1. “The title of the psalm.” - The title of this psalm is “To the chief Musician on Neginoth. A psalm of David.” This phrase in the title, “To the chief Musician,” occurs at the beginning of 53 psalms, and at the close of the hymn in Habakkuk 3:19. It is uniformly rendered “to the chief Musician,” a... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAR ME WHEN I CALL - When I pray. The word “hear” in such cases is always used in the sense of “listen to,” “hear favorably,” or “attend to;” hence, in the literal sense it is always true that God “hears” all that is said. The meaning is, “hear and answer me,” or grant me what I ask. O GOD OF MY RI... [ Continue Reading ]
O YE SONS OF MEN - Turning from God to men; from Him in whom he hoped for protection to those who were engaged in persecuting him. We are not, of course, to suppose that they were present with him, but this is an earnest, poetic remonstrance, “as if” they were with him. The reference is doubtless to... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT KNOW - This is addressed to those whom, in the previous verse, he had called the “sons of men;” that is, his foes. This is designed to show them that their opposition to him must be vain, since God had determined to set him apart for his own service, and would, therefore, hear his prayer for rel... [ Continue Reading ]
STAND IN AWE - Still addressed to those who in Psalms 4:2 are called “sons of men;” that is, to his enemies. This is rendered by Prof. Alexander, “Rage and sin not.” The Aramaic Paraphrase renders it, “Tremble before him, and sin not.” The Latin Vulgate, _“Irascimini”_ - “be angry.” The Septuagint ο... [ Continue Reading ]
OFFER THE SACRIFICES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS - Offer righteous sacrifices; that is, sacrifices prompted by right motives, and in accordance with the prescriptions in the law of God. This appears to be addressed also to those who in Psalms 4:2 are called “sons of men;” that is, those who were arrayed agains... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE BE MANY THAT SAY - Some have supposed, as DeWette and others, that the allusion of the psalmist here is to his own followers, and that the reference is to their anxious fears in their misfortunes, as if they were poor and forsaken, and knew not from from where the supply of their wants would c... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HAST PUT GLADNESS IN MY HEART - Thou hast made me happy, to wit, in the manner specified in Psalms 4:6. Many had sought happiness in other things; he had sought it in the favor of the Lord, and the Lord had given him a degree of happiness which they had never found in the most prosperous worldl... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL BOTH LAY ME DOWN IN PEACE, AND SLEEP - The word “both” here means “at the same time;” that is, I will alike be in peace, and I will lie down and will sleep; I will have a mind at peace (or, in tranquility) when I lie down, and will sleep calmly. This is said in view of his confidence in God,... [ Continue Reading ]