Finding Yourself in the Psalms
Psalm 4
A Psalm for Peaceful Rest
Psalm 3 A Psalm for Times of Trouble (a MORNING Psalm – 3:5) Psalm 4 A Psalm for Peaceful Rest (an EVENING Psalm – 4:8)
Both center around the rebellion of Absalom. See ch 3 superscription.
1. Sleep Well Tonight, Because God’s Righteousness has been Granted To You. 4:1 a. KJV, “O God of MY righteousness.”
b. God is our source of righteousness
i. (Psalm 130:3) “If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?”
ii. (Jeremiah 33:16) “In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness.’” (YHWH Tsidkeneu)
iii. (Philippians 3:9) “and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.”
2. Sleep Well Tonight, Because The Lord Will Protect You from those who would harm you. 4:2-3
a. You are “set apart” (3)
b. The Lord protected David by answering his prayer to “confuse the counsel of
Ahithophel” (2 Samuel 15:30-31)
c. Illus – God protects us in ways we do not always see. We must accept his protection and love by faith. 2 Kings 6:15-17
d. (Psalm 91:10) “then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.”
e. The LORD does not sleep, so you can! (Psalm 121:4) “indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” “Not the sleep of exhaustion, but of trust in God, Who sustains him all of the time” (Scroggie)
3. Sleep Well Tonight, Because God will Use You To Demonstrate His Righteousness.
4:4-5
a. These were the DETRACTORS who sided with Absalom b. He URGED THEM to offer acceptable sacrifices.
i. Absalom offered FALSE WORSHIP
ii. (2 Samuel 15:12) “While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from Giloh, his hometown. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s
following kept on increasing.”
c. God will use you to REVEAL HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS to others, even your enemies
i. (2 Corinthians 2:15-16) “For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?”
d. God used ELIJAH to show mercy on the Arameans. 2 Kings 16:18-23
4. Sleep Well Tonight, Because theFavor of God Rests on His children. 4:6-8
a. It is sweeter than the finest things of this world.
b. (Psalm 37:16) “Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;”
c. Anything else is false security
d. (Psalm 56:4) “In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can mortal man do to me?” (Psalm 56:11) “in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
e. (Psalm 118:6) “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
f. (Hebrews 13:6) “So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
g. Illus – (Scrogie, 60) On the night preceeding the execution of Nicholas Ridley (1500-55), Bishop of London, his brother offered to pass his last hours in his company, but the bishop refused, saying that he meant to go to bed and sleep as quietly as he ever did in his life.”
h. (Psalm 4:8) “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
i. When you can’t sleep, don’t count sheep, talk to the shepherd!