The Problem of Psalm 4

Introduction

The Hebrew text of Ps. 4:3 reads as follows:

בְּנֵ֥י אִ֡ישׁ עַד־מֶ֬ה כְבוֹדִ֣י לִ֭כְלִמָּה

תֶּאֱהָב֣וּן רִ֑יק תְּבַקְשׁ֖וּ כָזָ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃

Translations disagree on the interpretation of this verse, specifically on the referent of the words רִיק (lit.: 'emptiness') and כָזָב (lit.: 'lie') in the second half of the verse. Consider, for example, the following two translations:

• "How long will you people turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?" (NIV, cf. REB)
• "How long will you people ruin my reputation? How long will you make groundless accusations? How long will you continue your lies?" (NLT, cf. NRSV, ESV, HFA, NGÜ, GNB, NFC)

These differences in understanding v. 3 are representative of two different ways of reading Psalm 4 as a whole. What is the background of the psalm? What is the 'problem' that gives rise to the psalmist's plea? According to some interpreters, the problem in the psalm is 'false accusations' (cf. NLT). According to others, the problem in the psalm is 'idolatry' (cf. NIV).

Argument Maps

False accusations

Some translations specify in v. 3 that the problem confronting the psalmist involves false accusations. The NLT, for example, says, "How long will you people ruin my reputation? How long will you make groundless accusations? How long will you continue your lies?" (cf. NRSV, ESV, HFA, NGÜ, GNB, NFC).

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[False accusations]: Psalm 4 presupposes a situation in which influential people are oppressing the poor psalmist, leveling false accusations against him.#dispreferred
 + <Honour in v. 3>: The 'emptiness' and 'lies' in v. 3b should be understood in light of the denigration of the psalmist's honour in v. 3a. The whole verse thus refers to false accusations that denigrate the psalmist's honour.#dispreferred
  + [v. 3]: בְּנֵ֥י אִ֡ישׁ עַד־מֶ֬ה כְבוֹדִ֣י לִ֭כְלִמָּה תֶּאֱהָב֣וּן רִ֑יק תְּבַקְשׁ֖וּ כָזָ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃#dispreferred
  - <'My honour' = God>: The phrase כבודי is a reference to YHWH: 'my glorious one' (REB, cf. Dahood 1966:23 :C:)
   + ['My honour' = God]: Cf. Jer. 2:11; Ps. 106:20
   - <Pss. 3–8>: In the neighboring psalms (Pss. 3–7) the word כבוד has "an indisputable social connotation" (Zenger 1993:59 :C:).#dispreferred
    + [Pss. 3–8]: Pss. 3:4; 7:6; 8:6#dispreferred
  - <Not 'lies'>: כָּזָב does not mean 'lies' in this context.
   + <'Seeking'>: "Elsewhere in the OT, humans are said to 'speak' lies, never to 'seek' them" (Wilson 2002:154 :C:). 
    + [Verbs with כָּזָב]: DCH notes that כָּזָב is the object of the following verbs: "חזה see Ezk 13:6, 8, שׁמע hear Ezk 13:19, שׂים place, i.e. make Is 28:15 (‖ שֶׁקֶר falsehood), רבה hi. make many Ho 12:2, רצה take pleasure Ps 62:5, בקשׁ pi. seek Ps 4:3, פוח utter Pr 6:19; 14:5, 25; 19:5, 9, דבר speak Ps 5:7; 58:4, pi. speak Jg 16:10, 13; Ho 7:13; Zp 3:13; Dn 11:27, קסם divine Ezk 13:9; 21:34; 22:28" (DCH :L:).
 + <v. 6>: The exhortation of 'sacrifice sacrifices of righteousness' at the psalm's climax in v. 6 is best understood metaphorically as an exhortation to do what is right, to act in conformity with YHWH's 'righteousness' (v. 2), i.e., "to behave socially and in solidarity with the psalmist" (Zenger 1993:59 :C:; cf. Zenger 1990:394 :A:), which implies that those offering the 'sacrifices of righteousness' have been opposing the psalmist in some unjust manner. #dispreferred
  + [v. 6]: זִבְח֥וּ זִבְחֵי־צֶ֑דֶק וּ֝בִטְח֗וּ אֶל־יְהוָֽה׃ (Ps. 4:6)#dispreferred
  + <Prominence of v. 6>: Verse 6 repeats language from the first line of the psalm (צדק) and the last line of the psalm (בטח). These repetitions "form a nerve centre in the song" (Fokkelman 2000:60 :M:) and contribute to the prominence of v. 6.#dispreferred

Drought and idolatry (preferred)

Some translations specify that the problem confronting the psalmist involves idols. The REB, for example, says, "Men of rank, how long will you dishonour my glorious one, setting your hearts on empty idols and resorting to false gods?" (cf. NIV). Several scholars who adopt this interpretation of v. 3 think that the problem of idolatry is related to a problem of drought. The argument for this view is as follows.

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[Drought and idolatry]: Psalm 4 presupposes a situation in which the people, suffering from a drought, have turned away from YHWH and his king and have turned instead to other gods (e.g., Baal) for help.
 + <v. 3>: The language of v. 3 is especially appropriate for describing idolatry (cf. Goldingay 2006 :A:; Waltke 2010:232 :C:).
  + [v. 3]: בְּנֵ֥י אִ֡ישׁ עַד־מֶ֬ה כְבוֹדִ֣י לִ֭כְלִמָּה תֶּאֱהָב֣וּן רִ֑יק תְּבַקְשׁ֖וּ כָזָ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃
  + <'Emptiness' and 'falsehood'>: The language of 'loving emptiness' and 'pursuing falsehood' in v. 3 is metonymic for the worship of false gods (cf. Chrysostom 1998:55 :C:; Dahood 1966:24 :C:).
   + <Language for idols>: The OT often refers to idols using words that belong to the semantic domains of 'deception' or of 'non-existence,' including the word כָּזָב which is used in Ps. 4:3.
    + [Language for idols]: אָוֶן = nothing (Isa 41:29, Hos 12:12, 1 Sam 15:23, Isa 1:13, 66:3, Zech 10:2);  אֱלִֹיל = weak/worthless thing (Lev 19:4, 26:1, Isa 2:8, 18, 20bis, Ps 96:5 = 1 Chron 16:26, Ps 97:7); הֶבֶל = breath/vapour (plural: Jer 10:15, 16:19, 51:18, Deut 32:21, 1 Kgs 16:13, 26, Jer 8:19, 10:8, 14:22, Ps 31:7, Jon 2:9; singular: 2 Kgs 17:15, Jer 2:5, cf. Jer 10:15, 16:19, and 51:18); כָזָב = lie (Am 2:4, Ps 40:5); שָׁוְא = emptiness (Jer 18:15, Jon 2:9, Ps 31:7); שֶׁקֶר = falsehood (Jer 10:14, 51:17, Isa 44:20).
  + <'Loving' and 'seeking'>: The most natural semantic patient of the verbs 'loving' and 'seeking' is a god.
   + ['Loving' and 'seeking' (a) god]: אהב (e.g., Deut 6:5; Hos 4:18; Jer 8:2; etc.); בקש (e.g., Deut 4:9; Isa 45:19; etc.)
 + <vv. 3–4>: The denigration of the psalmist's 'honour' (v. 3) and the emphasis on the psalmist's efficacy in prayer (v. 4) makes sense in the context of a drought (cf. Eaton 1977:29–30 :M:).
  + <Historical context 1>: In the ANE, rain and successful harvests were mediated by the king. And "if a satisfactory king meant fertility in his kingdom, dearth might well contribute to criticisms of the king" (Eaton 1977:30 :M:).
   + [Historical context 1]: "In Psalm 72 the theme of the eternal life of the righteous king (vv. 5, 17) intertwines with that of the fertility of his land and people (vv. 3, 7 16); he is like the life-bringing rain (v. 6). In Psalm 132 God's grace to David includes abundant food for Zion (v. 15). Psalm 144 shows how the deliverance of the king from the forces of death will result in health and fertility for all of his society" (Eaton 1977:166 :M:). Cf. the words of a king of Egypt: "It is I who produced the grain, (because I was) beloved by the grain god. No one was hungry in my years" (Teaching of Amenemhet, cited in Keel 1997:286 :M:). Cf. the Kirta Epic (COS 1.102, see esp. p. 341 which "presents agricultural fertility as having waned because of Kirta's illness").
 + <v. 6>: The climax of the psalmist's exhortation is a call to 'offer *right* sacrifices and trust *in YHWH*.' This exhortation only makes sense as the climactic exhortation if the people were offering wrong sacrifices and not trusting in YHWH (cf. Dahood 1966:25 :C:).
  + [v. 6]: זִבְח֥וּ זִבְחֵי־צֶ֑דֶק וּ֝בִטְח֗וּ אֶל־יְהוָֽה׃ (Ps. 4:6)
  + <Prominence of v. 6>: Verse 6 repeats language from the first line of the psalm (צדק) and the last line of the psalm (בטח). These repetitions "form a nerve centre in the song" (Fokkelman 2000:60 :M:) and contribute to the prominence of v. 6.
 + <v. 7a>: In v. 7a, the people express their desire for 'good,' which probably refers to prosperity in general and to rain in particular. This desire implies that the people are experiencing a lack of 'good' (i.e., rain).
  + <Historical context 2>: "The importance of rain and dew for life in Israel cannot be overemphasized; the chosen nation's existence depended on them. Rain is God's good gift to his people in the Land he swore to give them (Deut. 11:11–12), and the dew of heaven is the first blessing promised to Jacob (Ge. 27:28)" (Waltke 2010:225 :C:).
  + <Rain as 'good'>: In the OT, the word 'good' (טוֹב) is sometimes metonymic for rain (cf. Dahood 1966:25 :C:).
   + [Rain as 'good']: "They do not say to themselves, ‘Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’ Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good (הַטּוֹב)" (Jer. 5:24-25 NIV). Cf. Deut. 28:12; Jer. 17:6; Ps. 85:13.
  + <vv. 7–8>: Verses 7–8 form a chiasm in which 'good' in v. 7a corresponds to 'grain and wine' in v. 8b.
   + [vv. 7–8]: A רַבִּ֥ים אֹמְרִים֮ מִֽי־יַרְאֵ֪נוּ֫ ט֥וֹב (v. 7a, third person plural, beginning with רבב); B נְֽסָה־עָ֭לֵינוּ א֨וֹר פָּנֶ֬יךָ יְהוָֽה׃ (v. 7b, second peson singular, YHWH as subject); B' נָתַ֣תָּה שִׂמְחָ֣ה בְלִבִּ֑י (v. 8a, second peson singular, YHWH as subject); A' מֵעֵ֬ת דְּגָנָ֖ם וְתִֽירוֹשָׁ֣ם רָֽבּוּ׃ (v. 8b, third person plural, ending with רבב).
 + <v. 9>: In the last verse of the psalm, the psalmist declares that it is YHWH *alone* who makes him secure. The use of 'alone' makes the most sense if the problem in the psalm is idolatry.
  + [v. 9]: בְּשָׁל֣וֹם יַחְדָּו֮ אֶשְׁכְּבָ֪ה וְאִ֫ישָׁ֥ן כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה יְהוָ֣ה לְבָדָ֑ד לָ֝בֶ֗טַח תּוֹשִׁיבֵֽנִי׃
 + <Allusion to Deut. 33>: Psalm 4 alludes strongly to Deuteronomy 33, a song which concludes by declaring YHWH's supremacy in contrast to Baal: “There is none like God, O Jeshurun, who rides through the heavens to your help, through the skies in his majesty" (Deut. 33:26 ESV).
  + ['Right sacrifices']: זִבְחוּ זִבְחֵי־צֶדֶק (Ps. 4:6). Cf. שָׁם יִזְבְּחוּ זִבְחֵי־צֶדֶק (Deut. 33:19)
  + ['Dwelling in security', 'grain and wine']: דְּגָנָם וְתִירוֹשָׁם ... לְבָדָד לָבֶטַח תּוֹשִׁיבֵנִי (Ps. 4:8–9). Cf. וַיִּשְׁכֹּן יִשְׂרָאֵל בֶּטַח בָּדָד עֵין יַעֲקֹב אֶל־אֶרֶץ דָּגָן וְתִירוֹשׁ (Deut. 33:28).
  + [Other terms]: The following terms are also repeated in both poems: חָסִיד (Ps. 4:4; cf. Deut. 33:8) שׁמע (Ps. 4:2; cf. Deut. 33:7) שׂמח (Ps. 4:8; cf. Deut. 33:18) הרחיב (Ps. 4:2; cf. Deut. 33:20).

Conclusion

It is likely that Psalm 4 presupposes a situation of drought and idolatry. Although this interpretation is not explicit in the psalm, it provides a framework in which all of the parts of the psalm cohere. It explains why the people would express a desire for 'good' (v. 7a) and why they would blame the king for their problem (vv. 3–4). It also explains why the king would call on the people to 'offer right sacrifices and trust in YHWH' (v. 6) and why he would emphasize the singular ability of YHWH to give security (v. 9). This view also accounts for the striking allusions to Deuteronomy 33—a poem that concludes by declaring YHWH's supremacy in contrast to Baal. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, this view offers a good explanation of the language of 'loving vanity' and 'seeking lies' in v. 3b. 'Loving' and 'seeking' are actions which belong to the domain of worship, and the nouns 'vanity' and 'lie' resemble a characteristic way of referring to idols in the OT.

Research

Translations

Ancient

• LXX: υἱοὶ ἀνθρώπων, ἕως πότε βαρυκάρδιοι; ἵνα τί ἀγαπᾶτε ματαιότητα καὶ ζητεῖτε ψεῦδος; διάψαλμα
  • "You sons of men, how long will you be dull-witted? Why do you love vanity and seek after falsehood?"
• Jerome (iuxta Hebraeos): filii viri usquequo incliti mei ignominiose diligitis vanitatem quaerentes mendacium semper
• Peshitta: ܒ̈ܢܝ ܐܢܫܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܐܡܬܝ܂ ܐܝܩܪܝ ܡܚܦܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ܂ ܘܪܚܡܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܣܪܝܩܘܬܐ܂ ܘܒܥܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܕܓܠܘܬܐ ܠܥܠܡܝܢ܂
  • "Humankind, how long will you cover my glory and love vanity and seek falsehood? Forever?"
• Targum: בני נשא מטול מה איקרי לאיתכנעותא תרחמון סריקותא תבעון כדיבותא לעלמין׃
  • "Oh sons of man, why is my honor a shame? You love vanity; you seek falsehood. For ever."

Modern

False accusations

• How long, you people, shall my honor suffer shame? How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies? (NRSV)
• O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? (ESV)
• How long will you people ruin my reputation? How long will you make groundless accusations? How long will you continue your lies? (NLT)
• Ihr Mächtigen im Land, ihr missbraucht euren Einfluss. Ihr zieht meine Ehre in den Dreck und verbreitet nichts als Lügen. Ihr habt sogar Freude daran, mich zu verleumden. Wann hört ihr endlich damit auf? (HFA)
• Ich frage euch, ihr Angesehenen meines Volkes: Wie lange zieht ihr noch meine Ehre in den Schmutz? Wie lange liebt ihr noch die Falschheit und verbreitet eure Lügen? (NGÜ)
• Ihr Reichen habt die Macht und missbraucht sie zu Lüge und Verleumdung; ihr zieht meine Ehre in den Schmutz. Wann hört ihr endlich damit auf? (GNB)
• Vous autres, jusqu'à quand salirez-vous mon honneur, vous qui aimez accuser pour rien, et qui cherchez à me calomnier ? (NFC)

False gods

• How long will you people turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? (NIV)
• Men of rank, how long will you dishonour my glorious one, setting your hearts on empty idols and resorting to false gods? (REB)

Ambiguous

• How long will you people insult me? How long will you love what is worthless and go after what is false? (GNT)
• You men, how long will you try to turn my honor into shame? How long will you love what is worthless and search for what is deceptive? (NET)
• How long will you people refuse to respect me? You love foolish things, and you run after what is worthless.
• Mortal men, how long will you pay me not honour but dishonour, or set your heart on trifles and run after lies? (NEB)
• You men, how long will my glory be mocked, will you love illusions, have recourse to frauds? (JPS85)
• Children of men, how long will you be heavy of heart, why love what is vain and chase after illusions?
• Ihr Herren, wie lange soll meine Ehre geschändet werden? Wie habt ihr das Eitle so lieb und die Lüge so gern! (LUT)
• Ihr Herrensöhne, wie lange ⟨bleibt⟩ meine Ehre zur Schande ⟨verkehrt⟩, werdet ihr Eitles lieben und Lüge suchen? (ELB)
• Ihr Mächtigen, wie lange noch schmäht ihr meine Ehre, wie lange noch liebt ihr das Nichtige und sucht die Lüge? (EÜ)
• Ihr Mächtigen, wie lange noch bleibt meine Ehre geschändet, wollt ihr Nichtiges lieben, auf Lügen sinnen? (ZÜR)
• Hijos de los hombres, ¿hasta cuándo volveréis mi honra en infamia, amaréis la vanidad y buscaréis la mentira? (RVR95)
• Y ustedes, señores, ¿hasta cuándo cambiarán mi gloria en vergüenza? ¿Hasta cuándo amarán ilusiones vanas y buscarán la mentira? (NVI)
• Ustedes, que se creen grandes señores, ¿hasta cuándo ofenderán mi honor?, ¿hasta cuándo desearán y buscarán lo que no tiene sentido, lo que solo es falsedad? (DHH94I)
• Oh hijos del hombre ¿hasta cuándo volveréis mi honra en infamia? ¿Hasta cuándo amaréis lo vano y buscaréis la mentira? (BTX4)
• Hommes, jusqu'où irez-vous dans le mépris de ma gloire, l'amour du vide et la poursuite du mensonge ? (TOB)
• Hommes, jusqu'à quand ma gloire sera-t-elle changée en confusion ? Jusqu'à quand aimerez-vous ce qui est creux, rechercherez-vous le mensonge ? (NBS)
• Fils des hommes, jusques à quand ma gloire sera-t-elle changée en confusion ? (Jusques à quand) aimerez-vous la vanité, Chercherez-vous le mensonge ? (NVS78P)
• Et vous, les hommes, ╵jusques à quand jetterez-vous ╵le discrédit sur mon honneur ? Jusques à quand vous plairez-vous ╵à poursuivre le vent et le mensonge ? (BDS)
• Vous, les hommes, vous attaquez mon honneur, vous aimez ce qui ne vaut rien, vous courez derrière les mensonges. Pour combien de temps encore ? (PDV2017)
• Vous les hommes, jusqu’à quand mépriserez-vous ma gloire? Jusqu’à quand aimerez-vous ce qui est sans valeur et rechercherez-vous le mensonge? (S21)

Secondary Literature

Dahood, Mitchell. 1966. Psalms. Vol. 1. Anchor Bible Commentary. New York: Doubleday.

Eaton, J. H. 1976. Kingship and the Psalms. Studies in Biblical Theology, 2d ser., 32. London: S.C.M. Press.

Fokkelman, J.P. 2000. Major Poems of the Hebrew Bible: At the Interface of Prosody and Structural Analysis (Vol 2: 85 Psalms and Job 4–14). Vol. 2. Studia Semitica Neerlandica. Van Gorcum.

Goldingay, John. 2006. “Psalm 4: Ambiguity and Resolution.” Tyndale Bulletin 57 (2): 161–72.

Hossfeld, Frank-Lothar, and Erich Zenger. 1993. Die Psalmen I: Psalm 1–50. Neue Echter Bibel. Würzburg: Echter.

John Chrysostom, and Robert C. Hill. 1998. St. John Chrysostom Commentary on the Psalms. Brookline, Mass: Holy Cross Orthodox Press.

Radak. Radak on Psalms.

Waltke, Bruce K., J. M. Houston, and Erika Moore. 2010. The Psalms as Christian Worship: A Historical Commentary. Grand Rapids, Mich: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.

Waltke, Bruce K., Fred G. Zaspel, and Sinclair B. Ferguson. 2023. How to Read and Understand the Psalms. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway.

Wilson, Gerald H. 2002. Psalms. Vol. 1. NIVAC. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Zenger, Erich. 1990. “‘Gib Mir Antwort, Gott Meiner Gerechtigkeit’ (Ps 4,2): Zur Theologie Des 4. Psalms.” In Die Alttestamentliche Botschaft Als Wegweisung, edited by Josef Zmijewski, 377–403. FS H. Reinelt: Stuttgart.

References

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