A Prayer of Trust

(1) Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
(2) O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.
(3) But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.
(4) Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
(5) Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.
(6) There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
(7) Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
(8) I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
--Psalm 4 KJV Bible

Psalm 4 is one of the psalms of David. It is a song of trust in difficult circumstances.

In verse 1, David asks for God's help. David notes that in his times of distress--the Hebrew "ba-tzar," meaning narrowness or tightness--God has brought David relief--the Hebrew "hir-chav-ta," meaning to expand or grow wide or large. To use a more contemporary expression, God had gotten David out of a lot of tight spots.

In verses 2 through 5, David warns his enemies and urges them to trust God. It has been suggested that this psalm, like Psalm 3, was written around the time of the revolt led by David's son Absalom. If this is correct, then David may be appealing to the rebels who are supporting Absalom, encouraging them to rethink what they are doing and return to God.

In verses 6 through 8, David asks the Lord God to look upon him--to again show favor. David reaffirms his trust in God, who gives him joy, peace, and security.

O God, help me to trust in You for my joy, my peace, and my security. Help me to trust You in the difficult times. Not just went it is convenient or easy.

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