INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 4 TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN ON NEGINOTH, A PSALM OF DAVID. This psalm is inscribed "to the chief musician", or "conqueror" c: who excelled others in the art of music, and carried the glory from them; who was very skilful, and instructed others in it, and was the master of the song... [ Continue Reading ]
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 of my righteousness", as the Syriac version renders it; that is, of his innocence and uprightness, w... [ Continue Reading ]
O YE SONS OF MEN,.... Meaning great men, the nobles of Israel; and so the Jewish interpreters k generally explain it; such as Ahithophel, and others, who were in the conspiracy with Absalom, 2 Samuel 15:12: and so they were the kings and princes of the earth, and the rulers of the Jewish sanhedrim,... [ Continue Reading ]
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 David himself, an holy good man; a man after God's own heart; whom the Lord chose, and in a marvellou... [ Continue Reading ]
STAND IN AWE, AND SIN NOT,.... That is, stand in awe of God, and his righteous, judgments; be afraid of him, and tremble before him; make him your fear and your dread, and go on no longer and proceed no further in sinning against him. The Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versi... [ Continue Reading ]
OFFER THE SACRIFICES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,.... Offer for sacrifice things righteously gotten, for the Lord hates robbery for burnt offering, Isaiah 61:8. Some respect may be had to the unrighteous acquisitions of Absalom and his men, and who were now in possession of Jerusalem, and of the altars of the... [ Continue Reading ]
[THERE BE] MANY THAT SAY, WHO WILL SHOW US [ANY] GOOD?.... These may be thought to be the men of the world; carnal worldly minded men, seeking after temporal good, and taking up their rest and contentment in it; to whom the psalmist opposes his wish and request, in the following words. Or these are... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HAST PUT GLADNESS IN MY HEART,.... The Ethiopic version reads it "into our heart"; in granting the above request; for, nothing so rejoices the hearts of God's people as the light of his countenance, or the enjoyment of his gracious presence: this was matter of exceeding joy to Christ himself, P... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL BOTH LAY ME DOWN IN PEACE, AND SLEEP,.... Signifying, that he had such a calmness and serenity of mind, amidst all his troubles, that he could not only lay himself down in great peace, and much composure of mind, but sleep also, and that as soon as laid down almost; some lay themselves down,... [ Continue Reading ]