Psalm 4 (Post 7)
Notes -though an individual’s experience, it is for the music director to set it to music for worship (see superscription). Thus it becomes a part of the communal memory of God’s saving work on their behalf. -this psalm is best understood as a commentary on 2:12: “Happy are all who take refuge in him” (Grogan, Geoffrey W.. Psalms (The Two Horizons Old Testament Commentary (THOTC)) . Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.. Kindle Edition: 1154). -the point of the psalm is in vv.7-8. The “wake up” of 3:5 and the “lie down and sleep” of 4:8, along with numerous verbal connections between the two psalms, make them a pair, a morning psalm (Ps.3) and an evening psalm (Ps.4). -the NIV is probably right in reading “Give me relief from my distress” ( a plea) rather than the NRSV’s taking the phrase as reference to a past act of God. Exposition 4:1: Prayer for Grace With no delay or pleasantries the psalmist cries out in a demanding tone “Answer me when I call.” Some such chutzpah is in...