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John Darby's Synopsis

Psalms 4:1-8

Psalms 4 differs in this respect from Psalms 3, of which we shall see other examples, that it is not simple confidence, but appeals to righteousness against the sons of men, who turn all the glory that belongs to the people of Jehovah, and especially to their king, into shame; but Jehovah has chosen the godly. The light of Jehovah's countenance is his resource. In Psalms 3:4, and Psalms 4:1, the experienced mercy of Jehovah is referred to.

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See also Psalms 4:1-8 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    PSALM IV _David prays to be heard_, 1; _expostulates with the ungodly_, 2; _exhorts them to turn to God, and make their peace with him_, 3-5; _shows the vain pursuits of men in search of happines...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    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 “h...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    Psalms 4 __ 1. The cry to Jehovah (Psalms 4:1) 2. The warning to the enemies (Psalms 4:4) 3. The assurance of faith (Psalms 4:6)...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    IV. AN EVENING HYMN BY A MAN HIGH IN OFFICE WHOSE RULE EXCITES JEALOUSY AND RESISTANCE. The Psalmist begins with an appeal to the God of his righteousness, _i.e._ the God who declares that his case is...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    TITLE.. Psalm. See App-65. HEAR. Answer. GOD. Hebrew. _Elohim._ App-4. GOD OF MY RIGHTEOUSNESS. My righteous God. Genitive of relation or object. HAVE MERCY. be gracious, or show favour to....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    _David prayeth for audience. He reproveth and exhorteth his enemies. Man's happiness is in God's favour._ To the chief musician on Neginoth. A Psalm of David. _TITLE._— בנגינות למנצח _lamnatseach bi...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 4 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE The Ideal Levite's Evening Prayer. ANALYSIS Stanza I., Psalms 4:1, New Favour Sought in the Strength of Past Supplies. Stanza II., Psalms 4:2, Expostulation addressed to...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _HEAR ME WHEN I CALL, O GOD OF MY RIGHTEOUSNESS: THOU HAST ENLARGED ME WHEN I WAS IN DISTRESS; HAVE MERCY UPON ME, AND HEAR MY PRAYER._ Title. - TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN, х_ MªNATSEEACH_ (H5329)] - liter...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    4:1 call, (b-14) It is abstract, 'in my calling.' so ver. 3....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    GOD OF MY RIGHTEOUSNESS] The God who is on the side of the Psalmist's righteous cause. ENLARGED ME] RV 'set me at large.' HOW LONG _will ye turn_, etc.] RV 'how long shall my glory be turned,' etc....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    This is an evening hymn, and though no occasion is mentioned it may perhaps be referred, like Psalms 3 (its natural companion), to the time of Absalom's revolt, but to a somewhat later stage in the co...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Psalms 1:41 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ Words in boxes are from the Bible. The notes explain some of the words with a *star by them. Tap the * before a word to show an explanation. The translated Bible tex...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    HEAR ME. — Better, _In my crying hear me, God of my righteousness._ The conception of God as supremely just, and the assertor of justice, is one of the noblest legacies from the Hebrew faith to the w...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    לַ † מְנַצֵּ֥חַ בִּ נְגִינֹ֗ות מִזְמֹ֥ור לְ...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 4:1 Psalms 3:1; Psalms 4:1 are a pair. They are similar in expression (my glory, there be many which say, I laid me down and slept) in the psalmist's situation, and in structure (as indicated b...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    MORNING AND EVENING PRAYERS Psalms 3:1; Psalms 4:1 These psalms probably date from David's flight before Absalom, 2 Samuel 16:1. It is the perfection of trust to be able to sleep when our foes are ma...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    This is a song of the evening. The general circumstances out of which it rises are the same as those of the previous psalm. Now, however, the day into which the singer marched with confidence is over....

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    " (a) To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm of David." Hear me when I call, (b) O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me [when I was] in (c) distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my pray...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Unto the end. Or as St. Jerome renders it, victory to him that overcometh; which some understand of the chief musician; to whom they suppose the psalms, which bear that title, were given to be sung. W...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS This Psalms opens with prayer, then an address showing the folly, as well as danger, of pursuing vanity; the close of the Psalm determines that the happiness of man must be alone found in th...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    In these words there is shown the faith of David, who, although brought to the uttermost distress, and indeed almost consumed by a long series of calamities, did not sink under his sorrow; nor was he...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    HEAR ME WHEN I CALL, O GOD OF MY RIGHTEOUSNESS,.... Or, "my righteous God" h, who is righteous in his nature, ways, and works, the just Judge of the whole earth, who will do right; or "the vindicator...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Psalms 4:1 «To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm of David. » Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me [when I was] in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my praye...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _O God of my righteousness_ Or, my righteous God, the witness and defender of my righteous cause, and the person from whom I expect that righteous judgment and decision of it which I cannot obtain fro...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Hear me when I call, offering ears favorable to his cause, O GOD OF MY RIGHTEOUSNESS, literally, "my God of righteousness," since Jehovah is the Vindicator of righteousness when it is falsely represen...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    EVENING PRAYER OF A CHRISTIAN IN EVERY KIND OF TROUBLE. David, in his flight before Absalom, had come to Mahanaim, on the east side of Jordan, 2 Samuel 17:24. He had a number of faithful men with him,...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    CHIEF: Or, overseer HAVE MERCY UPON ME: Or, be gracious unto me...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-5 Hear me for thy mercy-sake, is our best plea. He who will not ask such blessings as pardon, and justifying righteousness, and eternal life, must perish for the want of them. Alas! that so many sh...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    PSALM 4 The chief musician; the master or director of the sacred musicians and music of the temple; of whom see 1 Chronicles 6:31, 1 Chronicles 15:16,17 25:1,2 2 Chronicles 20:21,...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 4:1 Musician H5329 (H8764) instruments H5058 Psalm H4210 David H1732 Hear H6030 (H8798) call H7121 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness, You have set me at large when I was in distress. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.' The psalm begins with prayer. The writer is grateful that wh...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    NEGINOTH Neginoth: stringed instruments mentioned in connection with Psalms 3, 5, 43, 54, 60, 66, 75, where it seems clear that the musical directions now appearing as titles of Psalms 4, 6, 54, 55,...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Psalms 4 I. Everywhere, in the history of the human heart, these two things are found in the hours of our bitter pain: unfathomable desire and want of something more than earth or its love can give, a...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 4:1. _Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer._ Good men want to be heard when they pray, they are...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 4:1. _Hear me, when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer._ Past experience is a sweet solace in the hour of t...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: David's exhortation to others to serve God. CHARACTERS: God, David. CONCLUSION: The godly are chosen, and by distinguished grace set apart and separated from men, all the longings of the s...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Psalms 4:3. _Him that is godly._ חסיךְ _chasik,_ merciful. The literal reading is by far the best, because it designates godliness by the fruits of piety. Psalms 4:4. _Stand in awe._ St. Paul here fol...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness._ A GENTLE REMONSTRANCE This Psalm is mainly a gentle, earnest remonstrance with antagonists, seeking to win them to a better mind. The cry for an answ...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 4:1. This psalm expresses quiet trust amid troubling circumstances, combining the categories of individual lament and confidence....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    NIGHT THOUGHTS _Introduction_ “The Psalmist prays God to deliver him from present as from past distresses (Psalms 4:2). 1. He assures the haters of his regal dignity that God bestowed it, and will...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION AGAIN the psalm has a title, "To the chief Musician on Neginoth. A Psalm of David;" literally, "to the_ _superintendent or foreman," which, in this instance, would be the choir-leader, or ...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    The fourth psalm is to the chief musician on Neginoth. Now Neginoth is a stringed instrument, and it is mentioned in connection with several of the Psalms--3, 5, 53, 54, 60, 66, and 75. So it is some...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Chronicles 25:1; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 1 Samuel 17:37; 1 Samuel 19:11;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    A PSALM OF SUPPLICATION Psalms 4:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS 1. The prayer of Cornelius. As an introductory to the study of Psalms 4:1, which sets forth a great prayer of David, we thought we would give s...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    O God — The witness and defender of my righteous cause....

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