Remember, And Call Out To Your God Who Gives Rest (Psalm 4)
This message could be considered part 2 of last week’s Sunday Night sermon. Most commentators believe that this psalm is from the same event. And so, it is helpful for us to consider that David wrote this Psalm during the very trying ordeal with Absalom. Absalom conspired to overthrow David (2 Samuel 15:6). And, it was obvious that the conspiracy was strong (2 Samuel 15:12). The supporters of David were diminishing while the supporters of Absalom were growing. On top of this Ahithophel conspired with Absalom to pursue David and take his life. Everything was going wrong for David and he and those sympathetic to him fled for their lives.
There is a difference in time with the two psalms. Because of Psalm 3:5 being in the past tense, “I lay down and slept”, it was likely written in the morning. But Psalm 4 seems to be set in the evening because Psalm 4:8 speaks of his lying down and sleeping as being yet future. The conquering of the Lord is still future as well in Psalm 3, but it seems as if the Lord has already conquered in some way in Psalm 4.
It seems to me that this takes place after the death of Absalom but before the dust had settled on the land. Turmoil still existed even after David was reinstalled as king over Israel. And if I consider all that took place, this psalm could have been written shortly after Psalm 3.
How often have you gone through some rather large ordeal in your life, found some comfort and given some victories from the Lord only to find yourself back in despair a short time later? That’s where David seems to have been.
And we see here the response that we should have and that is to call out to God who gives rest.
Remember And Have Confident Prayers (Psalm 4:1)
David pleads with God to hear his cries. And that is often where we sit when we are in despair. But there is something that gives David confidence that God will answer his prayer. And it is previously answered prayer.
This is probably a reference to the death of Absalom and the end of the rebellion against David. When pleading with God to hear his cry, David suddenly stops and is given confidence. Why? Because, “You have given me relief when I was in distress.” (Psalm 4:1 NASB)
Every time there is a tragedy in this country scoffers take it as an opportunity to mock Christians and to mock prayer. But talk to a Christian and they can probably tell you of a time when God answered their prayers.
We believe God answers prayer because we have seen God answer prayer in our own lives. We do not care what other people think of the practice of prayer. We do not care that other people think it is ridiculous. We trust in the God of the Universe who does answer prayer and because of prayers that He has answered in the past we trust that He will answer prayers in the future.
Past answered prayer and a spirit of thankfulness gives us confidence before God. There is a lot of holiness gained when we count our blessings and remember answered prayer. We grow in faith toward God and trust in God’s promises given to us concerning prayer. And this leads us to understand that God has given us much and answer many prayers in the past, do you really think God will leave you now?
One of the things that we have to be thankful for, and actually the thing that we have to be most thankful for is Christ. As a believer I can look and see that Christ Himself accomplishes salvation for me, and as I look at this it gives me confidence in prayer. It reveals to me that God is for me and not against me. And I am also assured that I can go to God in prayer because of what Jesus did for me. I am also assured that God will not leave me or forsake me. And this emboldens me to prayer.
There may be some things going on in your life that you do not understand and God may have brought some things into your life that you definitely do not want. You may have actually prayed differently. But if you look at your life, you will find a million things that God has given you. And you may even find that God is using an impossibly hard situation in an incredible way.
You Are Special To God, Therefore He Hears Your Prayers (Psalm 4:2-5)
These two strophes (paragraphs of a poem) belong together in my mind even though they are separated and are about two different things. God’s people are special to Him and there is a real difference between God’s people and those who are not God’s people.
Here there are groups of people slandering God’s people. How long will these people slander God’s people?
We might very well ask the same things in our day. How long will people lie about the Church? How long will people misrepresent the Church? How long will people be allowed to say these things about God’s people? You who mock and slander need to understand this very fact well. “the LORD has set apart the godly for himself, the LORD hears when I call to Him.” (Psalm 4:3 NASB)
There is a difference between God’s people and those who are not God’s people. Christians have a special relationship with God through the finished work of Christ. God the Son took on human flesh and redeemed a people for God from every tribe, nation, and tongue by living a perfect life for them and dying on the cross for them. And Christians now have special access to God. God’s people are His special possession. Yes, God cares for all people, but it is His people that are special to Him. He hears the prayers of this blood bought bride of His because the Lord has set us apart for Himself. Christian, God hears your prayers.
But notice what David says to God’s people. They are to rest in God’s love for them even as the scoffers scoff at them.
Wow! This is hard isn’t it. It is difficult to just take the offense when someone wishes to lash out at you. Or, when someone lashes out at a brother or sister in Christ. It’s hard not to want to just jump over there and lay into someone. But notice what David says,
“Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds and be silent. Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord.” (Psalm 4:4-5 NASB)
Don’t listen to those mocking! Don’t listen to the scoffer! Put your trust in the Lord. Be angry and do not sin.
There is specific application here to online activity. I will make a few observations and let you know that I fail at them from time to time.
- Treat social media sites like a real place. In a way they are because this is a forum that people are spending their time on…a lot of time. Don’t say anything that you wouldn’t say to them in person. Unless of course you could be found screaming it at them in a parking lot, then maybe we should just deal with your issues before you talk with anyone else.
- Don’t forget that these are real people. People will act foolish online. They will even act like they are less than human, but they are not. They may try very hard to convince you that they are in fact a quadruped banging on the keyboard, they are not. They really are human and should be treated with dignity.
- It is oftentimes best to leave comments alone. If you post something Christian online and someone objects to it, you don’t have to reply.
- I oftentimes want to reply for the sake of others who might read it. For example, if someone hurls accusations at Christians that are easily answerable and helpful for others to see then I will answer them.
- There was once a time when I couldn’t let anything go. That doesn’t work.
- I will at times say my piece, double check it for clarity, and then post it. Then I’ll go to the top of the post and click the ignore notifications from this post option just so I never have to hear from that conversation again. If it’s clear and well argued and people object to it then it is likely that this conversation is going nowhere.
- Ignore it and move on is most likely the best option.
Here, David urges a quiet confidence in the Lord that does not retaliate. In our interactions with people, in person and online, we don’t want to be retaliatory. We may explain what we believe and why we believe it, but we don’t want to get into a brawl with these people. We need to have a quiet confidence before the Lord because we are His people. We trust in Him.
When so many people seem to be standing against us, it is enough for us to know that God hears us because we have been set apart for Him.
Remember And Rest In The Giver Of Joy And Safety (Psalm 4:6-8)
There were many people who did not see that good would come of all this. They were crying out, “Who will show us some good?” (Psalm 4:6) And we’ve likely all been at this point in our lives. Nothing seems to be working out. And the psalmist continues and calls out for the light of the Lord’s face to shine upon them. He desires for the goodness and kindness of God to be revealed to them now in this time of darkness.
Even in the hard times God had put gladness in David’s heart. And he describes this gladness as being more than the gladness of a farmer who ended up able to enjoy an abundance of his crops. It is a joyous time when “grain and wine abound” (Psalm 4:7 NASB). And the joy of David’s heart is much greater than this time of celebration. Why?
David is likely remembering what God has done for him. He is remembering the salvation that God accomplished through the death of Absalom and the subduing of enemy armies. He is remembering that he has been set apart for God. He is remembering that God had given him incredible blessings. He is remembering the grace and love of God toward him. And this remembering has given him unbelievable joy. And so, David can trust God for safety and rest in Him.
Much like last week’s psalm, sleep plays a huge role. It is interesting really, because as we discussed last week, sleep is hard when everything seems to be going wrong. In the middle of everything going wrong, David can find his rest in the Lord and get a good night’s rest.
Tremendous turmoil can take place around me and I should be able to rest amid it. I don’t always rest in the Lord like David, but eventually I find myself there. But we should trust God to protect us and give us peace.
We are redeemed. We have been brought into fellowship with God through the finished work of Christ. You’ve been given a church family that loves you. And, as far as I know you’ve all been given families that love you and care for you. You have been given homes that are at least sufficient, if not much better than that. And you have plenty of food on the table. Remember the tremendous graces and blessings of God in your life and let it drive you to rest.
While the world convulses between being extremely anxious and euphoric let us be steady. Let us be rocks. Let us trust in the Savior and let that trust be something that is incredibly strange in our world and in our times. Let us be filled with more joy than those lost people could ever figure out without Christ, even while the world seems to be going completely mad.
Conclusion
We are God’s people, set apart for Himself and have been given so much from Him. So, we remember all of this and rest in Him.
R. Dwain Minor