In Psalm 4, King David tells the men who are persecuting him that when they go to sleep they should make their living with their souls and not with the pagan world. This is what the tzaddikim (righteous) also say. Cut yourself off from materialistic life. Create an oasis of peace, even if it is only in your bed. Listen to the silence and then pray. “Let the light of Your countenance shine on us, HaShem.” We must align our hearts and minds with the word of HaShem (G-d).
- Text Psalm 4
- The Hebrew text of Psalm 4 – תהילים ד
- Listen to Psalm 4
- Explanation of Psalm 4 by Rabbi Yitzchok Rubin
- Rashi’s commentary on Psalm 4
- Further explanation of the above Jewish comments
- Psalm 1 to 92
Text Psalm 4
A Psalm of David. Answer me when I call, God who does justice to me. Give me space when I am besieged, be merciful, hear my prayer. Mighty ones, how long will you disgrace me? Do you love appearances, and lies are your guide? The Eternal grants His favor to those who are faithful to Him, the Eternal listens when I call to Him.
……….In peace I lie down and immediately I fall asleep, for you, O Lord, make me dwell in a familiar and safe house.
The Hebrew text of Psalm 4 – תהילים ד
A to triumph in playing a psalm to David. 2 When I call upon my clouds, O God of righteousness, in my trouble, you have extended my mercy and heard my prayer. 3 Sons of man, how long is my honor for a word, you will love empty, you will ask for a false basket. 4 And know that Hifla Yahweh is devoted to him, Yahweh will hear my calls to him. Be angry and do not sin, say in your hearts on your bed and be like a basket. And sacrifice sacrifices of righteousness and trust in Jehovah. 7 Many say, Mi-Yeranu-Tov, let the light of Your face shine upon us, O Lord. You gave joy to my heart when their grain and harvest multiplied. 9 In peace together I will lie down and rest, for you alone, Jehovah, will surely settle me.
Listen to Psalm 4
Listen to Psalm 4 in Hebrew.
Explanation of Psalm 4 by Rabbi Yitzchok Rubin
A person is where his thoughts are
Rabbi Yistchak Meir Rothenberg once said, “A person is where his thoughts are.” When you are learning in a library but your mind is somewhere else, you are really somewhere else. They are not strange thoughts, but your own thoughts in your head.
pagan world In Psalm 4, King David deals with this problem. David is followed by his son Absalom. Absalom’s rebellion receives popular support. It seems as if the population is immersed in a fantasy that if David disappears from the picture, the Jews will come into tune with the pagan world around them and live a better life.
David addresses the leaders: ,Men, how long is my honor a shame? How long have you loved vanity? Have you followed a lie?, David does not address the common man, but the leaders. They must know better. With their empty fantasies they think the pagan world is better. But they will be disappointed. G-d will listen to David. Not to the men who are about to sin.
concern with the soul David tells the men who persecute him that when they go to sleep they must concern themselves with their souls and not with the pagan world. This is what the tzaddikim (righteous) also say. Cut yourself off from materialistic life. Create an oasis of peace, even if it is only in your bed. Listen to the silence and then pray. “Let the light of Your countenance shine on us, HaShem.”
for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. David ends the Psalm with the words: ,For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety., Only when we live alone is there safety. That does not mean living physically apart. We have a higher calling, we are the sons of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and we must act as such. Only by aligning our hearts and minds with the word of HaShem can we avoid fatal perceptions. By following the Torah with all our heart we can say, as David did, that HaShem reduces the pressure of materialism that surrounds us.
Rashi’s commentary on Psalm 4
Per verse the commentary of Rashi, the Jewish Bible commentator who lived from 1040-1105. Rashi is considered the teacher of teachers. All traditional Jews regard Rashi as an authority on the Jewish Bible and Talmud. Hence it is important to record his commentary on the Psalms. Rashi uses new Hebrew supplemented with Old French words. His language is sometimes somewhat oracularly short. For further explanation it is wise to consult an orthodox Jewish rabbi.
Verse 1
To the conductor with melodies, a song of David.
To the conductor with melodies : David instituted this psalm so that the Levites who perform the melodies when they sing on stage should recite it. The expression of נצוח denotes those who apply themselves to the service, as the matter is stated (Ezra 3:8): ,and appointed the Levites from twenty years old and upward to do the work of the house of the Lord.,
Verse 2 When I call, answer me, O God of my righteousness; You
have helped me in my distress . Have mercy on me and listen to my prayer. You have helped me in my distress , in the days that have passed over me. From now on, have mercy on me and listen to my prayer.
Verse 3
Sons of men, how long will my honor be dishonored? [How long] will you love futility? [How long] will you constantly seek lies?
Sons of men : the sons of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who are called man. It is said of Abraham (in Gen. 20:7), “Restore to a man his wife.” About Isaac it is said (ibid. 24:65): “Who is that man…?” Of Jacob it is said (ibid 25:27): ,and Jacob was a simple man.,
how long will my honor be dishonoured : how long will you disgrace me? (I Sam. 20:30): ,that you choose the son of Jesse,; (ibid. 22:8), “when my son made a covenant with the son of Jesse”; (ibid. verse 9), “I saw the son of Jesse”; (Ibid, 25:10), “Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse?” I have no name.
will you constantly seek lies : will you hunt to find lies, for example the Ziphites, who inform me, yet show me kindness, and other informers like those who were in the days of Saul (1 Sam. 23:19): , Isn’t David hiding…on the hill of Hachilah?, And so, many.
Verse 4
You will know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for himself; the Lord will hear when I cry to Him.
has set apart : Heb. הפלה, is divorced.
Verse 5
Tremble and sin not; say [this] in your heart on your bed and be silent forever.
Tremble : tremble before the Holy One, blessed be He, and sin not.
say [this] in your heart on your bed and be silent forever : bring back to your heart [the thought] that the Holy One, blessed be He, admonished you about it.
Verse 6
Offer sacrifices of righteousness and trust in the Lord.
Offer sacrifices of righteousness : Perform righteous deeds, and it will be as if you were offering sacrifices.
and trust in the Lord : commit goodness to you, and do not sin against Him for money, hoping that you will be rewarded by Saul.
Verse 7
Many say, “Who will show us kindness?” Raise up the light of Your countenance upon us, O Lord.
Many say, “Who will show us kindness?” : There are many Jews who see the nations of the world in wealth and tranquility and say, ,Who will show us goodness,, to be rich and achieve desires like these people?
Raise up over us : Hebrew נסה Raise up over us for an ensign the light of Your countenance, an expression of (Isaiah 62:10): ,lift up an ensign (נס), (ibid 49:22), ,I will set My standard increase (נסי). ,Another interpretation: נס is reflordir (?) (Resplendir) in Old French, shines like (Zechariah 9:16),, crown stones shine (מתנוססות). ,But I do not envy them, for joy is in given my heart from the time that the grain and wine of the nations increased. I am sure that if those who anger Him have [such] [rest], how much more will those who do His will have it in the future, which is the day when they receive their reward!
Verse 9
In peace together, I lay down and slept, for You, O Lord, would make me dwell alone in safety.
In peace together, I lay down and slept : if Israel were at peace with me, then I lay down and slept in trust, and I would fear no adversary or enemy.
alone in safety : as (in Deuteronomy 33:28): ,safe and alone, the well of Jacob., It is an expression of security and tranquility that he should not station troops near him.
Further explanation of the above Jewish comments
In our materialistic world it is harder than ever to cut ourselves off from it. We constantly try to look for solutions in the materialistic world and lose sight of G-d. We are always disappointed. We had better follow the example of the righteous. They cut themselves off from the materialistic world and live in peace. Cutting off from the materialistic world does not mean having no contact with it, but rather that it should be elevated. The task is to make this world a home for G-d. This is a world where both G-d and man feel at home. This means that Jews must observe the Torah. It is important to close oneself to ideas of pagan (i.e. non-Jewish) religions. Only with the help of the Torah can the world become divine. In this case, non-Jews are required to observe the Noahide commandments. In this way they can contribute to perfecting Creation.
Psalm 1 to 92
Would you like to read more Psalms with a Jewish interpretation? Go to: Psalms 1 through 92.