Psalm 4

4 ¹ לַמְנַצֵּחַ בִּנְגִינוֹת מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד׃

2     בְּקָרְאִי עֲנֵנִי אֱלֹהֵי צִדְקִי בַּצָּר הִרְחַבְתָּ לִּי חָנֵּנִי וּשְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי׃

3     בְּנֵי אִישׁ עַד־מֶה כְבוֹדִי לִכְלִמָּה תֶּאֱהָבוּן רִיק תְּבַקְשׁוּ כָזָב סֶלָה׃

4     וּדְעוּ כִּי־הִפְלָה יהוה חָסִיד לֹו יהוה יִשְׁמַע בְּקָרְאִי אֵלָיו׃

5     רִגְזוּ וְאַל־תֶּחֱטָאוּ אִמְרוּ בִלְבַבְכֶם עַל־מִשְׁכַּבְכֶם וְדֹמּוּ סֶלָה׃

6     זִבְחוּ זִבְחֵי־צֶדֶק וּבִטְחוּ אֶל־יהוה׃

7     רַבִּים אֹמְרִים מִי־יַרְאֵנוּ טוֹב נְסָה־עָלֵינוּ אוֹר פָּנֶיךָ יהוה׃

8     נָתַתָּה שִׂמְחָה בְלִבִּי מֵעֵת דְּגָנָם וְתִירוֹשָׁם רָבּוּ׃

9     בְּשָׁלוֹם יַחְדָּו אֶשְׁכְּבָה וְאִישָׁן כִּי־אַתָּה יהוה לְבָדָד לָבֶטַח תּוֹשִׁיבֵנִי׃

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If Psalm 3 and Psalm 4 seem similar, that is no mistake.  In fact, many commentators seem to think that they were both written by David as he fled from Absalom.  They say that Psalm 3 is a “morning” psalm, which is meant to be sung in the morning and shows David’s distress the morning after his flight.  Some put Psalm 4 in the timeframe of the next night, and it is commonly considered a “night” psalm, mostly by the implication of verse 9 (or 8 in the NIV).  This prayer seems to be an emptying of feelings, emotions, pain and stress.  It will allow the writer/singer release to then fall asleep.  Do you ever need to do this? 

Stress can kill you, literally.  It also affects us in the here and now.  I have many friends who have been affected strongly by stress – they have lost hair and health because of unhealthy levels of stress.  Stress is a natural, normal function in our lives.  It can help us to focus, encourage us to actually get done what we need to do, cause us to survive in life-threatening situations and prevent us from many uncomfortable things.  However, if left unchecked or if our bodies are forced to live there too long and too much it can really affect us.  God doesn’t want you to live like this.  This is once again a derivative of this passage.  David is running for his life, and has the wherewithal to say “In your anger do not sin,” and “offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord.”  What would you do if your life were falling apart?  Who would you really call upon? 

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^[1]The Hebrew Bible : Andersen-Forbes Analyzed Text; Bible. O.T. Hebrew. Andersen-Forbes. 2006; 2006 (Ps 4:1-9). Logos Bible Software.