Psalm 4

“Offer the sacrifices of righteousness” (vs. 1-8)—David knows that the only one who can relieve him—or anybody else, for that matter—is the Lord of righteousness in His mercy (v. 1). The king cannot understand why men continue to “love worthlessness and seek falsehood” (v. 2). The Lord honors the godly and will hear him when He calls (v. 3). The KJV and ASV render the first phrase in verse 4 “Stand in awe, and sin not.” The NKJV has “Be angry, and do not sin.” That’s the reading of the Greek translation of the Old Testament (called the “Septuagint”), and Paul follows that reading in Ephesians 4:26. Either way, avoid sin and meditate “on your bed and be still” (v. 4). Every godly person needs time for inward reflection; we must work to have a deep, personal, reflective relationship with God. And once the personal communing is over, “offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord” (v. 5). Too many of the Jews put their faith in actual animal sacrifice, whether they made the offering with a pure heart or not. God has never accepted anything less than sincere, pure worship.

Some mock and ask “Who will show us any good?”, apparently believing the Lord Jehovah can’t, or won’t, do it. But David knows where blessings come from—“you have put gladness in my heart more than in the season that their grain and wine increased” (v. 7). And the king also knows sustains him: “I will both lie down in peace and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (v. 8). Again, David does not put his trust in himself or in others; it’s only Jehovah Who is his protector and provider. There are not many absolute kings down through history who have this kind of faith in God.  There is a nice contrast in this psalm between those who “love worthlessness and seek falsehood” and the one who, upon proper meditation, offers the “sacrifices of righteousness” and puts his trust in the Lord.