Psalm 4 Overview

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The Light of Your Face

Psalm 4

  How to Use This Page

Welcome to the Overview of Psalm 4

This page will introduce and provide orientation to Psalm 4 as a whole. It includes the following sections:

• Introduction
• Structure
• Background
• Participants

Introduction to Psalm 4

Author

David

Book

Book 1 of the Psalter (Chapters 1–41)

Psalm 4: A Brief Summary

Psalm 4 is a celebration of God granting relief from drought and providing abundant crops for Israel. When YHWH provides for his people, it showcases his character and the blessing that he equally offers to every nation who will worship him. Psalm 4 moves from celebration into invitation to all humanity, to experience the same blessing Israel has experienced.

"The Light of Your Face" This title is a memorable phrase that helps remember the unique character and content of this psalm.

A helpful way to remember Psalm 4 is with the words used to express God’s blessing: “The Light of Your Face.” When a people experienced God’s blessing, they spoke of it as light beaming down in approval. Israel knew the light of God’s face, and this psalm invites the rest of the nations to come to know it, too.

Purpose The Purpose was the psalmist's probable intent or reason for writing this psalm.

To celebrate YHWH's blessing on his people, 
inviting the nations to experience the same blessing.

Content The Content is a concise summary of the whole psalm's content.

Trust in YHWH, who alone gives true peace and security! No other god can satisfy.

Message The Message is the main idea the psalmist probably wanted the audience to remember upon or after hearing the psalm.

YHWH's blessing is on those who trust in him.

Psalm 4 At-a-Glance

These sections divide the content of the psalm into digestible pieces , and are determined based on information from many of our layers, including Semantics, Poetics, and Discourse. The columns, left to right, contain: the verse numbers; the main title of the section; a brief summary of the content of that section (quote marks indicate the text is taken directly from the English text of the psalm (as per our Close-but-Clear translation); and an icon to visually represent and remember the content.

v. 1 For the director. With stringed instruments. A psalm. By David.	Superscription
v. 2 When I called out, the God who makes things right for me answered me. In the distress, you granted me relief. He was merciful to me and heard my prayer.	Relief	The God who makes things right for me relieved my distress.		joy, relief
v. 3 Mortal humans, how long [will you be] heavy-hearted? Why would you love what is worthless, seek what is false? Selah.	Invitation	Everyone, stop seeking false gods! They will not satisfy. Sacrifice right sacrifices and trust in YHWH!		impatience expectation
v. 4 But know that YHWH has set apart one who is loyal to him. YHWH hears when I call out to him.
v. 5 Tremble and do not sin! Think to yourselves on your beds and be silent! Selah.
v. 6 Sacrifice right sacrifices and trust in YHWH!
v. 7 Many are saying, "Who shows us good? Lift up the light of your face as a banner over us, YHWH!"	Blessing	Many are celebrating your blessing and saying, “Lift up the light of your face as a banner over us, YHWH!” You bless those who trust in you with joy, peace, and security.		peace, confidence
v. 8 You have put joy in my heart since the time their grain and their new wine multiplied.
v. 9 In peace, I can both lie down and fall asleep, because you alone, YHWH, make me dwell securely.

Background Orientation for Psalm 4

Following are the common-ground assumptionsCommon-ground assumptions include information shared by the speaker and hearers. In our analysis, we mainly use this category for Biblical/Ancient Near Eastern background. which are the most helpful for making sense of the psalm.

• Israel was meant to be an example, showing others what it looks like to live under YHWH's blessing (cf. Deut 4:6–7; 1 Kgs 8:41–43; Zech 8:20–23; cf. Gen 12:1–3). In this sense, YHWH's blessing on Israel was like a "banner" (נֵס), which is "used to identify a particular group" (SDBH) and point the way to a place of security and rest (cf. Isa 11:10–12; Jer 4:6; Ps 60:6).
• In Deut 33, Moses prophesied that Israel would be blessed with abundant harvests in the land (Deut 33:28), and that they would "invite foreigners to their mountain and offer the right sacrifices there" (Deut 33:19, GNT). (On the relationship between Ps 4 and Deut 33, see Poetic Feature 3.)
• In the land of Canaan, successful harvests are dependent upon right amounts of rain at the right times (cf. Deut 11:11–12; Lev 26:4). Rain was regarded as the "good" (טוֹב) par excellence (Jer 5:25; Ps 85:13; cf. Dahood 1965, 25).
• Rain comes from God (cf. Deut 11:11–12; Lev 26:4; 1 Kgs 17:1), or, in the mind of other nations, from their "gods" (cf. Jer 14:22). People would worship other gods to gain their favor and secure rainfall for their crops (cf. Jer 14:22; Zech 10:1–2; Hos 2:7; 7:14).
• YHWH's relationship to the people was, in some ways, mediated by the king (cf. Eaton 1975, 165–168, 172–177), and so the king was held responsible for the land's fertility (cf. Pss 72; 144; 2 Sam 23:3–4; KAI 26 = COS 2.31; cf. Eaton 1975, 30, 165–168). A righteous king meant blessing for the land.

Background Situation for Psalm 4

The background situation is the series of events leading up to the time in which the psalm is spoken. These are taken from the story triangle – whatever lies to the left of the star icon.

Participants in Psalm 4

There are 5 participants/characters in Psalm 4:

Profile List

David

"David" (v. 1)

"loyal one" (v. 4)

YHWH

"YHWH" (vv. 4, 6, 7, 9)

"God of my prosperity" (v. 2)

YHWH's people

Humanity

"Mortal humans" (v. 3)

"many" (v. 7)

Idols

"Vanity" (v. 3)

"Falsehood" (v. 3)

Profile Notes

• David is the king and representative of YHWH's people. Because he is YHWH's "loyal one" (v. 4), YHWH listens to him when he calls out (vv. 2, 4) and blesses him (vv. 2, 7–9).
• YHWH is "the God who makes things right" for David (v. 2). He has set apart his people and his king for special treatment (v. 4), and so the light of his face is like a banner over them (v. 7), signaling to all people what true blessing looks like and inviting them to participate (cf. vv. 3–6).
• YHWH's people are those who are loyal to him (v. 4) and thus experience his favor and blessing—"the light of his face" manifested in an abundance of grain and new wine (vv. 7–8).
• About half of the psalm is addressed to humanity, referred to as "mortal humans" or "human beings" (v. 3). These are people (whether Israelites or non-Israelites) who seek blessing from gods other than YHWH (vv. 3, 7). David summons them to repent and trust in YHWH for true blessing.
• Lurking in the background of this psalm are idols, or gods that people worship other than YHWH. The psalmist derisively calls these idols "what is vain" and "what is false" (see notes on lexical semantics).

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