God Speaks….

I will answer you when you call, 

because I am the God of righteousness.

I will relieve you in your distress.

I will be gracious and hear your prayer.

I will not let your honor suffer shame.

I do not love vain words and seek after lies. Pause

Know that I have set apart the godly man/godly woman for myself.

     I, the LORD, hear when he/she calls.

When you are disturbed, do not sin.

Meditate in your heart upon your bed and be still. Pause

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and trust in me! 

There are many who say, “O that we might see some good!”

I will lift the light of my countenance on you,

I have put gladness in your heart,

More than when new grain and wine abound.

In peace you can both lie down and sleep

For I alone am the Lord

who does make you dwell in safety. 

Our Answering Speech…..

O LORD, because you are the God of righteousness,

You will answer me when I call.

You will relieve me in my distress.

You will be gracious and hear my prayer.

You will not let my honor suffer shame.

You do not love vain words and seek after lies.   

I know LORD that you have set apart the faithful for yourself.

I know LORD that you hear when I call to you.

When I am disturbed, I will not sin.

I will ponder on my bed and be silent.       

There are many who say, “O that we might see some good!

    But you tell me that the light of your face will shine on me, O LORD!”

You have put gladness in my heart

    More than when others’ grain and wine abound!

I will both lie down and sleep in peace; 

For you alone, O LORD, make me lie down in safety.

The Christian Reformed denomination in which I was raised has a strong tradition of Psalm singing, reading, and praying.   We often read from the Psalms at the dinner table, and I heard them sung in my church every Sunday.  They became so much part of me that I took them for granted until, as an adult, I realized what a treasure they were, and how profoundly they had formed my spirit, my outlook on life, my relationship with God, and my prayer life.

I have found many of the Psalms have been written with the intention of being read at the two ends of our days…in the morning and in the evening.  Psalm 4 is an evening psalm which marks the transition from daylight to darkness.  At night often our sleep is upset by many mental disturbances, but in Psalm 4 we find David despite all that is going on able to sleep in peace.   Psalm 4 is a testimony to the peace and the joy God can give, during both inward and outward trouble, knowing He alone can make us dwell in safety. (vs. 8)

As I prepare to go to bed and pray the evening Psalm at the close of my day…..

First, I approach the Lord reverently with a listening heart.

Secondly, I consider what God is saying to me through the Psalm.

Thirdly, In gratitude I respond to God’s Word and love.  Eugene Peterson calls this “our answering speech” back to God.

Lastly, I allow time to pause when the word ‘Selah’ appears to give space to personal feelings, reflections, and connections with the Psalmist.   

*See the below of how this prayer process could work using Psalm 4.

“In the Bible God speaks to us;

in the Psalms He helps us speak to Him”

J. C. Grey

PSALM 4

Some think David wrote this Psalm the evening after he wrote Psalm 3, when Absalom’s army was tightening the noose around David and his soldiers.  Others believe it was written during a famine that caused the Israelites to consider following other gods (see verses 2 & 6). 

This is an Evening Psalm we can pray knowing that as the night draws near our concerns, both great and small, loom greater in our minds and cause us many sleepless nights.

Psalm 4 – Night Thoughts  

(David first speaks to God)

1Answer me when I call to you,

O my righteous God.

Give me relief from my distress.

Be merciful to me and hear my prayer.

(David speaks personally to others)

2How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame?

How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Selah

(Lastly, David confirms his confidence in God and gives advice to himself and to others as he releases his worries and thoughts to the Lord concerning his day)

3Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself.

The LORD will hear when I call to him.

4In your anger do not sin.

When you are on your bed,

Search your hearts and be silent. Selah

5Offer right sacrifices

And trust in the LORD.

6Many are asking, “Who can show us any good?

Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD.

7You have filled my heart with greater joy

then when their grain and new wine abound.

8I will lie down and sleep in peace,

For you alone, O LORD,

make me dwell in safety.

By Joyce Wybenga