I submitted this commentary project for Advanced Hebrew Exegesis I at Bob Jones University in the fall of 2001.
4–3–3 בְּקָרְאִי עֲנֵנִי אֱלֹהֵי צִדְקִי בַּצָּר הִרְחַבְתָּ לִּֽי חָנֵּנִי וּשְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי 2 3–2–2 בְּנֵי אִישׁ עַד־מֶה כְבוֹדִי לִכְלִמָּה תֶּאֱהָבוּן רִֽיק תְּבַקְשׁוּ כָזָב סֶלָה 3 4–4 וּדְעוּ כִּי־הִפְלָה יְהוָה חָסִיד לֽוֹ יְהוָה יִשְׁמַע בְּקָרְאִי אֵלָיו22 4 2–2–2 רִגְזוּ וְאַל־תֶּחֱטָאוּ אִמְרוּ בִלְבַבְכֶם עַל־מִשְׁכַּבְכֶם וְדֹמּוּ סֶלָה 5 3–2 זִבְחוּ זִבְחֵי־צֶֽדֶק וּבִטְחוּ אֶל־יְהוָה 6 4–4 רַבִּים אֹמְרִים מִי־יַרְאֵנוּ טוֹב נְסָה־עָלֵינוּ אוֹר פָּנֶיךָ יְהוָה 7 3–4 נָתַתָּה שִׂמְחָה בְלִבִּֽי מֵעֵת דְּגָנָם וְתִירוֹשָׁם רָבּוּ 8 4–3–3 בְּשָׁלוֹם יַחְדָּו אֶשְׁכְּבָה וְאִישָׁן כִּי־אַתָּה יְהוָה לְבָדָֽד לָבֶטַח תּוֹשִׁיבֵנִי 9
NASB
1 For the choir director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David. Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.
2 O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach? How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception? Selah.
3 But know that the LORD has set apart the godly man for Himself; The LORD hears when I call to Him.
4 Tremble, and do not sin; Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And trust in the LORD.
6 Many are saying, "Who will show us any good?" Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O LORD!
7 You have put gladness in my heart, More than when their grain and new wine abound.
8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O LORD, make me to dwell in safety.
Literal Translation
1 To the one directing in music a Psalm belonging to David.
2 In my calling answer me God of my righteousness; in the narrow place you made wide to me; favor me and hear my prayer.
3 Sons of a man, how long [will you turn] my glory for reproach; [how long] will you love emptiness; [how long] will you seek a lie? Selah.
4 And know that YHWH set apart a pious one for Himself; YHWH is hearing in my calling to him.
5 Be agitated and do not sin; say in your heart on your dwelling and be still. Selah.
6 Sacrifice the sacrifices of righteousness; and trust to YHWH.
7 Many are saying, "Who will show us good?" Raise on us the light of your face YHWH.
8 You gave joy in my heart; more than [the] time [when] their grain and their wine were numerous.
9 In peace together I will lie down and I will sleep because you [are] YHWH alone; to security you will make me to dwell.
Commentary Literature:
Dahood, Mitchell. The Anchor Bible: Psalms I: 1–50. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1965.
Feuer, Rabbi Avrohom Chaim. Tehillim, ed. Rabbi Nosson Scherman and Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz. ArtScroll Tanach Series. Brooklyn, NY: Mesorah Publications, Ltd., 1987.
Keil, C. F., and F. Delitzsch. Psalms, translated by Francis Bolton. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1996.
Kidner, Derrick. Psalm 1–72: An Introduction and Commentary on Books I and II of the Psalms. The Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove. IL: InterVarsity Press, 1979.
Hebrew Grammars:
Kautzsch, E. ed. Gesenius’ Hebrew Grammar, trans. A. E. Cowley. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1910.
Waltke, Bruce K., and M. O’Connor. An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1990.
Theme/Summary
This Psalm is a confident plea of David for deliverance from the onslaught of his enemies.
Historical Setting
David very possibly composed this Psalm as he fled from Absalom, which is suggested by some commentators since Psalm 3 was written “when he fled from Absalom his son.”1 Delitzsch suggests that Psalm 3 and 4 should be taken together, the first being a morning hymn and the later being an evening hymn. That they belong together is apparent by comparing the similar content of 4:7 with 3:3 and of 4:9 with 3:6.2 There is nothing in the passage that would rule out this view, yet nothing makes this certain either. Calvin, however, suggests that it was not this time, but rather the earlier conflict with King Saul that he writes about. He argues mainly on the phrase עַד־מֶה, which implies some length of time in being pursued by his enemies.3 Most likely though, the occasion with Absalom is the historical context for the writing of this Psalm.
Outline
I. Instructions and Author 1
II. Prayer to Yahweh for Help 2
III. Instruction to the Wicked 3–6
A. Questioning of the Wicked 3–4
B. Call to Repentance 5
C. Exhortation to Righteousness 6
IV. Prayer to Yahweh 7–8
V. Confidence Expression of Security 9
Instructions and Author 1
1. לַמְנַצֵּחַ – This Psalm, along with 53 other Psalms,4 was to be given to the supervisor, which probably refers to the conductor or choir director.5 This interpretation seems most natural, and most translators and commentators have gone this way. Delitzsch comments, “לַמְנַצֵּחַ addresses the Psalm to him whose duty it is to arrange it and to train the Levite choristers.”6 But other ideas have been suggested.7 בִּנְגִינוֹת – Most are in agreement that this word means “with stringed instruments.”8 Delitzsch argues that this hymn “is to be sung in company with, probably with the sole accompaniment of, the stringed instruments.”9 The LXX translation differs though on the translation of this word reading ἐν ψαλμοῖς. מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד – There is no reason to question this Psalm as Davidic. All the versions seem to translate this as “a Psalm of David” rather than the possible translation, “a Psalm for David,” suggesting the composition by another. To many of these Psalms are traceable to events in David’s life, suggesting that he indeed was the one who composed them.
Prayer to Yahweh for Help 2
2. בְּקָרְאִי עֲנֵנִי – When I cry, answer me (עֲנֵנִי).10 The LXX reads εἰσήκουσέν μου, an aorist active indicative, which means they were understanding the Hebrew to be עָנָנִי. No significant change to the essential meaning of the passage takes place either way.אֱלֹהֵי צִדְקִי – This phrase occurs no where else in the Hebrew. The idea is probably the idea that God is the righteous judge who will bring justice upon David and his enemies. David knows that he is being wronged by the wicked without a reason, and therefore He calls out to God to deliver him and execute equity. Waltke suggests a sort of attributive genitive in conventional idioms and translates it as “my righteous God.”11 לִּֽי בַּצָּר הִרְחַבְתָּ – This is literally translated, “In a narrow place you made wide for me.”12 With this graphic imagery David portrays himself as being pressed upon and squeezed by his adversaries, but God had continually been faithful to protect and deliver him from them, setting him as it were in a broad place. Some have suggested that this perfect הִרְחַבְתָּ should be considered as a distinctive use of the irreal perfective as a precative perfective.13 That would turn all of verse 2 into a request, “Answer me…make wide for me…be gracious to me and hear my prayer.” The NIV and NLT follow this idea, translating the perfect as a precative, but the majority of the versions translate it as a past tense action. While this might be more natural, it is not inconceivable for David to be reminded of God’s past mercies while he asks God for new mercies. Delitzsch does not think that this is indeed a precative, “for the perf. of certainty with a precative colouring is confined to such exclamatory utterances as Job 21:16.”14 חָנֵּנִי וּשְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי – He is now asking God to answer his prayer for deliverance as He had before and to show him His special favor.15 This special grace is something undeserved by the Psalmist.
Instruction to the Wicked 3–6
This section of Psalm is marked by 7 imperatives: know, tremble, do not sin, meditate, be still, offer, and trust. David here pleads with his adversaries (Absalom and his cohorts) to repent of their sin and live righteously.
3. בְּנֵי אִישׁ – This expression addresses Absalom and his companions as those who “stand prominently forward out of the multitude.”16 These are men of high rank. עֲ כְבוֹדִי לִכְלִמָּה17hm,-d[; – Waltke wants to see the genitive use of כְבוֹדִי as a genitive of a mediated object and translate it, “How long will the glory bestowed on me serve as a reproach?”18 Absalom and his men were doing everything they could to attack the reputation of the King in order to gain a following. תֶּאֱהָבוּן רִֽיק תְּבַקְשׁוּ כָזָב – The עַד־מֶה most likely carries over with these following two questions. The attacks against the King were all based on כָזָב (falsehood), a word always used in connection with the enemies of God in the Psalms.19 Absalom and his men were searching out trying to find anything they could to ruin David’s reputation before the people. The imperfects, which are functioning as frequentatives, along with the expression “how long,” stress the continual attacks of David’s enemies against him. סֶלָה – This word is difficult to translate.20 One commentator believes this word to be “one of the most difficult to translate in the entire book.”21
4. עֲוּדְעוּ כִּי־הִפְלָה יְהוָה חָסִיד לֽוֹ – The ו here is the “waw of sequence,” which is used to emphasize a point (“so know then”).23 David reminds his enemies that God has set him apart in a special position of favor. פָלָה is used in Exodus 8:18 of God setting apart the land of Goshen where the Israelites lived from the affects of the plague of flies, in Exodus 9:4 of God’s distinguishing between the livestock of the Israelites and the Egyptians, in Exodus 11:7 of the Lord making the distinction between His people and His enemies, and in Exodus 33:16 of Moses’ intercession of the Israelites being recognized as God’s distinct people. It is always used in a favorable way—something that God does for His people.24 יְהוָה יִשְׁמַע בְּקָרְאִי אֵלָיו – David is expressing his confidence in God who hears his prayers. In essence he is saying, “Try all you want to do me evil, but God has set me apart and He always hears my prayers.” The verb יִשְׁמַע may be future with the KJV emphasizing David’s certainty that his prayer will be answered, but it also may be frequentative emphasizing that habitualness of God’s constant answering the cries of His חָסִיד.
5. רִגְזוּ וְאַל־תֶּחֱטָאוּ – The word רִגְזוּ carries the general idea of quaking or quivering and usually expresses some form of displeasure, either fear, sadness, or anger.25 The intended meaning seems to be anger when consideration is given to the LXX rendering (ὀργίζεσθε καὶ μὴ ἁμαρτάνετε), which is quoted by Paul in Ephesians 4:26. The versions are divided here in translating the Hebrew, unsure of whether to reflect the specific LXX into the more general Hebrew.26 The idea of anger fits with Paul’s exhortation in Ephesians, but to some commentators it is less clear how anger fits with the following imperatives here. Delitzsch, however, remarks, “The LXX has rendered it correctly…if ye will be angry beware of sinning.”27 אִמְרוּ בִלְבַבְכֶם עַל־מִשְׁכַּבְכֶם וְדֹמּוּ – Rather than being led away with their hatred and anger for the King, David exhorts them to stop and consider what they are doing. He calls them to seek repentance. David invites his enemies to be silent now lest they will end up being silent in Sheol (Ps. 31:18). Being silent is something uncharacteristic of the wicked in this life. They slander the righteous "without being silent" (Ps. 35:15). Yet the righteous are known for being silent. The Psalmist quiets his soul (131:2), waits in silence for God only (62:6), and rests in the Lord (37:7) סֶלָה – See the note on verse 3.
6. זִבְחוּ זִבְחֵי־צֶֽדֶק – The sacrifices of righteous are probably referencing the state of the heart of the one offering the sacrifices before God. The phrase is used two other times in the Hebrew.28 In Psalm 51:19 David says, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” These sacrifices are referred to as “sacrifices of righteousness two verses later.” וּבִטְחוּ אֶל־יְהוָה – This is not the normal way to express trust in Yahweh. It occurs nine other times in reference to the Lord, but most commonly is בָטַח with the בְּ.29
Prayer to Yahweh 7–8
Apparently, David’s loyal followers were beginning to be discouraged, thinking that there was no hope. But David knew that if hope was to be found, it would be found in God. He turns his face to God, asking for his help and acknowledging His joy in spite of the adverse circumstances.
7. רַבִּים אֹמְרִים מִי־יַרְאֵנוּ טוֹב – The expression “many are saying” occurs on here and in Psalm 3:3. The question, “Who can show us good?” is taken by Dahood to mean, “Who can give us rain?” But there is no warrant for doing this. Besides, it does not fit well into the context, especially assuming that this incident occurs with Absalom. נְסָה־עָלֵינוּ אוֹר פָּנֶיךָ – Gesenius suggests that נְסָה is probably just an “orthographic variation” of נְשָׂה.30 Delitzsch sees “in נְסָה…an illusion to נֵס a banner.” He goes on, “The mode of writing נְסָה is only explained by the mingling of the verbs נָשָׂה and נָסַס.”31
8. נָתַתָּה שִׂמְחָה בְלִבִּֽי – David recognizes God as the source of all true joy and gladness. In Psalm 43:4 he even refers to God as “אֵֶל שִׂמְחַת גִּילִי.”32 God is the one who gives this inner gladness of heart, even in the face of the worst of circumstances. מֵעֵת דְּגָנָם וְתִירוֹשָׁם רָבּוּ – The use of the min preposition here is comparative (GK § 133a), and the idea is that David has a greater joy than the wicked, even though they may seem to be prospering more than he. For their prosperity is but corn and wine and material gain, but David has an inner prosperity in His relationship with Yahweh. The literal translation is, “At the time when their grain and their new wine abound.” But the expected אֲשֶׁר is missing. The relative clause here is asyndetic, which is common in poetry, especially with attributives and time words (IBHS 19.6a #4).33 Delitzsch supposes that this refers to the time “when David came to Mahanaim, while the rebels were encamped in Gilead….[when] perhaps it was at the time of the feast of tabernacles….The followers of Absalom had…a powerful reserve upon which to fall back. David and his host were like a band of beggars….But the king…is nevertheless happier than they….What he possesses in his heart is a richer treasure than all that they have in their barns and cellars.”34
Confident Expression of Security 9
David end the Psalm how he began (4–3–3), in a confident trust that results in a peaceful sense of security. David’s reliance upon God gave him a sense of safety and allowed him to have sweet rest.
9. בְּשָׁלוֹם יַחְדָּו אֶשְׁכְּבָה וְאִישָׁן – David expresses His confidence in Yahweh. Because He has given promises to His children and because He has in times past shown Himself to be faithful, David is certain that He will give him peace and security is the present and the future. כִּי־אַתָּה יְהוָה לְבָדָֽד לָבֶטַח תּוֹשִׁיבֵנִי – This last phrase may be translated variously depending on whether לְבָדָֽד goes with יְהוָה or תּוֹשִׁיבֵנִי. In favor of taking לְבָדָֽד with יְהוָה is the break in the verse by the Masoretes and the fact that a waw would be expected on לָבֶטַח. This translation would read, “You alone, Yahweh make me to dwell securely.” This is how almost all of the translations take it. In favor of taking לְבָדָֽד with תּוֹשִׁיבֵנִי is its parallelism with לָבֶטַח. This translation would read, “You yourself, Yahweh, will make me to dwell solitarily and securely.”35 Another possibility, though less likely, is the translation, “You alone are Yahweh. You will make me dwell securely.” Regardless of the translation, Yahweh is the only one who keeps His people safe and gives them a sense of security.
Method and Steps of Exegesis
Notes
1. Kidner, 55. ↩
2. Delitzsch, 65. ↩
3. Calvin, 37. ↩
4. The Psalms stated as being for the choir director are as follows: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 31, 36, 39, 40, 41, 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 64, 65, 66, 68, 69, 70, 75, 76, 77, 80, 81, 84, 85, 88, 109, 139, and 140. Of these 54 Psalms, thirty are Davidic. ↩
5. Feuer, 82. ↩
6. Delitzsch, 65–66. ↩
7. Feuer, 82. Basically the following three ideas have been put forth: (1) that the word should be rendered “to Him who makes eternal,” (2) that is should be translated “to the course which insures victory,” or (3) that it is a reference to God, namely “to Him who causes victory.” How the LXX translators understood this is not clear from the translation εἰς τὸ τέλος. ↩
8. Gesenius suggests that the use of the plural here is “the summing up of several parts of an action.” He includes this word under the discussion “if it means the playing on stringed instruments” (GK § 124f). ↩
9. Delitzsch, 67. ↩
10. This imperative occurs 12 times in the Hebrew, all of which address the Lord for help, and all but one of which occur in the Psalms. ↩
11. He notes that “in an attributive genitive, a pronominal suffix is attached to the genitive but usually modifies the whole chain” (IBHS 9.5.3b #21, pp. 149–50). So then David does not have in mind here his own righteousness but God’s righteousness whereby he executes justice. ↩
12. Some manuscripts have הִרְחִיב. ↩
13. Waltke suggests that this precative perfect (or perfective of prayer) “occurs about twenty times, in the Psalms,” and can be spotted by “other unambiguous forms in the context signifying a volitional mood” (IBHS 30.5.4d #6, pp. 494–95). ↩
14. Delitzsch, 67. ↩
15. חָנֵּנִי occurs 12 times in the Hebrew, all of which are in the Psalms. ↩
16. Delitzsch, 67. See passages such as Psalm 49:3; 62:10; Proverbs 8:4; Isaiah 2:9; 5:15. ↩
17. Concerning the use of this word, GK suggests that מֶה is used “when at a greater distance from the principal tone of the sentence” (GK § 37e). ↩
18. IBHS 9.5.1d #10, pp. 146–47. ↩
19. See Psalm 5:7; 40:5; 58:4; 62:5, 10. ↩
20. It occurs 66 times, 63 times in the Psalms and 3 times in Habakkuk. ↩
21. Feuer, 75. He gives a number of possibilities. (1) It means “forever.” (2) It is the “reaffirmation of a preceding statement.” (3) It is a musical instruction addressed to the singers of the psalm for emphasis. ↩
22. In explaining the ו GK suggests that “sometimes [it] joins a sentence…in reality to a sentence which is suppressed and which must, therefore, be supplied from the context…especially…with imperatives to express inferences” (GK § 154b, p. 485). ↩
23. Delitzsch, 68. ↩
24. It is used two other times in the Psalms, in 17:7 and 139:14. These make up its 7 occurrences in the Hebrew. ↩
25. It is used in 2 Samuel 22:8, Job 9:6, Psalm 18:8, and Psalm 77:19 of the earth shaking. ↩
26. The NIV, RSV, NKJ, and NLT all translate the idea of anger. The KJV, ASV, and WEB translate the idea of fear. But the NAS and NRS leave the translation ambiguous in keeping with the range of the Hebrew word. ↩
27. Delitzsch, 68. ↩
28. See Deuteronomy 33:19 and Psalm 51:21. ↩
29. See 2 Kings 18:22, 30; Psalm 31:7; 56:4; 86:2; Proverbs 3:5; Isaiah 36:7; 36:15; and Zephaniah 3:2. ↩
30. GK § 76b, p. 217. ↩
31. Delitzsch, 69. He says, “We may suppose that this mingling is not merely a mingling of forms in writing, but also a mingling of the ideas in those forms.” ↩
32. See also Psalm 16:11, 21:7, and 30:12. ↩
33. Gesenius says, “The omission of the retrospective word occurs most frequently in relative clauses which are governed by the construct state of a preceding substantive (especially an expression of time) and hence are virtually in the genitive” (GK § 155l, p. 488). ↩
34. Delitzsch, 70. ↩
35. This translation is followed by Delitzsch 65, 70. ↩