(F)
You have put gladness in my heart
    more than when their grain and wine abound.(G)

I will both lie down and sleep in peace,
    for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.(H)

Footnotes

  1. 4.4 Or are angry

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”