God’s Smile In Tight Spots

Psalm 4

For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by stringed instruments.

1Answer me when I call,

O God who declares me innocent.

Take away my distress.

Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

2How long will you people ruin my reputation?

How long will you make these groundless accusations?

How long will you pursue lies?

Interlude

3You can be sure of this:

The LORD has set apart the godly for himself.

The LORD will answer when I call to him.

4Don’t sin by letting anger gain control over you.

Think about it overnight and remain silent.

Interlude

5Offer proper sacrifices,

and trust in the LORD.

6Many people say, “Who will show us better times?”

Let the smile of your face shine on us, LORD.

7You have given me greater joy

than those who have abundant harvests of grain and wine.

8I will lie down in peace and sleep,

for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe.

Some think David wrote Psalm 4 the evening after he wrote Psalm 3, when Absalom’s army was tightening the noose around David and his soldiers. Others believe it was written during a famine that caused the Israelites to consider following other gods (see verses 6-7).

Regardless of which theory is correct, David was in a tight spot (which is what the Hebrew word for “distress” in verse 1 literally means) when he wrote this psalm. Yet, despite his difficulties, David basked in God’s smile, and that gave him all the comfort he needed.

About 150 years later Elijah the prophet was in a difficult situation like David’s. He, too, was in a tight spot—faced with starvation on the other side of the Jordan River. But Elijah discovered that God can work in mysterious ways to rescue his people. Elijah was fed by ravens, of all things (1 Kings 17:6).

Throughout history God’s people have continued to experience his peace time and again. Saint Augustine said Psalm 4 should be sung aloud before the whole world as a testimony of the peace God gives in the midst of both inward and outward trouble. Martin Luther agreed. This psalm was a favorite of his. In fact, he asked a composer to put the final verse of this psalm to music so that it could be sung at his funeral. Luther wanted the world to know that he was basking in the peace and confidence of God’s smile.

If you will only let God guide you,

And hope in him through all your ways,

Whatever comes, he’ll stand beside you,

To bear you through the evil days;

Who trusts in God’s unchanging love

Builds on the rock that cannot move.

GEORG NEUMARK

Bible Networking

For more on the light of God’s smile upon us, see Numbers 6:24-26; Psalm 119:135; and 2 Corinthians 4:6.

Notable Quotable

“It is better to enjoy him without anything else than to enjoy everything else without him.”

WILLIAM SECKER