Psalm 4
1 Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer. 2 How long will you people turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? 3 Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him. 4 Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. 5 Offer the sacrifices of the righteous and trust in the Lord. 6 Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?” Let the light of your face shine on us. 7 Fill my heart with joy when their grain and new wine abound. 8 In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4 (NIV)
When I read Bible verses, I always try to figure out what God’s word is saying to me today. With the Old Testament and particularly the book of Psalms, I struggle. As a teacher, I am looking for the lesson God is teaching in this psalm. If we research the background of Psalm 4, we learn that it is inspired by the circumstances of David’s rebellious son, Absalom, forcing David to flee for his life. David prays for relief from his circumstances and then puts his faith and trust in the Lord.
Psalm 4 is called the Prayer of the Evening by some, and I think that fits. One of Southwood Lenten themes was to “slow down our fast-paced minds, relax, breathe, and let go of the stress of daily life” during the service. All of us have days in which we have faced challenges, stress, or turmoil in our lives. When we lay our heads down to sleep, sometimes we can’t shut off our brains, thinking about the events of the day or of the next day. David is redirecting his thoughts from the circumstances of the day to declaring his trust in God. What a great idea! Instead of trying to solve all my concerns, problems, or worries myself as I try to go to sleep, I can tell the Lord about all of those troubling thoughts and rest in God’s grace and peace. For me it is hard to do sometimes, but I need to remember that no matter how bad things seem to be (especially these days with world conflicts, political division, etc.) that God is ultimately in control. I need to practice the phrase “Let go and let God”.
As I write this devotion a song we sang in church came to mind, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”. How does the song go?
… What a friend we have in Jesus
All our sins and griefs to bear
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
… O what peace we often forfeit
O what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer
… Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged
Take it to the Lord in prayer
… Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness
Take it to the Lord in prayer
Questions for Reflection:
- At the end of the day as you lay your head down, do you have a hard time turning off the (brain) thoughts of the day?
- What is your “go to” thought, prayer, or song to “let go and let God” be in control after a tough day?
- Have you shared that “go to” thought, prayer, or song with others?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you that you are always with us. During the darkest days of our lives, when we feel like we are lost and alone, help us to remember and understand that You are always beside us. You go with us through every situation in our lives. Let us put our faith and trust in you, Lord, knowing that you are in control. Amen.
Login To Leave Comment