the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
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Read the Bible
King James Version
Psalms 4:1
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- InternationalParallel Translations
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.
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.Heare me when I call O God of my righteousnesse: thou hast set me at libertie when I was in distresse.
To the chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.
When I call, answer me, O God of my righteousness: in pressure thou hast enlarged me; be gracious unto me, and hear my prayer.Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
To the chief musician, for stringed instruments, A Psalm of David. Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness. You gave room to me in distress. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
To the director: With stringed instruments. A song of David.
God, you showed that I was innocent. You gave me relief from all my troubles. So listen to me now when I call to you for help. Be kind to me and hear my prayer.<
[To the chiefe Musician on Neginoth, A Psalme of Dauid.] Heare me, when I call, O God of my righteousnesse: thou hast inlarged mee when I was in distresse, haue mercy vpon me, and heare my prayer.
Heare me whe I cal, o God of my rightuousnes, thou that comfortest me in my trouble: haue mercy vpon me, and herken vnto my prayer.
A David Psalm
When I call, give me answers. God, take my side! Once, in a tight place, you gave me room; Now I'm in trouble again: grace me! hear me!For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.
Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness; Thou hast set me at large when I was in distress: Have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David. Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness; You have set me at large [when I was] in distress: Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm of David. 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.
For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm of David.
When I call out, answer me, O God who vindicates me! Though I am hemmed in, you will lead me into a wide, open place. Have mercy on me and respond to my prayer!(A psalm by David for the music leader. Use stringed instruments.)
You are my God and protector. Please answer my prayer. I was in terrible distress, but you set me free. Now have pity and listen as I pray.For the leader. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David:
To him that excelleth on Neginoth. A Psalme of Dauid. Heare me when I call, O God of my righteousnes: thou hast set me at libertie, when I was in distresse: haue mercie vpon me & hearken vnto my prayer.
WHEN I have called thee, thou hast answered me, O my God and Saviour of my righteousness; thou hast comforted me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me and hear my prayer.
Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have freed me when I was hemmed in and relieved me when I was in distress; Be gracious to me and hear [and respond to] my prayer.
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For the Leader; with string-music. A Psalm of David.
For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by stringed instruments.
Answer me when I call to you, O God who declares me innocent. Free me from my troubles. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.Answer me when I call, O my God Who is right and good! You have made a way for me when I needed help. Be kind to me, and hear my prayer.
When I called upon him, the God of my righteousness heard me: thou hast made room for me in tribulation; pity me, and hearken to my prayer.
For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David. Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness; thou hast set me at large when I was in distress: have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Psalm of David. Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved my distress; show me grace and hear my prayer.
To the leader: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.
Answer me when I call, O God of my right! You gave me room when I was in distress. Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.<Unto the end, in verses. A psalm for David.> (4-2) When I called upon him, the God of my justice heard me: when I was in distress, thou hast enlarged me. Have mercy on me: and hear my prayer.
For the music director; with stringed instruments. A psalm of David.
When I call, answer me, O God of my righteousness. In trouble deliver me. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.
Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.
Answer me when I pray to you, my God who does what is right. Make things easier for me when I am in trouble. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.Answer me when I pray, O God, my defender! When I was in trouble, you helped me. Be kind to me now and hear my prayer.
For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A Davidic psalm.
Answer me when I call, God, who vindicates me. You freed me from affliction; be gracious to me and hear my prayer.The title of the fourthe salm. `To the victorie in orguns; the salm of Dauid. Whanne Y inwardli clepid, God of my riytwisnesse herde me; in tribulacioun thou hast alargid to me.
To the Overseer with Stringed Instruments. -- A Psalm of David. In my calling answer Thou me, O God of my righteousness. In adversity Thou gavest enlargement to me; Favour me, and hear my prayer.
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David. Answer me when I call, O God of my right! Thou hast given me room when I was in distress. Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Neginoth: Psalms 6:1, Psalms 67:1, Psalms 76:1, *titles Habakkuk 3:19, *marg.
O: Psalms 11:7, Psalms 24:5, Psalms 41:12, Isaiah 45:24, Jeremiah 23:6, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 2 Corinthians 5:20, 2 Corinthians 5:21
thou: Psalms 18:18, Psalms 18:19, Psalms 31:8, Psalms 40:1-3, Psalms 116:6, Psalms 116:16, 1 Samuel 17:37, 1 Samuel 19:11, 1 Samuel 19:12, 1 Samuel 23:26-28, Job 36:16, 2 Corinthians 1:8, 2 Corinthians 1:10
have mercy upon me: or, be gracious unto me, Psalms 56:1, Psalms 57:1, Psalms 86:3-5, Psalms 119:75-77, Psalms 119:132, Psalms 143:2, Exodus 34:6, Exodus 34:7
Reciprocal: Genesis 26:22 - the Lord 2 Samuel 15:32 - he worshipped 2 Samuel 22:37 - enlarged 1 Kings 8:28 - hearken 2 Chronicles 6:19 - to hearken Psalms 18:36 - enlarged Psalms 27:7 - General Psalms 59:16 - for thou Jonah 2:2 - I cried Matthew 15:22 - Have Ephesians 6:18 - Praying
Cross-References
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.
And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed.
Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.
Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness,.... Or, "my righteous God" h, who is righteous in his nature, ways, and works, the just Judge of the whole earth, who will do right; or "the vindicator of my righteousness", as the Syriac version renders it; that is, of his innocence and uprightness, which the Lord knew and was a witness of: and since he was his covenant God, he doubted not but he would bring it forth as the light, and favour his righteous cause, and do him justice upon his enemies: or the psalmist addresses God in this manner, because he was the author of his righteousness, and was the justifier of him, by imputing the righteousness of his Son unto him. So Christ addresses his Father, John 17:26; who he knew would justify him, and by whom he was justified as the surety of his people, when he, rose from the dead: and so the saints can draw nigh to God the Judge of all, through the righteousness of Christ; knowing that he is just, and the justifier of him that believes in Jesus; and that he is just and faithful to forgive their sins, and cleanse them from all unrighteousness, on account of his blood. The petition put up by the psalmist is, to be heard when he called, that is, to hear his prayer, as it is explained in the latter part of the verse: and God is a God hearing prayer; and so David, Christ, and all the saints, have found him to be: and the encouragement to pray to the Lord, in hope of being heard, arose from past experience of divine goodness;
thou hast enlarged me [when I was] in distress; when he had like to have been killed by Saul casting a javelin at him; and when his house was watched by men that Saul set there, and he was let down through a window and escaped; and when he was shut in at Keilah, where Saul thought he had him safe; and at other times, to which he may here refer, as in Psalms 18:19; and this may be applied to the Messiah, when in the garden, beset with sorrows, and an angel strengthened him; and when on the cross, surrounded by various enemies, whom he conquered; and when in death and the grave, from the pains and cords of which he was loosed, and set in a large place. And this agrees also with the experience of the saints; who, when in distress through sin, Satan, and the law, have been set free, through the Gospel proclaiming liberty to the captives to such enemies; and the opening of the prison to them that have been bound by them: and when they have been so shut up and straitened in themselves, that they could not come forth in the discharge of duty, and in the exercise of grace; through the Spirit of the Lord, who is a spirit of liberty, they have been enlarged in the duty of prayer and of praise, and in the exercise of faith and love; and their hearts have been enlarged through the discoveries of the love of God towards them, so that they have run cheerfully in the ways of his commandments; who also gives them largeness of heart, an increase of the knowledge of Christ, and of the love of God, and tills them with joy and peace in believing, and draws out the desires of their souls to his name, and the remembrance of him;
have mercy upon me: the psalmist pleads no merit nor worthiness of his own, but applies to the grace and mercy of God; and sensible of his sin, both original and actual, he entreats a discovery of pardoning grace and mercy. The words may be rendered, "be gracious unto me" i, or "show me favour"; bestow the blessings of grace, grant larger measures of grace, and fresh supplies of it: and so all sensible sinners apply to God for mercy; and all the saints have recourse to him as the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, for every mercy, both temporal and spiritual. Nor is this unsuitable to the Messiah, as man and Mediator; with whom, God keeps his mercy for evermore, as the head and surety of his people, and upon whom, as man, the grace of God was; and who increased, as in stature, so in favour with God and man; and which, no doubt, was desirable by him;
and hear my prayer: the same petition with that in the beginning of the verse; invocation and prayer being the same thing.
h אלהי צדקי. i חנני "gratiosus esto mihi", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Hear me when I call - When I pray. The word “hear” in such cases is always used in the sense of “listen to,” “hear favorably,” or “attend to;” hence, in the literal sense it is always true that God “hears” all that is said. The meaning is, “hear and answer me,” or grant me what I ask.
O God of my righteousness - That is, O my righteous God. This is a common mode of expression in Hebrew. Thus, in Psalms 2:6, “hill of my holiness,” meaning “my holy hill;” Psalms 3:4, “his hill of holiness,” meaning “his holy hill.” The psalmist here appeals to God as “his” God - the God in whom he trusted; and as a “righteous” God - a God who would do that which was right, and on whom, therefore, he might rely as one who would protect his own people. The appeal to God as a righteous God implies a conviction in the mind of the psalmist of the justice of his cause; and he asks God merely to do “right” in the case. It is not on the ground of his own claim as a righteous man, but it is that, in this particular case, he was wrongfully persecuted; and he asks God to interpose, and to cause justice to be done. This is always a proper ground of appeal to God. A man may be sensible that in a particular case he has justice on his side, though he has a general conviction that he himself is a sinner; and he may pray to God to cause his enemies to do right, or to lead those whose office it is to decide the case, to do what ought to be done to vindicate his name, or to save him from wrong.
Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress - That is, on some former occasion. When he was “pressed” or “confined,” and knew not how to escape, God had interposed and had given him room, so that he felt free. He now implores the same mercy again. He feels that the God who had done it in former troubles could do it again; and he asks him to repeat his mercy. The prayer indicates confidence in the power and the unchangeableness of God, and proves that it is right in our prayers to recall the former instances of the divine interposition, as an argument, or as a ground of hope that God would again interpose.
Have mercy upon me - In my present troubles. That is, Pity me, and have compassion on me, as thou hast done in former times. Who that has felt the assurance that God has heard his prayer in former times, and has delivered him from trouble, will not go to him with the more confident assurance that he will hear him again?
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
PSALM IV
David prays to be heard, 1;
expostulates with the ungodly, 2;
exhorts them to turn to God, and make their peace with him, 3-5;
shows the vain pursuits of men in search of happiness, which he
asserts exists only in the approbation of God, 6, 7;
commends himself to the Lord, and then quietly takes his repose,
8.
NOTES ON PSALM IV
This Psalm seems to have been composed on the same occasion with the preceding, viz., Absalom's rebellion. It appears to have been an evening hymn, sung by David and his company previously to their going to rest. It is inscribed to the chief Musician upon Neginoth, למנצח בנגינות lamnatstseach binginoth. Probably the first word comes from נצח natsach, to be over, or preside; and may refer to the precentor in the choir. Some suppose that it refers to the Lord Jesus, who is the Supreme Governor, or victorious Person; the Giver of victory. Neginoth seems to come from נגן nagan, to strike; and probably may signify some such instruments as the cymbal, drum, c., and stringed instruments in general. But there is no certainty in these things. What they mean, or what they were, is known to no man.
Verse Psalms 4:1. Hear me when I call — No man has a right to expect God to hear him if he do not call. Indeed, how shall he be heard if he speak not? There are multitudes who expect the blessings of God as confidently as if they had prayed for them most fervently and yet such people pray not at all!
God of my righteousness — Whatever pardon, peace, holiness, or truth I possess, has come entirely from thyself. Thou art the God of my salvation, as thou art the God of my life.
Thou hast enlarged me — I was in prison; and thou hast brought me forth abroad. Have mercy on me-continue to act in the same way. I shall always need thy help; I shall never deserve to have it; let me have it in the way of mere mercy, as thou hast hitherto done.
