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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Psalms 4:3

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalms 4:3 set apart. God gives his special attention and affection to a person or a people in order to distinguish them. The Hebrew word for the godly is related to the Hebrew word for “steadfast love.” Thus “the godly” are those who have sincerely responded to God’s steadfast love.

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See also Psalms 4:3 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Psalms 4:3. _THE LORD HATH SET APART HIM THAT IS GODLY_] חסיד _chasid_, the pious, benevolent man. He has marked such, and put them aside as his own property. "This merciful man, this feeling, t...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    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 Go...

  • 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

    THE LORD. Hebrew. _Jehovah._ App-4. SET APART. All depended on Jehovah's favour (Numbers 14:8). Some codices, with Septuagint and Vulgate, read "hath given distinction to". HIM THAT IS GODLY: i.e.....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    HIM THAT IS GODLY— The word חסיד _chasid_ in the original commonly signifies a pious, or charitable and beneficent person: but when it is spoken of man with reference to God, it denotes one that has r...

  • 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

    _BUT KNOW THAT THE LORD HATH SET APART HIM THAT IS GODLY FOR HIMSELF: THE LORD WILL HEAR WHEN I CALL UNTO HIM._ Hath set apart, х_ HIPLAAH_ (H6395)] - cf. Exodus 33:16, "separated ... from all the pe...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    4:3 pious (c-9) _ Chasid_ , an adjective used of man and of God; it is translated 'holy,' 'pious,' 'saint,' 'gracious.' _ Chesed_ is the noun meaning 'piety' and recognition of God on man's part, and...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    BUTKNOW] introduces the truth which the Psalmist's enemies ignored....

  • 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

    BUT KNOW. — It is the privilege of true and heroic natures to rise to a consciousness of their strength and dignity in the hour of peril, and when the victims of unjust persecution. Besides his innate...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    _[Psalms 4:4]_ וּ דְע֗וּ כִּֽי ־הִפְלָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה...

  • 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

    But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is (f) godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him. (f) A king who walks in his vocation....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    O. This is a sort of manifesto to the rebels; and an invitation for them to return to their duty, desisting from setting up a false king, or a lie. (Haydock) --- Dull. Hebrew, "my glory to shame." But...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    What a beautiful view have we in this verse in reference to the person of Jesus, the Father's beloved, the Father's holy one, the Father's only one, in whom his soul delighteth. Yes! God the Father wi...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    3._Know that Jehovah hath set apart, etc _This is a confirmation of the preceding verse, for it shows that the cause of David’s boldness consisted in this, that he depended upon God, the founder of hi...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    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 tha...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    BUT KNOW,.... Take notice of it, consider it, be assured of the truth, of it; it may be depended upon as fact, THAT THE LORD HATH SET APART HIM THAT IS GODLY FOR HIMSELF: which may be understood of D...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him. Ver. 3. _But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly_] _Quod separatum asseru...

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

    _Know that the Lord_ Hebrew, Jehovah, the supreme, the everlasting God, whose favour is an infinite blessing, and whose wrath is a boundless evil; _hath set apart_ Hath chosen; _to himself_ And taken...

  • 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,...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself; He had, in a wonderful manner, selected David, and elevated him to the royal dignity. THE LORD WILL HEAR WHEN I CALL UNTO HIM; this...

  • 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

    BUT KNOW THAT you fight not against me, but against the Lord. HATH SET APART; or, _hath wonderfully separated me_; hath rejected the other royal person and family, and hath called me by name, and chos...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 4:3 know H3045 (H8798) LORD H3068 apart H6395 (H8689) godly H2623 LORD H3068 hear H8085 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘But know that YHWH has set apart him who is godly for himself? YHWH will hear when I call to him.' Compare Psalms 3:3. He warns his opponents that God has set him apart specially. He is the anointed...

  • 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 Biblical Illustrator

    _Him that is godly._ THE GODLY MAN “The godly.” They are evidently a distinguished, a peculiar people. They have undergone a process of change. There may be a very exalted scale of morals observed b...

  • 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 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:14;...

  • 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

    Godly — Me, whom, though you traduce as an hypocrite, God hath pronounced to he a man after his own heart, 1 Samuel 13:14. For himself — In his stead, or to be his vicegerent, as all kings are, and es...

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