Jesus' Glory Mocked and Shamed

JESUS WAS GLORY TURNEDTO SHAME
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Psalm4:2 2How long will you people turn my glory
into shame? How long will you lovedelusions and seek
false gods?
CHRIST’S GLORY TURNED TO SHAME NO. 3276
A SERMON PUBLISHED ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1911
DELIVERED BY C. H. SPURGEON AT THE METROPOLITAN
TABERNACLE, NEWINGTONON LORD’S-DAY EVENING, OCTOBER
1, 1865
“O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame?” Psalm4:2
DAVID had many times been the subject of cruel mockeryand therefore
while writing this Psalm, probably in the first place about himself, he also
describedin it one of the bitterest of our Savior’s sufferings. What an
illustration this is of the union which exists between Christ and His people in
the matter of experience! He had a cross to bear and so have they. He was
“despisedand rejectedof men,” and so are they. The church of God is not like
the image that Nebuchadnezzarsaw in his dream, which had a head of gold
and feetof iron and clay, but as is the Head, such are also the members. As
the Head had to endure cruel mockings, the members must not expect to be
exempted from similar treatment. This is why so many of the Psalms of David
are equally applicable to David and to his Lord. And I believe that we have,
in this verse, a reference not only to David himself, but also to “greatDavid’s
greaterSon.” In the case ofboth of them, the sons of men turned their glory

into shame, but I want speciallyto call to your remembrance the sufferings of
our Saviorin this respect. I. So, in the first place, notice that EVERYTHING
ABOUT OUR SAVIOR THAT WAS GLORIOUS WAS MADE THE
SUBJECT OF SCORN. Begin with His glorious person, and think how
shamefully that was treatedby the sons of men in the time of His humiliation.
He was betrayed, but the betrayer was one who had been His disciple, and
who, in the very act of betrayal calledHim “Master.” This was shameful
cruelty on the part of Judas, not only to betray Him to His enemies, but to hail
Him as “Master” in mockeryand to kiss Him in scorn. There was shame
even in the way in which they went to Gethsemane to arrestthe Savior—with
swords and staves, and lanterns and torches—asthough He had been some
desperate malefactorwho would resist to the utmost the officers of the law.
No lanterns or torches were neededto show the way to the Light of the world,
and their swords and staves would have availed them nothing if He had
chosento put forth His omnipotent energy. When He was draggedbefore
Annas and Caiaphas, Pilate and Herod, His precious person was the constant
subject of scorn, so that He could truly say, “I gave my back to the smiters,
and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from
shame and spitting.” “The soldiers platted a crown of thorns and put it on
his head, and they put on him a purple robe, and said, Hail, King of the Jews!
and they smote him with their hands.” And when Pilate brought Him forth to
the people and cried, “Beholdthe man!” instead of pitying Him in His
distress, they shouted, “Crucify him, crucify him.” His agonies upon the
cross provided further subjects for their contempt and scorn. He could
truthfully employ the language ofthe twenty-secondPsalm—“Allthey that
see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him,
seeing he delighted in him.” They lookedupon His personas being so utterly
contemptible that they desired that He should suffer death in its most
ignominious form, “eventhe death of the cross.”
2 Christ’s Glory Turned to Shame Sermon #3276
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And while they treatedthus shamefully the human person of our Lord, we
cannot forgotthe jeers and taunts with which they assailedHis deity. When
He said, “Hereaftershall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of
power, and coming in the clouds of heaven,” the high priest tore his clothes
and chargedHim with being a blasphemer, while the whole assemblydeclared
that He was guilty of death. And to show their contempt for Him, “then did
they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of
their hands.” Even when He was enduring all the agonyof the crucifixion, we
read that, “they that passedby reviled him, wagging their heads, and saying,
If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.”Was it not sufficient to
degrade His spotless humanity? No, the glory of His deity must also be turned
into shame—in both His natures, as Son of God and Sonof man, He must be
“despisedand rejectedof men.” Alas! that for so long the prophet’s words
were true concerning us, “we hid as it were our faces from him; he was
despised, and we esteemedhim not.” Notonly was Christ’s blessed person
thus despised, but all His offices were the subject of scorn. I do but tell you
what you all well know. I do but point you to the picture upon which you have
often gazed. Remember how they mockedHim as a Prophet. “When they had
blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and askedhim, saying,
Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?” They treated His prophetic office as
though it had only been worthy of a jest or a jeer. He claimed to be the King
of the Jews, so with ribald shouts they cried, “A king! Bring hither His throne
and seatHim upon it. Bring His royal robes and let Him be fitly adorned.”
Their idea of fitness was some soldier’s discardedmantle castover His
shoulders in mockeryof the royal purple. They put a reed into His hand as a
mock scepter, and the only crownthey thought worthy for Him to wearwas
made of thorns. To show their contempt for His royalty, they mockingly
bowed the knee before Him and rendered Him only the semblance of homage.
The only gifts they brought to Him were cruel blows and coarse insults which
must have been peculiarly trying to His gentle, gracious spirit. I must not stay
to tell how they turned the glory of His office as our greatHigh Priest into
shame, but all His offices were treatedwith the utmost contempt and scorn.
They even laughed contemptuously at His deeds of love. “The chief priests
mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He savedothers; himself he
cannot save.” It seems to me that they meant thus to castcontempt upon His

miracles of mercy. “He saved others.” Ay, that He did. He saved the famishing
by multiplying the loaves and fishes, and feeding the people by thousands. He
savedthe sick by touching them or by speaking the word which made them
perfectly whole. He savedeven the dead by calling them back from the unseen
world to live again in the abodes where they had aforetime dwelt. Yet all these
miracles of mercy are now to have contempt poured upon them because He
does not chooseto come down from the cross at the mocking call of the
scoffing priests and scribes and elders. “O ye sons of men, how long will you
turn His glory into shame?” It was His glory that He had savedothers and it
was also His glory that He could not save Himself—yet both of these were
turned into subjects for shame by those who had no pity for Him even when
they had hounded Him to His death. Perhaps it was worstof all when these
wickedmen scoffedat Christ’s pangs and prayers. If you have hurt yourself,
and someone laughs at the accident, you feelindignant. If you are tossing to
and fro upon a bed of sickness andsomeone sneers atyour pains, you know
how such unkindness cuts you to the quick. If you were dying and in your
agonyyou cried aloud to God—andsomebody ridiculed your prayer—it
would be a terrible trial to you. So must it have been to Christ when He was
dying upon the cross, forsakenby His friends, forsakeneven by His Father,
because He was then occupying the place that we ought to have occupied.
Sermon #3276 Christ’s Glory Turned to Shame 3
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Then, when He uttered that heart-melting cry, “Eloi, Eloi, lama
sabachthani?”—“MyGod, my God, why hast thou forsakenme?”—the
heartless spectatorsmade a sort of pun upon His words, and mockinglysaid
that He was calling Elijah, though many of them must have recognizedthe
quotation from the beginning of the twenty-secondPsalm. To mock a man’s
prayers when he is dying seems to me the very lowestdepth of cruel contempt,
and I do not remember ever reading of any other mob but this one that was so
brutal as to turn into mockerythe last cries of one who was in his death
agony. Yet, at Calvary, the last expiring groans ofour blessedSaviorwere the
subject of the mocking mirth of the rabble around the cross. How all this must
have pained His sensitive spirit and made Him cry out with David, “O ye sons

of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame?” II. Now, secondly, THE
GLORY WHICH CHRIST OUGHT TO HAVE RECEIVED AMONG MEN
WAS RENDEREDTO HIM ONLY IN SHAME. A German writer has given
us an outline of the way in which worldlings mockingly honored Christ. First
of all, he says, they gave Him a processionofhonor. When a victorious general
returns from the wars, he rides through the streets amidst the plaudits of the
crowds that gatherto welcome him. And when Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
was to be honored by the world, He also had a procession, and what a
processionit was!“He bearing his cross wentforth”...“andthere followedhim
a greatcompany of people, and of women, which also bewailedand lamented
him.” That weeping and wailing company of the daughters of Jerusalemwas
the only element of realhonor in the whole procession—allthe restwas
mockeryand shame—andwhat a shameful thing it was!O men of the world,
if you had knownthat He was the King of kings and Lord of lords, would you
have crucified the Lord of glory? Instead of a band of children and a fickle
mob strewing palm branches in His way and crying, “Hosanna to the Sonof
David,” kings and princes, judges and senators, oughtto have felt honored by
being allowedto casttheir royal robes and costly garments in His road, that
He might ride in state over them amid the welcoming shouts of the whole race
of mankind. Insteadof that, see the poor weary Man of sorrows painfully
toiling on and presently sinking beneath the burden of the cross onwhich He
was about to die in ignominy and shame—while all around Him the
clamorous multitude is hoarselycrying, “Awaywith him! Crucify him!” That
was the kind of processionof honor that men gave to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Next, they gave Him a cup of honor. When a greatman comes as a visitor
from a foreign country, it is the custom to honor him with a grand banquet
and other marks of hospitality. But when Christ came to this earth on a
embassageofmercy, what did they give Him? First, a stupefying draught
which He would not drink, for He would not have any of His powers deadened
by any soporific. And then, when He was so parched that He cried, “I thirst,”
“they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his
mouth,” and Luke expresslysays that this was done in mockery by the
soldiers, who at the same time tauntingly said to the Savior, “If thou be the
King of the Jews, save thyself.” Thus again men turned His glory into shame.
Then, they gave Him a guard of honor. Men who have performed deeds of

renown often have a bodyguard allotted to them to attend them whereverthey
go and to ensure their safetywhere they stay. But what bodyguard did the
world allot to the Savior—a guard of gamblers. The soldiers parted His other
garments among them, and then castlots—probablythrowing dice—to see
which of them should have His seamless coat, little thinking that they were
thus fulfilling the prophecy that had been written hundreds of years before.
But what a guard was this for Him who was King of kings, and Lord of
lords—rough, cruel men whose hearts had been shriveled and in whose
breasts no sign of tenderness remained! Thus also was His glory turned into
shame. Then, they gave Him a seatof honor. We are accustomedto conduct
our noble visitors to the platform at the end of the hall, and to lead them to
the chair of state or the most honorable position we
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can find. And the world conducted its honored Guestdown the Via Dolorosa
with a bodyguard of gamblers around Him up to the seatof honor. There it
is—the accursedtree! He will have little rest there, for the greatnails will be
roughly thrust through the most tender parts of His hands and feet, making
every nerve in His body quiver with pain. And then, as they brutally jerk the
cross downinto the hole prepared for it, His whole frame will be so jarred and
shakenthat He will cry out, in the language of the psalmist, “I am poured out
like water, and all my bones are out of joint.” Thus they turned His glory into
shame. Then, once more, they gave Him a title of honor. When the Queen
wishes to put specialhonor upon any of her subjects, she makes them knights,
or baronets, or peers of the realm. But the world only thought Christ worthy
of the title of “King of thieves.” You will perhaps tell me that they calledHim
“the King of the Jews.”It was Pilate who did that, and he would not alter it
even when the chief priests askedhim not do so. But the Jewishand Gentile
world practically calledHim “King of thieves” by crucifying Him betweentwo
thieves as though He had been the worst of the three. He was no thief. He had
never injured anyone, but had scatteredblessings broadcastwith both His
hands. He had given Himself and all that He had to save the lost, yet their
calledHim, “King of thieves,” by their actions if not by their words. Thus

againthey turned His glory into shame. O beloved, I wish I could speak upon
this theme in appropriate language!Yet I feelthat there is no tongue that can
adequately describe the Savior’s griefs, and no pen or pencil that can worthily
depict Him in His agonies. You must yourselves sit down at the foot of the
cross and look, and look, and look againat your blessedLord and Masteras
He hung there for your sakes. It used to be more common than it is now for
godly men and women to spend hour after hour in solemnmeditation upon
the agonies ofChrist upon the cross. I tried, one day when I was alone, to geta
vivid realization of that awful tragedy—and I succeeded, to the breaking of
my ownheart—but I cannot describe the scene to you. That is a matter for
private meditation rather than for public speech. So, when many of us gather
presently around the table of our Lord in obedience to one of His last
commands, let us try to realize what it meant to Him when wickedmen turned
His glory into shame even when He was in the very throes of His death agony.
When the Savior was nailed to the accursedtree, there was a greatcrowd
before Him composedof all sorts of people from the chief priests and scribes
and Pharisees downto the lowestrabble of Jerusalem. The Romanwas there,
and the Jew from the far Westwho had almost forgottenhis Judaism. And
there were doubtless, as on the day of Pentecost, “Parthians,and Medes, and
Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, andin Judea, and Cappadocia, in
Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Lybia
about Cyrene, and strangers ofRome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and
Arabians.” How did this greatmixed multitude treat the augustSufferer
upon the cross? Ihave already quoted to you our Lord’s own words, “All they
that see me laugh me to scorn.” And Mark further says, “Theythat passedby
railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyestthe
temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself, and come down from the
cross.” With the exception of a little band of timid disciples, all that vast
crowdexerted itself to the utmost, by hideous gestures andgrimaces, and by
cruel taunts and jeers, to show its contempt and scornfor the Christ of God,
His only-begottenand well-belovedSon. I suppose this greatcongregation
now gatheredin the Tabernacle is but a mere handful in comparisonwith the
enormous throngs that assembledto see that great sight, but if I had to be the
unhappy victim of the malice and scornof all of you—if you were all seeking,
by some word of contempt or expressionofloathing and hatred, to setme at

nought and mock me—whata dreadful position mine would be! But this was
not the treatment accordedto a man in full vigor of health and strength, as I
am just now, who might be able to defy his foes to do their worst, or who
might stand unmoved amidst the hail
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of calumny and obloquy, but Christ’s was the case ofOne who was dying in
indescribable agony, forsakenevenof His God—andyou can hardly conceive
how such an experience as that takes all one’s strength away. Yet, do you
know? As I meditated upon this sad scene—while my eyes were streaming
with tears on the Savior’s account, it seemedto me that, after all, the ribald
crowdwas unconsciouslyhonoring Him, because contemptfrom such people
was true honor for Jesus. If they had belauded Him, He might have blushed at
the disgrace ofbeing praised by such miscreants. But when they despisedand
rejectedHim, it brought Him true honor. Thus virtue receivedthe homage of
vice and the beauty of holiness was the more plainly manifested in contrast
with the ugliness of sin. They must have felt that although they seemedto be
victorious overHim, Christ was really the Conqueror, or they would not have
been so anxious to show how much they despisedHim. They must have had
some sort of consciousnessofthe true dignity of His characteror they would
not have vented their malice so ferociouslyin mocking Him. While I have
been trying to bring before your minds this picture of the suffering Savior, as
it has been so vividly presentto my own mental vision, I wonder if anyone
here has been saying, “Oh, sir! I also have to endure the cruel mockings of the
ungodly. They call me this name and that, and I feel that I cannot endure it.”
What! Are you— “A soldier of the cross, Afollower of the Lamb;”—
and do you want to turn cowardwhen they mete out to you something of the
treatment that they gave to Him? Look at your Masterin the hour of His
agonyon the cross and never be afraid again. Rememberhow He
forewarnedHis followers concerning this very matter—“The disciple is not
above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple
that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the

master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his
household?” Cheerfully acceptall the contempt and scornthat the world
pleases to pour upon you—take it as a tribute to the likeness to Christ that
even worldlings cansee in you—and praise the Lord that you are counted
worthy to suffer for Christ’s name’s sake. Perhaps some self-righteous
person says, “Iwish I had been there. I would have taught those miserable
wretches not to treat the Savior in such a shameful fashion.” Ah! that is the
way one of our English kings once talked. “I wish,” said he, “that I had been
there with my soldiers—Iwould have cut them in pieces.” But somebody
who stoodby said, “Ah! that speechshows that you have not yet learnedhow
to be like Him.” He could have cut them all in pieces in a moment. He could
have askedfor more than twelve legions of angels to come to His rescue. But
how then could He have accomplishedthe purpose for which He came to this
earth, and how would the Scriptures have been fulfilled? It was written
concerning Him, seven centuries before His birth, “He was oppressed, and he
was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the
slaughter, and as a sheepbefore her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his
mouth.” And that prophecy was literally fulfilled when He stoodsilent before
Caiaphas and before Pilate, and when He endured without a murmur all the
insults of the mocking crowdat Calvary. I think I hear someone say, “If I
had been there, I would not have mockedthe Savior as they did.” Ah, my
friend, I am not so sure that you would not! Do you love Him now? Do you
love His people? Do you love His ways? Do you love His Word? Do you love
His house? Do you love Himself? If you do not, I do not see why you should
imagine that you would have behaved better than most of the men and women
at that time did. You would not have knownthe Lord of life and glory any
more than they did, and you would probably have joined them in heaping
scornand contumely upon Him. His stern rebukes of your sin would have
made you as angry as they were. “He that is not with me is againstme,” is still
one of the
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infallible tests by which He tries the sons of men. And if you are not with Him,
you are againstHim. If you are not out-and-out for Him, you are mocking
Him in your way even as the Jews did in theirs. Possiblysomebody asks,
“Why did the Saviorendure all that mockeryand scorn?” Ah, some of us can
tell! We once mockedreligion and perhaps even poured contempt upon the
name of Jesus, so He was mockedeven while He was making atonement for
our sin of mockery. Besides, sinis always so contemptible a thing that it ought
to be held up to derision by all sane men—and as Christ took upon Himself
the sins of all His people—itwas necessarythat He should be despisedeven
when He was only by imputation bearing the sins of others.
“Forsins not His own He came to atone;”
and therefore as the Sin-Bearer, the Substitute for His people, He had to bear
all the scornthat their sins deserved. Now, in closing, I say to you, brothers
and sisters in Christ, your Masterhas been despised for your sakes, mind that
you greatlyhonor Him. He was made nothing of as far as that was possible to
men— see that you make much of Him. For every thorn that pierced His
blessedtemples, give Him some precious pearl that you highly prize. For
every hiss of scornthat greetedHis holy ears, give Him a song of grateful
praise. Oh, how I wish that we could continually lift Him up higher and
higher before the sons and daughters of men! If He would but make us as the
dust beneath His feet, so that He might be exalted so much more in the eyes of
sinners, we would count it our highest glory to be trampled beneath His feet.
Oh, for more crowns to put upon His blessedhead!
“CrownHim with many crowns, The Lamb upon His throne.”
It shall be the heaven of heaven to us when He gives us the crown of life, the
crownof righteousness,and the crown of glory, and we castthem all at His
feet crying, “Notunto us, O LORD, be the glory,” but “unto him that loved
us, and washedus from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and
priests unto Godand his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and

ever.” But why not begin to honor Him here? I hope many of us are doing so
already, but let us do it more and more. O Lamb of God, bleeding,
languishing, despised, rejected, whatcan I do to honor You more than I have
ever done before? Is not that the language ofyour heart, my brother, my
sister? Come to His Table and honor Him by obeying this as wellas all His
other commandments, “Do this in remembrance of me.” And then go
tomorrow into the world wherever your business and your duty callyou, and
say,
“Now for the love I bear His name What was my gain I count my loss;My
former pride I callmy shame, And nail my glory to His cross.
“Yea, and I must and will esteemAll things but loss for Jesus’sake;Oh, may
my soulbe found in Him, And of His righteousness partake.”
Is there anyone here who has despisedand rejectedthe Lord Jesus Christ?
Alas! I fear that many even in this assemblyhave done so. Have you set Him
at nought? Have you thought nothing of Him? Have you mockedHim? Have
you put a crown of thorns upon His head? Oh, if you have hitherto been
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numbered amongstHis enemies, quit their ranks this very hour, bend your
knees before Him in true homage and submission, give Him your hearts to be
His royal throne, give Him yourselves to be His loyal subjects and servants
forever. Look unto Him as He was upon the cross and as He is upon the
throne of God. Trust Him with your whole heart, for whosoeverbelieves in
Him has everlasting life. God bless you all, for Jesus Christ’s sake!Amen.

BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
An Evening Song In Perilous Times, Showing Us The SecretOfHappiness
Psalm4:1-8
C. Clemance
It is not difficult to be cheerful when we have everything we desire. But when
life seems to be a series of catastrophes,disappointments, and vexations,
buoyancy of spirit is not so easilyattained. If our lives were in peril every
moment through rebellion at home and plots and snares around, few of us
would be found capable, under such circumstances, ofwriting morning and
evening hymns. Yet such were the circumstances under which David wrote
this psalm and the one which precedes it. Both of them belong, in all
probability, to the time of Ahithophel's conspiracy, of Absalom's rebellion,
when the king was a fugitive, camping out with a few of his followers. Such
reverses, moreover, were none the easierto bear, when he had the reflection
that because ofhis own sin the sword was in his house, and was piercing his
own soul Yet even thus, as he had "a heart at leisure from itself to write his
song of morning praise, so does he also pen his evening prayer. We picture
him thus: Any moment a fatal stroke may fall on him. His adversaries prowl
around. They have rich stores of provisions and of gold, while he himself has
to depend for the means of subsistence onsupplies brought to his camp from
without. Unscrupulous rebels were in power, while David and his host were
like a band of men who are dependent on begging or on plunder. But it was
preciselythis combination of ills that brought out some of the finest traits in
his character. Eventhen he can take up his pen and write, "Thouhast put
gladness,"etc.;"I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep:for thou, Lord,
only makestme dwell in safety." Here, then, we have one of God's people, who
has seencalmerdays, writing in his tent and telling of a secretofpeace and
joy which nothing can disturb. It is a secretworth knowing. Let us ascertain
what it is.
I. HERE IS AN INQUIRY PUT. "Who will show us good?" Bywhich is
meant, not so much What is goodin itself? as - What will make us happy, and
bring us a sense ofsatisfaction? Overand above our intellectual, we have

emotional faculties. The emotions are to the spiritual part of us what the
sensations are to the bodily part. Among the various fallacies ofsome wise
men of this world, one of the wildest is that emotion has no place in the search
after, and. in the ascertainmentof, truth. It would be quite safe to reverse
that, and to saythat unless the emotions have their rightful play, few truths
can be rightly soughtor found. An equilibrium of absolute indifference
concerning truth or error would be a guilty carelessness. Ourcraving after
happiness is God's lessonto us through the emotions, that we are dependent
for satisfactionon something outside us; and when such satisfactionis actually
reached, it is so far the sign that the higher life is being healthfully sustained.
Our nature is too complex to be satisfiedwith supply in any one department.
Our intellectual nature craves the true. Our moral nature craves the right.
Our sympathetic nature calls for love. Our conscious weakness and
dependence call for strength from another. Our powers of actiondemand a
sphere of service which shall neither corrupt nor exhaust. Our spiritual
nature cries out for God, life, and immortality. Who can show us "good" that
will meet all these wants? Such is the inquiry.
II. THERE ARE THOSE WHO KNOW HOW TO ANSWER THE
INQUIRY. (Ver. 7, "Thouhast put gladness in my heart," etc.)The psalmist
shows us:
1. The source of his joy. God - God himself. How often do the psalmists
luxuriate in telling what God was to them - Rock, Shield, Sun, High Tower,
Fortress, Refuge,Strength, Salvation, their Exceeding Joy! Much more is this
the case now we know God in Christ. In him we have revealedto us through
the Spirit nobler heights, deeperdepths, largerembraces, and mightier
triumphs of divinely revealedlove than Old Testamentsaints could possibly
conceive.
2. One excellentfeature of this joy is the sense ofsecurity it brings with it in
the most perilous surroundings (see last verse). (Let the Hebrew student
closelyexamine this verse. He will gain thereby precious glimpses of a
meaning deeper than any bare translation can give.) The psalmist discloses
and suggestsfurther:

3. The quality and degree of the joy. " More than... when their corn and their
wine increaseth."
(1) The gladness is of a far higher quality. A filial son's joy in the best of
fathers is vastly superior to the delight a child has in his toys. So joy in God
himself for what he is, is infinitely higher than delight in what he gives.
(2) It is a gladness ofgreaterzest. No joy in worldly things that a carnalman
ever reachedcanapproximate to the believer's joy in God. It is a joy
"unspeakable, andfull of glory."
(3) It is a gladness remarkable forits persistency. The worldling's joy is for
the bright days of life. Joy in God is for every day, and comes out most
strikingly in the darkestones - David, Daniel; Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego; Peter, John, Stephen, Paul and Silas, etc. We never know all that
God is to us until he takes awayall our earthly props, and makes us lean with
all our weight on him.
(4) The believer's joy in God surpasses the worldling's gladness in the effects
of it. It not only satisfies, but sanctifies the mind.
(5) This joy never palls upon the taste. "The world passethaway, and the lust
thereof; but he that doeth the will of Godabideth for ever."
III. THE PSALMIST SHOWS US HOW THIS JOY IN GOD WAS
ATTAINED. After his delights the worldling has many a wearychase. To
ensure his, the psalmist sends up a prayer, "Lord, lift thou up," etc. This
prayer had been taught him of old. It was a part of the priestly benediction
(Numbers 6:22, ad fin.). Its meaning is, "Give us the sign and sealof thy
favour, and it is enough." Truly in this all else is ensured. Forgiveness from
God and peace with him prepare the way for the fulness of joy. Nothing is
right with a sinful man till there is peace betweenhim and God. If our view of
the chronologyof the Psalms be correct, Psalm51. and 32, precededthis. If it
be true that the believer attains the highestheights of joy, it is also true that he
has first gone down into the deep vale of penitential sorrow. As in Christian
toil, so in personalreligion, "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy." Let the

sinner "behold the Lamb of God, which takethawaythe sin of the world,"
and then his hope, his joy, will begin. - C.
Biblical Illustrator
I was dumb, I openednot my mouth, because Thoudidst it.
Psalm39:9
Silent before God
M. R. Vincent, D. D.
This psalm is the utterance of a man in trouble. It thrills with a strong but
repressedfeeling. In a thoughtful man, trouble always doubles itself. Added to
the smart of the immediate affliction is the moral problem which it raises, of
the reasonand the justice of God's administration in the world, of the
permission of evil, of the tendency and destiny of this vain show calledlife.
Every specialsorrow or disasteris a stream, setting towards this
unfathomable oceanofthought, with a swift and resistlesscurrent. The psalm

represents a familiar experience. So many feel, if they do not think, deeply.
But there is strong repressionhere as well as strong feeling. The writer is on
his guard againsthasty speech. "Isaid, I will take heed," etc. But in our text
we get down to a deeper reasonfor silence. The man is so overcome by the
grandeur and the mystery of God's dealing with him that he is forced to be
silent. There are some mysteries that we can — so we think — solve, but there
are others concerning which we canonly say, "Thoudidst it" — that is all.
We stand like a belatedtraveller before the closedgate ofan Egyptian temple,
rising, low-brewedand grim, under the stars, and no sound answers our
knock. This, then, is the simple, stern picture of our text — a man in silence
before the truth, God did it! The text assumes Godto be a fact, and further
assumes faith in God. God and His providence are both takenfor granted.
What, then? Well it is something to have got firm hold of a fact. A greatdeal
is gained when the sorrow, howeversevere,orthe mystery, howeverdark, has
been traced up to God. When we cansay, not something, but some one, did it,
the matter is greatly simplified. We have no longer to count chances.
Whateverwe may think of the dispensationwe know its source. Goddid it. A
teachersets for a boy a hard problem in algebra. The boy goes resolutelyto
work. The day passes, andhe cannotsolve it. He takes it home with him, and
works at it there. He comes back next day to the teacher, and says, "I cannot
do it;" and then he begins to talk passionately, to tell what methods he has
tried, to hint that the teachermay have made a mistake in his statement, to
complain that this or that in his algebra is not clearly defined. The teacher
sees the difficulty; and, as the first step toward clearing it up, he quietly says,
"Be still! Do not talk any morel I setthe problem, and I know it is right." And
if he says no more, and the boy goes back to his seat, he has gainedsomething
in that interview. There is powerin the thought which the lad turns overin his
mind, "This problem was set by somebodythat knows. My teacher, whom [
have always found wise and truthful, did it." The thought that there may have
been a mistake in the statementof the sum goes outof his mind, and the
matter is thus far relieved, at any rate; and, under the impulse of that relief,
he may attack the question again, and successfully;or, if not, he will gain by
silence, by restraint. The teacherwiselysilences him, not to check his inquiry,
but to bring his mind into the right condition to receive explanation. And this
is just how God often deals with us. "Well," it may be said, "all that may do

very well for a child; but a reasoning man cannotbe disposedof in that way."
All I can say is, many a reasoning man has to acceptthat or nothing. And
after all, it may be that the child's satisfactionhas something rational at
bottom, Reasoncannotcompel Godto answer;and suppose it could, would
man be the better? Take a simple illustration. There are certainreasons
connectedwith your child's education or inheritance which constrain you to
live for some years in an uncongenialand unpleasant place. Neither climate,
scenery, nor societyis what you could desire. The child asks, "We are not
poor, are we, father?" — "No." — "Could we not live somewhere else?" —
"Yes." — "Then, why do we stay here when there are so many pleasantplaces
elsewhere?"You cannot tell him; he could not understand the reasons;but,
for all that, the lessonthat child learns through your silence, through being
obliged to be content with the simple fact, father does it, is more valuable than
the knowledge ofthe reasons. Evenif he should make a shrewd guess atyour
reasons, thatwould not please you half so much as his cheerful, unquestioning
acceptanceofthe truth that you love him, and will do what is best for him.
Now, in such dependence upon God lies the very foundation of all true
character, and this is why God lays so much stress on this lesson, and so often
brings us face to face with His "I did it." That kind of teaching may not make
philosophers — when it does, it makes them of large mould — but it makes
Pauls and Luthers. But as we look at this, "Thoudidst it," we find it has some
treasures of knowledge forus. Faith is not ignorance. We begin to make
discoveries — this one, that if God did it, then infinite wisdom did it, and
infinite powerdid it. "Ah!" you say, "we know that but too well. The stroke is
on our hearts and homes. It is written on fresh graves, and in the scarof
dreary partings." All true. But has power no other aspectthan this terrible
one? Shall we symbolize it only by a hand hurling thunderbolts? or may we
not picture a hand, strong indeed, but open, and pouring forth blessings? "All
poweris given unto me," says Jesus. Yet He laid His hand on blind eyes, and
they saw;on the paralytic, and he leapedand ran. Goddid it, and therefore I
know that infinite love did it. That is a piece of knowledge worthhaving
indeed. Surely, when we reachthat, we find the rock yielding water. Ah! we
have to creepback for rest into the shadow of love after all. And how this
truth gathers powerwhen we go to this text, taking Christ with us! How it
kindles under His touch! God did it; and I look up into that face of

unspeakable love, with its thorn-marked brow, and say, "Thoudidst it. He
that hath seenThee hath seenthe Father. I am in sorrow;the sorrow is driven
home by a piercedhand: Thou didst it. The pierced hand tells me of the loving
heart behind the hand; and, if love hath done it, let me be silent and content."
(M. R. Vincent, D. D.)
Silent submission to the Divine will
C. J. Hoare, M. A.
I. WHAT WE OUT NOT TO DO.
1. We ought not to divert our attention from a higher object, by too anxiously
inquiring into secondcauses;much less aggravateour distress, by vainly
lamenting the circumstances ofa case, ofwhich the event sufficiently proves
its entire consonancewith the will of God; whilst these circumstances are to be
regardedonly as the swordor the staff, which served to inflict a necessary
wound.
2. Neitherlet us be tempted too deeply to speculate upon the secretintentions
of our heavenly Father in such a visitation; or too solicitouslyto ask whether
it be an infliction in mercy or in wrath.
3. Much less should we adopt the language, orharbour a sentiment of
impatience or discontent.
4. Neitherought we to despair. What though the streambe dried up, which
once flowed down with blessings onour lot, the Fountain whence it was
supplied still remains; and though the friend be gone, Omnipotence is left.
II. WHAT WE OUGHT TO DO.
1. Let us begin with acknowledging the imperfection of our own blind and
fallible judgment, which had led us to build our hopes so high upon a passing
shadow.

2. Painful, however, as we doubtless feel this severe actof the Divine
sovereignty, let us next considerthat as our sins have most clearly deservedall
there is of chastisementin it, so our repentance alone, and deep contrition for
sin, can avert its worst consequencesas a national curse.
3. A duty most unquestionably it is, even in the utmost extremity, and in the
absence ofevery human resource, still to assure ourselves that"the Lord
reigneth;" and that in His supreme dominion are involved the operations and
the results of infinite power, and wisdom, and goodness, andmercy. To
Christians the same assurance beams with a superior brightness through the
medium of that purer revelation made known to us by the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ, and sealedto us by His blood.
(C. J. Hoare, M. A.)
Submission under Divine chastisements
M. R. Vincent, D. D.
I. WHAT IT IS NOT.
1. It is not a silence arising from an unfeeling disregardto affliction. We are
not told to do violence to our nature.
2. It is not a sullen silence, like the sulky humour of an ill-managed child, who
stubbornly refuses to speak whenany of his wishes are not gratified.
3. Neitheris it a silence which springs from natural con. stitution, or from
goodsense, as it is called, either natural or acquired. Such silence, such
submission cannot be acceptable to God, inasmuch as God is not at all
regardedin it.
4. Again, men may be silent under their afflictions, lestby murmurings they
should bring down upon themselves yet worse. Suchsubmission howeverhas
respectto self rather than to God.
5. It is not a despairing silence.

II. WHAT IT IS. "Because Thoudidst it."
1. The Christian in his afflictions considers who God is. He sees in them the
hand of one who is Almighty, the High and Mighty One, perfectly holy, and
just, and good. And looking at himself, who is but sinful dust and ashes, he
says, "How shall I dare to murmur againstGod?"
2. But while the Christian silently submits himself to God, from a deep sense
of His powerand majesty, his fear is mixed with love, for he views God not
only as an almighty Sovereign, but as a kind parent.
3. The Christian calls to mind the gracious and valuable purposes for which
God afflicts His children, and in them he finds fresh motives for silent
resignation.
4. The pious sufferer quiets himself under affliction with the reflectionthat
God will not always be chiding; weeping may endure for a night, but joy
cometh in the morning.
5. The Christian, when he is under God's afflicting hand, gives himself up
entirely to His disposal;in firm confidence that he suffers according to the will
of God, infinite powerdid it. "Ah!" you say, "we know that but too well. The
stroke is on our hearts and homes. It is written on fresh graves, and in the
scarof dreary partings." All true. But has power no other aspectthan this
terrible one? Shall we symbolize it only by a hand hurling thunderbolts? or
may we not picture a band, strong indeed, but open, and pouring forth
blessings? "Allpower is given unto me," says Jesus. YetHe laid His hand on
blind eyes, and they saw;on the paralytic, and he leaped and ran. God did it,
and therefore I know that infinite love did it. That is a piece of knowledge
worth having indeed. Surely, when we reachthat, we find the rock yielding
water. Ah! we have to creep back for rest into the shadow of love after all.
And how this truth gathers powerwhen we go to this text, taking Christ with
us! How it kindles under His touch! God did it; and I look up into that face of
unspeakable love, with its thorn-marked brow, and say, "Thoudidst it. He
that hath seenThee hath seenthe Father. I am in sorrow;the sorrow is driven
home by a piercedhand: Thou didst it. The pierced hand tells me of the loving
heart behind the hand; and, if love hath done it, let me be silent and content."

(M. R. Vincent, D. D.)
Silent submission to the Divine will
C. J. Hoare, M. A.
I. WHAT WE OUGHT NOT TO DO.
1. We ought not to divert our attention from a higher object, by too anxiously
inquiring into secondcauses;much less aggravateour distress, by vainly
lamenting the circumstances ofa case, ofwhich the event sufficiently proves
its entire consonancewith the will of God; whilst these circumstances are to be
regardedonly as the swordor the staff, which served to inflict a necessary
wound.
2. Neitherlet us be tempted too deeply to speculate upon the secretintentions
of our heavenly Father in such a visitation; or too solicitouslyto ask whether
it be an infliction in mercy or in wrath.
3. Much less should we adopt the language, orharbour a sentiment of
impatience or discontent.
4. Neitherought we to despair. What though the streambe dried up, which
once flowed down with blessings onour lot, the Fountain whence it was
supplied still remains; and though the friend be gone, Omnipotence is left.
II. WHAT WE OUGHT TO DO.
1. Let us begin with acknowledging the imperfection of our own blind and
fallible judgment, which had led us to build our hopes so high upon a passing
shadow.
2. Painful, however, as we doubtless feel this severe actof the Divine
sovereignty, let us next considerthat as our sins have most clearly deservedall
there is of chastisementin it, so our repentance alone, and deep contrition for
sin, can avert its worst consequencesas a national curse.

3. A duty most unquestionably it is, even in the utmost extremity, and in the
absence ofevery human resource, still to assure ourselves that"the Lord
reigneth;" and that in His supreme dominion are involved the operations and
the results of infinite power, and wisdom, and goodness, andmercy. To
Christians the same assurance beams with a superior brightness through the
medium of that purer revelation made known to us by the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ, and sealedto us by His blood.
(C. J. Hoare, M. A.)
Submission under Divine chastisements
J. T. Sangar, M. A.
I. WHAT IT IS NOT.
1. It is not a silence arising from an unfeeling disregardto affliction. We are
not told to do violence to our nature.
2. It is not a sullen silence, like the sulky humour of an ill-managed child, who
stubbornly refuses to speak whenany of his wishes are not gratified.
3. Neitheris it a silence which springs from natural constitution, or from good
sense, as it is called, either natural or acquired. Such silence, suchsubmission
cannot be acceptable to God, inasmuch as God is not at all regarded in it.
4. Again, men may be silent under their afflictions, lestby murmurings they
should bring down upon themselves yet worse. Suchsubmission howeverhas
respectto self rather than to God.
5. It is not a despairing silence.
II. WHAT IT IS. "Because Thoudidst it."
1. The Christian in his afflictions considers who God is. He sees in them the
hand of one who is Almighty, the High and Mighty One, perfectly holy, and
just, and good. And looking at himself, who is but sinful dust and ashes, he
says, "How shall I dare to murmur againstGod?"

2. But while the Christian silently submits himself to God, from a deep sense
of His powerand majesty, his fear is mixed with love, for he views God not
only as an almighty Sovereign, but as a kind parent.
3. The Christian calls to mind the gracious and valuable purposes for which
God afflicts His children, and in them he finds fresh motives for silent
resignation.
4. The pious sufferer quiets himself under affliction with the reflectionthat
God will not always be chiding; weeping may endure for a night, but joy
cometh in the morning.
5. The Christian, when he is under God's afflicting hand, gives himself up
entirely to His disposal;in firm confidence that he suffers according to the will
of God, who is infinite in mercy and goodness,and who of very faithfulness
causethHis people to be troubled.
6. A view of the God-man Christ Jesus suffering for the sins of the whole
world affords another most powerful motive to the Christian to bear his
sufferings with silence and submission.
7. It is not, however, inconsistentwith that submission to express a sense of
pain and distress;to desire and pray for deliverance;or to use any lawful
means by which we may be delivered.
(J. T. Sangar, M. A.)
The duty of resignation
R. South, D. D.
Faith, obedience and patience are the three duties incumbent upon a
Christian. Faith being a submissionof our understanding; obedience, ofour
will; and patience, of the whole man to the will of God. The considerationof
such a duty as patience is ever seasonable, to those in adversity, as a cordialto
support them; to those in prosperity, as an amulet to guard them. We have in
the text David's submissive deportment, and the reasonfor it.

I. THE NATURE AND MEASURE OF SUBMISSION.
1. Negatively. It is not insensibility to suffering. Nor abstaining from prayer
for relief of it; nor from endeavour to remove it.
2. Positively, it is the submissionof the understanding so that it shall approve
God's procedure. Of the will, our chief faculty. Of the passions and affections,
commonly so turbulent, and of the tongue, so as to refrain from hard and
bitter speech, and of the Spirit, so that we abstainfrom all rage and revenge
againstthe instruments of our affliction (2 Samuel 16:10). We are not called
upon to accountenemies as friends, but we are not to take revenge.
3. All this is very difficult. Therefore, considerthe worth of such submissive
spirit, how excellentit is (Romans 7:87). See it in Moses andespeciallyin
Christ. It was suffering which redeemedthe world. But it is difficult, because
of the oppositionto it which we find in ourselves, and from the mean though
mistakenopinion of it which the generality of men entertain. Therefore, there
is needed an early and long endeavour after such an excellentframe of mind.
II. THE REASONS AND ARGUMENTS FOR IT because ofour relation to
God. Think —
1. Of God's irresistible power. How useless resistance is (1 Corinthians 10:22;
Psalm135:6). Then —
2. Of God's absolute sovereigntyand dominion over all things, founded, as it
is, upon the greatestandmost undeniable title, which is that of creationand
providence (Job 9:12; Revelation4:11).
3. His infinite and unfailing wisdom, which is never at fault (Job 4:18). Would
it be better for us to have our ownway? Passengers in a ship always submit to
their pilot's discretion.
4. His greatgoodness, benignity and mercy which is "overall His works."
God does not willingly afflict (Lamentations 3:38; Isaiah28:21). Consideralso
—
5. God's exactand inviolable justice. He could not do us wrong.

6. And how He rewards the submissive soul. "Ye have heard of the patience of
Job, and have seenthe end of the Lord." Could we but trust God to do our
business for us, to assertour cause and vindicate our innocence, we should
find that He would not only answer, but outdo our hopes.
III. CONCLUSION. Learn —
1. The necessityof submission.
2. Its prudence. There are few things in the world so entirely bad but some
advantage may be had of them by dexterous management. Like Isaac letus
take the wood upon our shoulders, though we be designedfor sacrifice, and
who knows but that, as in his case,deliverance may come? (2 Corinthians
4:17). Inward if not outward relief will come to us if we submit.
3. Think also of the decencyand comeliness ofsuch submission (Daniel 5:28;
Luke 21:19). Thus may we make ourselves happy in the most afflicted, abject
and forlorn condition of life. Therefore, let us "take up our cross,""looking
unto Jesus" as our greatexample and who, because He endured, "is now set
down at the right hand of God."
(R. South, D. D.)
Christian resignation
A. Thompson, D. D.
Such resignationis all too rare. The words of resignationmay be on the lips,
but impatience may be in the heart. To provide against, suchevil we must
study to be real disciples of Christ; and we must have our minds turned to
those doctrines and habituated to those exercises ofreligion, which help us to
submit amid the calamities of life. Without such aid we are overcome when
calamity falls upon us. Let us considersome of these aids to resignation.
I. THE REMEMBERINGTHAT WHEN GOD VISITS US WITH
BEREAVEMENTS,HE ONLY TAKES AWAY WHAT IS HIS OWN. Now, if
we will take this view, if we not only speculatively assentto it as an abstract

truth, but have it as a part of our practicalcreed, it will leadus to surrender
any comfort whatever, and to make the surrender with patience and readiness
into the hands of God, from whom we at first receivedit.
II. THAT GOD ACCOMPANIES OUR BEREAVEMENTSWITH
CONSOLATION AND SUPPORT. How much is still left to us of good. All is
not lost. Has it not often happened in the case ofthe afflicted that "their latter
end," like that of Job, has been "much more than their beginning"? In all this
there is something that is well fitted to inspire us with patience and
contentment. Whateverwe suffer is much less, and whateverwe enjoy is much
more, than we deserve. But He gives us consolationand support of a spiritual
kind, far more precious and far more efficacious still. The Bible, prayer, ere.
III. In the third place, we should be resigned to the will of God when He
afflicts us, because AFFLICTION IS FOR OUR GOOD. To mere worldly
persons there is nothing goodbut that which gives them much pleasure. But to
true Christians that, and that alone, is good, whateverit may be, which
promotes their spiritual and immortal interests;which tends to make them
wiserand better. There is still another considerationby which we ought to be
influenced when involved in affliction.
IV. God who sends it is entitled to our patient acquiescence, our cheerful
submission, BECAUSE AT THE VERY TIME THAT WE ARE SUFFERING
UNDER HIS HAND, HE HAS IN RESERVE, AND IS PREPARING FOR
US, THE HAPPINESS OF HEAVEN AND IMMORTALITY.
(A. Thompson, D. D.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(2)Sons of men.—A literal rendering of a Hebrew phrase generally
interpreted as “men of high degree.”Luther translates “gentlemen” (see

Psalm49:2), where it is “high,” as contrastedwith “low.” (Comp. Psalm 62:9,
“men of high degree.”)
How long?—Literally, how long to shame my glory? which, after the analogy
of Psalm 37:26, “his seedis for a blessing,” must mean How long shall my
glory be for shame (opprobrio)? The LXX. and Vulg. follow a different and
probably correctreading: “How long will ye be heavy (or slow)of heart?
“Theyalso indicate that an interrogative has dropped out before the second
clause, so that it is rightly supplied by the Authorised Version.
Seek after.—InHebrew the intensive conjugation, to seek earnestly, oragain
and again.
Leasing—i.e.,lying. (Comp. Psalm 4:6.) So in Wycliffe’s New Testament:
“Whanne he spekethleesing, he spekethof his own; for he is a lere, and is
fader of it” (John 8:44). “Lesyngmongers”(1Timothy 1:10). Chauceruses the
word; and it is common in Piers Ploughman. Shakespearealso knows the
word:—
“Now Mercuryindue thee with leasing,
For thou speakestwellof fools.”—TwelfthNight.
(See Bible Educator, iv. 3,) Milton’s translation is—
“To love, to seek,to prize
Things false and vain, and nothing else but lies.”
For “Selah,” seeNote, Psalm3:2.
From this verse we gatherthat the report of the calumny uttered againsthim
in Jerusalemhad reachedthe king’s ears.
BensonCommentary
Psalm4:2. Ye sons of men — David is consideredhere by many commentators
as addressing not mankind in general, but only princes, potentates, and
persons of high degree. And perhaps, the phrase, sons of men, may often bear

that sense in the Old Testament. But it must be observed, the Hebrew here, ‫ינ‬
‫,ׁשנא‬ benee ish, signifies, sons of man, and not sons of men, and seems
evidently to be of the same import as the phrase, sons of Adam, and if so, must
include all mankind. Nor is there any proof from the context, or any part of
the Psalm, that he is addressing merely those greatmen among the Jews or
Israelites who revolted from him under Absalom, or even that he had
Absalom’s rebellion particularly in his view when he composedthis Psalm. He
rather seems to be addressing the generalityof his countrymen, or, rather, all
into whose hands the Psalm might come, on subjects of infinite concernto all.
How long will ye turn my glory into shame? — Or, as the Hebrew is literally
rendered, How long shall my glory be for a shame? that is, be made by you a
matter of reproachand scorn. And by his glory he probably meant, not only
that honour which God had conferredupon him in advancing him to the
throne, which, when he was in greatstraits and dangers, his enemies might
possibly reproachand make the subject of derision; but also, and especially,
the glory of God and his Messiah. For, as Dr. Horne justly observes, “If the
Israelitish monarch conceivedhe had just cause to expostulate with his
enemies for despising the royal majestywith which Jehovahhad invested his
anointed, of how much severerreproof shall they be thought worthy who
blaspheme the essentialglory of (God and) King Messiah, whichshines forth
by his gospelin his church.” But are not these rather to be consideredas the
words of God himself, here reasoning with sinners, by the psalmist, and
calling them to repentance? As if he had said, You that go on in the neglectof
God and his worship, and in contempt of the kingdom of Christ and his
government, considerwhat you do. You not only disgrace yourselves, debase
the dignity of your nature, the excellence ofthose powers with which you are
endued; but you dishonour me, your Maker, and turn my glory, and that of
my Son, your Messiah, into shame. Or, if they be David’s words, they may still
be interpreted to the same sense, for his God was his glory, as he calls him
Psalm3:3. Idolaters are chargedwith changing the glory of God into shame,
Romans 1:23. And all wilful sinners do so by disobeying the commands of his
law, despising the offers of his grace, and giving that affectionand service to
the creature which are due to Godonly. Those that profane God’s holy name,
that ridicule his word and ordinances;and, while they profess to know him,
by works deny him, do what in them lies to turn his glory into shame. How

long will ye love vanity, and seek afterleasing? — That is, lying or a lie. You
are yourselves vain, and desire and pursue vain things, and you love to be and
do so. You set your hearts upon that which will prove, at last, vanity and a lie.
They that love the world and seek the things that are beneath, that please
themselves with the delights of sense, and choose fortheir portion the wealth
of this world, love vanity, and seek lies, forthese things will deceive and so
ruin them. How long will you do this? Will you never be wise for yourselves,
never consideryour duty and interest? When shall it once be? Jeremiah
13:27.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
4:1-5 Hear me for thy mercy-sake, is our best plea. He who will not ask such
blessings as pardon, and justifying righteousness, andeternal life, must perish
for the want of them. Alas! that so many should make so fearful a choice. The
psalmist warns againstsin. Keep up holy reverence of the glory and majesty
of God. You have a greatdeal to say to your hearts, they may be spokenwith,
let it not be unsaid. Examine them by serious self-reflection;let your thoughts
fastenupon that which is good, and keepclose to it. Consider your ways, and
before you turn to sleepat night, examine your conscienceswith respectto
what you have done in the day; particularly what you have done amiss, that
you may repent of it. when you awake in the night, meditate upon God, and
the things that belong to your peace. Upon a sick-bed, particularly, we should
considerour ways. Be still. when you have askedconscience a question, be
serious, be silent, waitfor an answer. Open not the mouth to excuse sin. All
confidence must be pan answer. Open not the mouth to excuse sin. All
confidence only: therefore, after commanding the sacrificesofrighteousness,
the psalmist says, Put your trust in the Lord.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
O ye sons of men - Turning from God to men; from Him in whom he hoped
for protectionto those who were engagedin persecuting him. We are not, of
course, to suppose that they were present with him, but this is an earnest,
poetic remonstrance, "as if" they were with him. The reference is doubtless to
Absalom and his followers;and he calls them "sons of men," as having human

feelings, passions, andpurposes, in strong distinction from that righteous God
to whom he had just made his solemn appeal. God was holy, true, and just,
and he might appeal to Him; they were ambitious and wicked, and from them
he had nothing to hope. He lookedupon God as righteous altogether;he
lookedupon them as altogetherdepraved and wicked. Godhe regardedas his
just Protector;them he regardedas seeking only to wrong and crush him.
How long - The phrase used here might refer either to "time" or to "extent."
How long in regard to "time," - or to what "degree"or"extent" will you thus
persecute me? The former, however, seems to be the true signification.
Will ye turn my glory into shame - My honor, or what becomes my rank and
station. If this refers to the rebellion in the time of Absalom, the allusion is to
the factthat his enemies were endeavoring to rob him of his scepterand his
crown, and to reduce him to the lowestcondition of beggaryand want; and he
asks with earnestnesshow long they intended to do him so great injustice and
wrong.
Will ye love vanity - Compare the notes at Psalm2:1. That is, how long will
you actas if you were in love with a vain and impracticable thing; a thing
which "must" be hopeless in the end. The idea is, that God had chosenhim,
and anointed him, and had determined that he should be king Psalm 4:3, and
therefore, that their efforts "must be" ultimately unsuccessful. The objectat
which they were aiming could not be accomplished, and he asks how long they
would thus engage in what must, from the nature of the case, be fruitless.
And seek afterleasing - The word "leasing" is the Old English word for "lie."
The idea here is, that they were pursuing a course which would yet prove to
be a delusion - the hope of overturning his throne. The same question, in other
respects, may be askednow. Men are seeking that which cannot be
accomplished, and are acting under the influence of a lie. What else are the
promises of permanent happiness in the pursuits of pleasure and ambition?
What else are their attempts to overthrow religion and virtue in the world?
Selah- See the notes at Psalm3:2.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary

2. sons of men—men of note or prominence (compare 2Ch21:9).
turn my glory—or, "royaldignity."
into shame—or, "reproach."
vanity—a foolish and hopeless enterprise (Ps 2:1).
leasing—a lie.
The Treasuryof David
2 O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will
ye love vanity, and seek afterleasing? Selah.
In this seconddivision of the Psalm, we are led from the closetofprayer into
the field of conflict. Remark the undaunted courage of the man of God. He
allows that his enemies are greatmen (for such is the import of the Hebrew
words translated - sons of men), but still he believes them to be foolish men,
and therefore chides them, as though they were but children. He tells them
that they love vanity, and seek afterleasing, that is, lying, empty fancies, vain
conceits, wickedfabrications. He asks them how long they mean to make his
honour a jest, and his fame a mockery? A little of such mirth is too much, why
need they continue to indulge in it? Had they not been long enough upon the
watchfor his halting? Had not repeateddisappointments convincedthem that
the Lord's anointed was not to be overcome by all their calumnies? Did they
mean to jest their souls into hell, and go on with their laughter until swift
vengeance shouldturn their merriment into howling? In the contemplation of
their perverse continuance in their vain and lying pursuits, the Psalmist
solemnly pauses and inserts a Selah. Surely we too may stopawhile, and
meditate upon the deep-seatedfolly of the wicked, their continuance in evil,
and their sure destruction; and we may learn to admire that grace which has
made us to differ, and taught us to love truth, and seek afterrighteousness.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
O ye sons of men, i.e. princes and potentates, as this Hebrew phrase seems and
is thought to signify, who are engagedwith Saul or Absalom againstme.

Will ye turn my glory into shame? or, shall my glory be for a shame, i.e. be
made by you matter of reproach and scorn? By his glory probably he means
that high honour and royal majestywhich God had either promised to him, or
conferredupon him; wherein, when he was in greatstraits and dangers, they
might possibly reproach him in some sort as this: Is this the man, whom God
so highly loves, and honours, and will exalt, who now flees from one mountain
or cave to another, who runs awayto the Philistines, whom his own son hath
banished out of the land? Is this the effectof his glorying and boasting of
God’s favour and promises?
Love vanity, i.e. affectand pursue these courses anddesigns of opposing me
and my kingdom, which you will certainly find to be vain, and to no purpose.
Leasing or, lying; the same thing with vanity; these two words being
promiscuously used, as Psalm62:9. Only this seems to add some emphasis,
and to intimate the fair hopes and promising probabilities of success which
they had, and which aggravatetheir disappointment. Or by lying he may
design those horrid calumnies, which the partisans either of Saul or Absalom
had raisedagainsthim, and which they joined with their other endeavours to
make him odious to all the people, and so the better to effecthis ruin.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
O ye sons of men,.... Meaning greatmen, the nobles of Israel; and so the
Jewishinterpreters (k) generally explain it; such as Ahithophel, and others,
who were in the conspiracywith Absalom, 2 Samuel 15:12, and so they were
the kings and princes of the earth, and the rulers of the Jewishsanhedrim, the
chief priests and elders, who were the enemies of Christ; and such, generally
speaking, have been the persecutors ofthe saints; these men of power and
authority, of dignity and honour, and who were in high places, and boastedof
their titles and grandeur, the psalmist addressesby way of expostulation in
the following words;

how long will ye turn my glory into shame? Meaning either God, who was his
glory, Psalm3:3; whom they reproachedwhen they said there was no help for
him in him; or his tongue, the instrument of praise, and the songs of praise he
expressedby it, Psalm7:8; which they jeered and scoffedat: or rather his
royal glory and majesty, which they attempted to vail by casting him down
from his excellency, by dethroning him, and setting up Absalom in his room.
So the Jews endeavouredto turn the glory of Christ into shame, which lay in
his being the only begottenof the Father; by denying his sonship, by
condemning him to death; because he said he was the Sonof God; and by
mocking at him under that characteron the cross;and also by their spitting
upon, buffeting, and crucifying the Lord of glory; by reproaching his Gospel,
ministers, and people; and by not acknowledging him as the Messiah, and
submitting to his righteousness. And wickedmen do as much as in them lies to
turn the glory of the saints into shame, by aspersing their character, taking
awaytheir goodname and reputation among men; by reproaching and
reviling them, and speaking all manner of evil of them; and by persecuting
them in the most violent manner;
how long will ye love vanity; or "a vain thing" (l). Such as the placing of
Absalom upon the throne, on which their hearts were set;and such was the
vain imagination of the Jews, with which they pleasedthemselves, that Jesus
should die, and his name perish; and such are all the attempts of wickedmen
to ruin and destroy the people and interestof Christ; for no weaponformed
againstthem shall prosper;
and seek afterleasing? Or "a lie" (m); or that which fails and deceives, as a lie
does:and such were all the counsels and designs of the great men of Israel
againstDavid: and so the Jews may be said to seek aftera lie, when they seek
after another Messiahbesides JesusofNazareth: for every other proves a
"BarCozbi", that is, the sonof a lie; as the false Messiahin Adrian's time was
calledby themselves. And so do all such as seek afterand embrace false
doctrines, errors, and heresies, andare given up to believe them. Now the
psalmist suggeststhat these greatmen were obstinate, and continued in these
sinful practices;and that in the issue all their efforts would be vain and
fruitless; and which he further strengthens by observing to them what follows.

Selah;on this word; see Gill on Psalm3:2.
(k) Jarchi, Aben Ezra, Kimchi, & Ben Melechin loc. (l) "inane", Pagninus,
Montanus, Vatablus, Cocceius;"inanem rem", Piscator. (m) "mendacium",
Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, &c.
Geneva Study Bible
O ye {d} sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long
will ye {e} love vanity, and seek afterleasing? Selah.
(d) You who think yourselves noble in this world.
(e) Though your enterprises please you, yet Godwill bring them to nothing.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
2. O ye sons of men] From appealing to God he turns to remonstrate with the
rebels, and singles out the leaders from the generalmass. The phrase used is
bnç îsh, which in Psalm49:2 is rendered ‘high,’ and in Psalm 62:9, ‘men of
high degree,’in oppositionto bnç âdâm, rendered ‘low’ and ‘men of low
degree.’At the same time by calling them ‘sons of men’ he contrasts them
with God, the defender of his cause.
my glory] There is no need to inquire whether David’s personalhonour or his
royal dignity is meant. Both are included, for both were defamed and insulted.
But it was an aggravationofthe rebels’offence that the king had a special
‘glory’ as the representative of Jehovah. Cp. Psalm 3:3, note.
vanity … leasing]The rebellion is a vain thing, destined to end in failure, like
the threateneduprising of the nations (Psalm 2:1): it is a lie, for it is basedon
the false principle of personalambition setting itself up againstthe divinely
appointed king. Cp. Isaiah 28:15;Isaiah 28:17. Another possible
interpretation would refer the words to the false imputations and underhand

intrigues by which Absalom and his confederatessoughtto tarnish David’s
reputation and undermine his authority. Cp. 2 Samuel 15:2 ff. But the verbs
used (love … seek)point rather to the end desiredthan to the means
employed.
leasing]R.V. falsehood. Leasing (Psalm5:6) is an obsolete wordfor a lie: from
A.S. leás, empty, and so false: used by Chaucer, Spenser, and Shakespeare.
Cp. Faerie Queene, 11. 11. 10:
“Slaunderous reproches, and fowle infamies,
Leasinges,backbytinges.”
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 2. - O ye sons of men. "Sons of men " - beney ish - is not a mere
periphrasis for "men." It is a title of some honour and dignity. Kay translates,
"sons of the brave;" but that is scarcelythe meaning. The phrase is rather
equivalent to our "sirs" ('Speaker's Commentary.'). How long will ye turn my
glory into shame? By your misconduct. See the clause which follows. The
appeal is, perhaps, to Joab, Abishai, and others of David s own party, whoso
proceedings were a disgrace to his reign, and tended to bring their masterto
shame rather than to honour. How long will ye love vanity, and seek after
leasing? i.e. after lying. Joab's treacheryand falsehoodwere notorious (2
Samuel 3:27; 2 Samuel 20:8-10).
Keil and DelitzschBiblical Commentary on the Old Testament
(Heb.: 3:4-5) But cleansedby penitence he stands in a totally different
relationship to God and God to him from that which men suppose. Every
hour he has reasonto fear some overwhelming attack but Jahve is the shield
which covers him behind and before (‫דעּב‬ constr. of ‫דעּב‬ equals Arab. ba‛da,
prop. pone, post). His kingdom is taken from him, but Jahve is his glory. With

coveredhead and dejectedcountenance he ascendedthe Mount of Olives (2
Samuel 15:30), but Jahve is the "lifter up of his head," inasmuch as He
comforts and helps him. The primary passage ofthis believing utterance
"Godis a shield" is Genesis 15:1 (cf. Deuteronomy 33:29). Very far from
praying in vain, he is assured, that when he prays his prayer will be heard and
answered. The rendering "I cried and He answeredme" is erroneous here
where ‫ׁשרקׁש‬ does not stand in anhistoricalconnection. The future of sequence
does not require it, as is evident from Psalm 55:17. (comp. on Psalm 120:1);it
is only an expressionof confidence in the answeron God's part, which will
follow his prayer. In constructions like ‫נלוק‬ ‫,ׁשרקׁש‬ Hitzig and Hupfeld regard
tcejbus reworran ehtsa ‫-קולנ‬notion beside the more generalone (as Psalm
44:3; Psalm 69:11;Psalm83:19): my voice - I cried; but the position of the
words is not favourable to this in the passagebefore us and in Psalm 17:10;
Psalm27:7; Psalm57:5; Psalm 66:17;Psalm142:2, Isaiah 36:9, though it may
be in Psalm69:11;Psalm 108:2. According to Ew. 281, c, ‫נלוק‬ is an accusative
of more precise definition, as without doubt in Isaiah10:30 cf. Psalm60:7;
Psalm17:13.; the cry is thereby describedas a loud cry.
(Note:Bttcher, Collectaneapp. 166f., also adopts the view, that ‫קולנ‬ ,‫ינ‬ ,‫ילאנ‬
are eachappositum vicarium subjectiand therefore nomin. in such passages.
But 1) the factthat ‫תׁש‬ never stands beside them is explained by the
considerationthat it is not suited to an adverbial collateraldefinition. And 2)
that elsewhere the same notions appearas direct subjects, just as 3) that
elsewhere theyalternate with the verbal subject-notionin the parallel member
of the verse (Psalm 130:5;Proverbs 8:4) - these last two admit of no inference.
The controvertedquestion of the syntax is, moreover, an old one and has been
treated of at length by Kimchi in his Book ofRoots s. r. ‫).הוׁש‬
To this cry, as ‫ונעיינ‬ as being a pure mood of sequence implies, succeeds the
answer, or, which better corresponds to the original meaning of ‫היע‬ (comp.
Arab. ‛nn, to meet, stand opposite) reply;
(Note:Vid., Redslobin his treatise:Die Integritat der Stelle Hosea 7.4-10 in
Frage gestelltS. 7.)

and it comes from the place whither it was directed: ‫קּבהמ‬ ‫.ּוהר‬ He had
removed the ark from Kirjath Jeraim to Zion. He had not takenit with him
when he left Jerusalemand fled before Absolom, 2 Samuel15:25. He was
therefore separatedby a hostile powerfrom the resting-place ofthe divine
presence. But his prayer urged its way on to the cherubim-throne; and to the
answerof Him who is enthroned there, there is no separating barrier of space
or createdthings.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
A. BARNES
Verse 2
O ye sons of men - Turning from God to men; from Him in whom he hoped
for protectionto those who were engagedin persecuting him. We are not, of
course, to suppose that they were present with him, but this is an earnest,
poetic remonstrance, “as if” they were with him. The reference is doubtless to
Absalom and his followers;and he calls them “sons of men,” as having human
feelings, passions, andpurposes, in strong distinction from that righteous God
to whom he had just made his solemn appeal. God was holy, true, and just,
and he might appeal to Him; they were ambitious and wicked, and from them
he had nothing to hope. He lookedupon God as righteous altogether;he
lookedupon them as altogetherdepraved and wicked. Godhe regardedas his
just Protector;them he regardedas seeking only to wrong and crush him.
How long - The phrase used here might refer either to “time” or to “extent.”
How long in regard to “time,” - or to what “degree”or“extent” will you thus
persecute me? The former, however, seems to be the true signification.

Will ye turn my glory into shame - My honor, or what becomes my rank and
station. If this refers to the rebellion in the time of Absalom, the allusion is to
the factthat his enemies were endeavoring to rob him of his scepterand his
crown, and to reduce him to the lowestcondition of beggaryand want; and he
asks with earnestnesshow long they intended to do him so great injustice and
wrong.
Will ye love vanity - Compare the notes at Psalm2:1. That is, how long will
you actas if you were in love with a vain and impracticable thing; a thing
which “must” be hopeless in the end. The idea is, that God had chosenhim,
and anointed him, and had determined that he should be king Psalm 4:3, and
therefore, that their efforts “must be” ultimately unsuccessful. The objectat
which they were aiming could not be accomplished, and he asks how long they
would thus engage in what must, from the nature of the case, be fruitless.
And seek afterleasing - The word “leasing” is the Old English word for “lie.”
The idea here is, that they were pursuing a course which would yet prove to
be a delusion - the hope of overturning his throne. The same question, in other
respects, may be askednow. Men are seeking that which cannot be
accomplished, and are acting under the influence of a lie. What else are the
promises of permanent happiness in the pursuits of pleasure and ambition?
What else are their attempts to overthrow religion and virtue in the world?
DAVID COOPER
II. Address to the sons of men
"O ye sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonor?
How long will ye love vanity, and seek afterfalsehood" (vs. 2).

The psalmist addressedhis enemies as the "sons ofmen" and askedthem how
long his glory would be turned into dishonor. In other words, he inquired of
his enemies how long would they continue the fight againsthim. How long
would he, the sovereignof the realm, be in disgrace, hiding in foreign
territory? Moreover, he askedthem "How long will ye love vanity, and seek
after falsehood?"David was certainthat the Lord would not rejecthim as He
had done Saul before him. He was confident that his present situation was
only temporary, and that the Lord would, when He had finished His purposes
in allowing this coup d'état to occur, would restore him to the kingdom. He
therefore consideredtheir rebellion as a vain thing in their striving after
falsehoodand error.
The answerto this question, we find from a study of the Scriptures in general.
Everyone is confident that Absalom's rebellion was permitted of the Lord and
used as punishment and chastisementto David for his sins. But how long
would the Lord continue to punish him for his wrongdoing? Wisdom answers
the question by the affirmation that the Lord never does anything that is
unnecessary;thus when He had finished His chastisementof David and had
accomplishedHis purpose in permitting the rebellion, He would then stopit
and restore David to the kingdom. WheneverGod punishes us for our wrongs,
He will not give us any unnecessarystrokesofchastisement. Any sane parent
will punish a child for wrongdoing, but he will not give one stroke more than
he feels is necessaryto bring about the correction. Thus it is with the Lord.
When You Can't Sleep
By Franklin L. Kirksey
Bible Book:Psalms 4 : 1-8
Subject: Sleeplessness;Peace;Rest

Introduction
When you can't sleep, don’t count sheep, talk to the Shepherd. We find this
advice printed on posters and plaques and in books and on billboards.
Harvard psychologists, Drs. RichardJ. Davidson and Gary E. Schwartz
conducted a study on insomnia and concluded, "Visualizing sheepprevents
the brain's right hemisphere from processing anxiety-provoking imagery,
while the counting keeps the left hemisphere from straying into problematic
thought" [Cambridge, MA: Harvard University papers, 1979]. Sometimes
people can’t sleepbecause ofexcitement, like a little boy on the night before
Christmas. Sometimes sleepdisorders require medical attention, but it is
important to rule out spiritual causes first. Recently, I read the following:"A
young woman just out of college wentto her first teaching position in a city
many miles from her home and parents. The city was locatedon the seacoast,
and the wind from the oceanblew incessantly. On the first night in her new
home, the young school-teacherwas allalone for practicallythe first time in
her life. She shuddered at the howling wind outside. As the wind roared, the
building creakedand swayed. How will I ever go to sleep? she wondered. The
terrible noise, the fear of being alone in a strange city at the top of a rickety
old house, the dread of her first day in front of a roomful of youngsters nearly
as big as she--all of this engulfed her with wave after wave of terror. I'll read
my Bible, she thought wildly. She leafedthrough her Bible to the psalms.
Barely able to concentrate, she beganto read the fourth Psalm. The words
blurred before her eyes."
Psalm4 is knownas an evening psalm due to the contentand context. For
example, we read in Psalm 4:4b and 8a, “Meditate within your heart on your
bed, and be still. . . I will both lie down in peace, and sleep.” Dr. John Phillips
(1927-2010)ties Psalms 3, 4 and 5 together, therefore, we will approachthem
as a trilogy related to the rebellion of David’s, Absalom. David prays in Psalm
4:2, “How long, O sons of men, will you turn my glory into shame? How long
will you love worthlessness/ And seek falsehood?”He also prays in verse 6,
“There are many who say, ‘Who will show us any good?’LORD, lift up the
light of Your countenance upon us.” Dr. F. B. Meyer(1847-1929)explains,
“Absalom’s rebellion is a type of all those plots againstChrist and His saints

which begin in falsehood, and end in confusion.” Dr. Meyer cautions, “We
must be sure that our cause is a righteous one before we can ask Godto
vindicate it, and we do wellto go back to God’s former deliverances.”[1]
From Psalm 4:1-8 we read, “Hearme when I call, O Godof my righteousness!
You have relieved me in my distress;/ Have mercy on me, and hear my
prayer. How long, O you sons of men, / Will you turn my glory to shame?
How long will you love worthlessness/ And seek falsehood? Selah/ But know
that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly; / The Lord will hear
when I call to Him. Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on
your bed, and be still. Selah/ Offer the sacrificesofrighteousness, /And put
your trust in the Lord. There are many who say, / ‘Who will show us any
good?’Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us. You have put
gladness in my heart, / More than in the seasonthat their grain and wine
increased. I will both lie down in peace, andsleep; / For You alone, O Lord,
make me dwell in safety.”
Please note three things from our text to remember when you can’t sleep.
I. When you can’t sleepbecause ofdistress.
In Psalm 4:1b the psalmist prays, “You have relievedme in my distress. . .”
After an experiment failed, Lord Kelvin said to his students, “When you’re
facedwith a difficulty, you’re up againsta discovery.”[2]Davidsaid, “Lord,
You have enlargedme when I was in distress.”
Scottishpastorand hymn writer, George Matheson(1842-1906), reportedly
commented, "OftenI have sent up prayers to which the only response seemed
to be the echo of my own voice, and I have cried out in despair, 'Why art Thou
so far from helping me?' But I never thought the seeming farness was instead
the nearness ofGod; that the very silence WAS an answer!This was true also
in the householdof Bethany. They had requested not too much but too little.
They had askedonly for the life of Lazarus, but receivedinstead a special
demonstration of Christ's power and a new revelation of eternal life!" We
find the accountof this encounter of Jesus and his friends, Mary, Martha and
Lazarus in John chapter 11.

May we sing in the words of Elisha Albright Hoffman (1839-1929), “Imust
tell Jesus allof my trials; / I cannot bear these burdens alone;/ In my distress
He kindly will help me; / He ever loves and cares for His own.”[3]
Sometimes the Lord delivers us from our distress and at other times He
delivers us in our distress. Ultimately, He will deliver all believers from every
distress for eternity.
II. When you can’t sleepbecause ofdepression.
In Psalm 4:7a the psalmist prays, “You have put gladness in my heart. . .” In
the face of the madness and the sadness ofDavid’s situation he recognizes the
LORD is the source of gladness.
Dr. Alexander Maclaren(1826-1910)comments, “Thatglad heart possessing
Jehovahcan lay itself down in peace and sleep though foes stand round. The
last words of the psalm flow restfully like a lullaby. The expressionof
confidence gains much is ‘alone’ be taken as referring to the psalmist. Solitary
as he is, ringed round by hostility as he may be, Jehovah’s presence makes
him safe, and being thus safe, he is secure and confident. So he shuts his eyes
in peace, though he may be lying in the open, beneath the stars, without
defences orsentries. The Face brings light in darkness, gladness in want,
enlargementin straits, safetyin peril, and any and every goodthat any and
every man needs.”[4]
Rev. Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892)confessed, "Iam afraid that all the
Divine Grace that I have gotout of my comfortable and easytimes and happy
hours, might almost lie on a penny. But the goodthat I have receivedfrom my
sorrows and pains and griefs, is altogetherincalculable. Whatdo I not owe to
the hammer and the anvil, the fire and the file? What do I not owe to the
crucible and the furnace, the bellows that have blown up the coals andthe
hand which has thrust me into the heat? Affliction is the best bit of furniture
in my house. It is the bestbook in a minister’s library."[5]
Todd Beamer(1968-2001)was onUnited Flight 93 hijackedby terrorists and
crashedin Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on September 11, 2001. His widow,

Lisa, shares the following comparisonof her husband’s memorial service and
the one held in Pennsylvania for all the victims of the crash:
“I couldn’t help but compare this service to the one in Cranbury the day
before. Todd’s memorial service had been so uplifting, so inspiring, because
the emphasis had been on hope in the midst of crisis. On Monday, as I listened
to the well-intentioned speakers,who were doing their best to comfort but
with little if any direct reference to the power of God to sustain us, I felt I was
sliding helplesslydown a high mountain into a deep crevasse. As much as I
appreciatedthe kindness of the wonderful people who tried to encourage us,
that afternoonwas actually one of the lowestpoints in my grieving. It wasn’t
the people, or even the place. Instead, it struck me how hopeless the world is
when God is factoredout of the equation.”[6]
III. When you can’t sleepbecause of danger.
In Psalm 4:8b we read the psalmist prays, “You alone, O Lord, make me
dwell in safety.” Dr. JosephParker(1830-1902)comments in The People’s
Bible, “Thus David retires the controversyto lie down and sleep though his
enemies be many and his foes be men of might. He finds true safetyonly in the
Lord; yea, when he appears to have no home and no rest, he feels that he is
encircledby the everlasting arms. There is room in the tower of God for thee,
my soul! Run awayfrom all controversy, and make thyself quiet in God! The
beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him; and the Lord shall coverhim
all the day long, and he shall dwell betweenhis shoulders.”[7]
Dr. Paul R. Van Gorder (1921-2009)formerpastor of ColonialHills Baptist
Church, EastPoint, Georgia, and former associate teacherwith Radio Bible
Class, shares,“A mother and her 4-year-olddaughter were preparing for bed.
The child was afraid of the dark. When the lights were turned off, the girl
noticed the moon shining through the window. ‘Mommy,’ she asked, ‘is that
God’s light up there?’ ‘Yes, it is,’ came the reply. Soonanother question:
‘Will He put it out and go to sleeptoo?’ ‘Oh no, He never goes to sleep.’After
a few silent moments, the little girl said, ‘As long as God is awake, I’m not
scared.’Realizing that the Lord would be watching over her, the reassured
child soonfell into a peaceful sleep.”[8]

Dr. Paul S. Rees (1900-1991)shares the following in his book titled The
Adequate Man, "A ship named Zamzam was torpedoed. Passengers were
forcedto leap into the sea, were pickedup by an armed freighter and were
placed in the hold of the ship. The next morning they askedeachother, 'Were
you nervous?’'Were you cold?’ 'Were you afraid?’ 'Could you sleep?’An
elderly missionaryanswered, in substance:'The floor was terribly hard. But
the Lord reminded me of His word in the 121stPsalm:'He that keepethIsrael
shall neither slumber nor sleep.’So I said, 'Lord, there really isn't any use for
both of us to stay awaketonight. If Thou art going to keepwatch, I'll thank
Thee for some sleep.’'And,' said he, 'I gotit!'"[9]
Conclusion
We read in Psalm127:2b, “ForHe gives His beloved sleep.” Rev. Matthew
Henry (1662-1714)explains, “Bodilysleepis God’s gift to his beloved. We owe
it to his goodnessthat our sleepis safe (Psalm4:8), that it is sweet, Jeremiah
31:25, 26. God gives us sleepas he gives it to his beloved when with it he gives
us grace to lie down in his fear (our souls returning to him and reposing in
him as our rest), and when we awake to be still with him and to use the
refreshment we have by sleepin his service. He gives his beloved sleep, that is,
quietness and contentment of mind, and comfortable enjoyment of what is
present and a comfortable expectationof what is to come. Our care must be to
keepourselves in the love of God, and then we may be easywhether we have
little or much of this world.”[10]
Dr. Richard W. DeHaan(1923-2002)recounts, “Some time ago I read about a
youngster who was rattling off the words of this bedtime prayer:
Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray Thee, Lord, my soul to keep;
If I should die before I wake,
I pray Thee, Lord, my soul to take.
But when he came to the line ‘If I should die before I wake,’he got mixed up
and said, ‘If I should wake before I die.’”

Dr. DeHaancomments, “This startedme thinking. Many people lay their
heads on their pillows at night without being sure of the destiny of their souls
should they die before they wake.”[11]
The psalmist prayed, “Hear me when I call. . . Have mercy on me, and hear
my prayer. . . But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is
godly. . . The LORD will hear when I call to Him” (Psalm 4:1a, c, and 4b). We
find the basis of David’s confidence in Psalm4:5 “Offeryour sacrifices ofthe
righteous and put your trust in the LORD.” Therefore, the basis of his
confidence is faith, which is to trust and obey.
Remember to talk to the Shepherd when you can’t sleep.
[1]F. B. Meyer, “Hear Me When I Call,” Psalm4, accessed11/09/13,
https://www.wordsearchbible.com/products/20423/sample_text
[2]Accessed02/18/13 http://www.quotespapa.com/authors/lord-kelvin-
quotes.html
[3]Elisha A. Hoffman, “I Must Tell Jesus”, (1893), Available from:
http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/I_Must_Tell_Jesus/ Accessed:12/01/12
[4]Alexander Maclaren, The Psalms, Vol. 1, Psalms 1-38, (New York: Funk &
Wagnalls Company, 1900), 36
[5]Charles H. Spurgeon, "The Trial of Your Faith," Sermon Notes, (1 Peter
1:7)
[6]Lisa Beamer, “Let’s Roll” [Excerpts from her book], WORLD, Vol. 17.,
No. 31, August 17, 2002, (Ashville, NC:WORLD, 2002), 26
[7]JosephParker, The People’s Bible, The Psalter, Vol. XII, (New York: Funk
& Wagnalls, Publishers, 1890), 49
[8]Paul R. Van Gorder, “Always Awake,” Our Daily Bread, April 5, 2006,
Accessed:10/27/13 http://odb.org/2006/04/05/always-awake/
[9]Paul S. Rees, The Adequate Man: Paul in Philippians, (London: Morgan,
Marshall& Scott, 1958 /Westwood, NJ:Fleming H. Revell Company, 1959)

[10]Matthew Henry, An Exposition of the Old and New Testament, Vol. 2 of 3,
(London: JosephOgle Robinson, 1828), 435
[11]RichardW. DeHaan, “Rest—InPeace,”February1, 1996, Accessed:
10/27/13http://odb.org/1996/02/01/restin-peace/
By Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey, pastor First Baptist Church of Spanish Fort
30775 JayDrive Spanish Fort, Alabama 36527
Author of Sound BiblicalPreaching:Giving the Bible a Voice Available on
Amazon.com and WORDsearchbible.com
http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Biblical-Preaching-Giving-
Bible/dp/1594577684
http://www.wordsearchbible.com/products/Sound_Biblical_Preaching_1476.h
tml
fkirksey@bellsouth.net/ (251) 626-6210/ © November 10, 2013 All Rights
Reserved
A. MACLAREN
Psalms 3:1-8; Psalms 4:1-8 are a pair. They are similar in expression(my
glory, there be many which say, I laid me down and slept) in the psalmist’s
situation, and in structure (as indicated by the Selahs). But they need not be
contemporaneous, norneed the superscription of Psalms 3:1-8 be extended to
Psalms 4:1-8. Their tone is different, the fourth having little reference to the
personaldanger so acutely felt in Psalms 3:1-8 and being mainly a gentle,
earnestremonstrance with antagonists, seeking to win them to a better mind.
The strophicaldivision into four parts of two verses each, as markedby the
Selahs, is imperfectly carried out, as in Psalms 3:1-8, and does not correspond
with the logicaldivision-a phenomenon which occurs not infrequently in the
Psalter, as in all poetry, where the surging thought or emotion overleaps its

bounds. Dividing according to the form, we have four strophes, of which the
first two are marked by Selah; dividing by the flow of thought, we have three
parts of unequal length-prayer (Psalms 4:1), remonstrance (Psalms 4:2-5),
communion and prayer (Psalms 4:6-8).
The cry for an answerby deed is basedon the name, and on the pastacts of
God. Grammatically, it would be possible and regular to render "my God of
righteousness,"i.e., "my righteous God"; but the pronoun is best attachedto
"righteousness" only, as the considerationthat God is righteous is less
relevant than that He is the source of the psalmist’s righteousness.Since He is
so, He may be expectedto vindicate it by answering prayer by deliverance. He
who feels that all goodin himself comes from God may be quite sure that,
sooneror later, and by some means or other, God will witness to His own
work. To the psalmist nothing was so incredible as that Godshould not take
care of what He had planted, or let the springing crop be trodden down or
rooted up. The Old Testamenttakes prosperity as the Divine attestationof
righteousness;and though they who worship the Man of. Sorrows have new
light thrown on the meaning of that conception, the substance of it remains
true forever: The compellation"Godof my righteousness"is still mighty with
God. The secondground of the prayer is laid in the past deeds of God.
Whether the clause "Thouhast in straits made space forme" be taken
relatively or not, it appeals to former deliverances as reasonsfor man’s prayer
and for God’s act. In many languages trouble and deliverance are symbolised
by narrowness and breadth. Compressionis oppression. Closelyhemmed in
by crowds or by frowning rocks, freedomof movement is impossible and
breathing is difficult. But out in the open, one expatiates, and a clearhorizon
means an ample sky.
The strophe division keeps togetherthe prayer and the beginning of the
remonstrance to opponents, and does so in order to emphasise the eloquent,
sharp juxtaposition of God and the "sons of men." The phrase is usually
employed to mean persons of position, but here the contrastbetweenthe
varying height of men’s molehills is not so much in view as that betweenthem
all and the loftiness of God. The lips which by prayer have been purged and
cured of quivering can speak to foes without being much abashed by their
dignity or their hatred. But the very slight reference to the psalmist’s own

share in the hostility of these "sons of men" is noticeable. It is their false
relation to God which is prominent throughout the remonstrance;and that
being so, "my glory," in Psalms 4:2, is probably to be taken, as in Psalms 3:3,
as a designationof God. It is usually understood to mean either personalor
official dignity, but the suggestedinterpretationis more in keeping with the
tone of the psalm. The enemies were really flouting God and turning that
greatname in which the singergloried into a jest. They were not therefore
idolaters, but practicalheathen in Israel, and their "vanity" and "lies" were
their schemes doomedto fail and their blasphemies. These two verses bring
most vividly into view the contrastbetweenthe psalmist clinging to his helping
God and the knot of opponents hatching their plans which are sure to fail.
CHRIS BENFIELD
A Prayer of Faith Psalm 4: 1-8
It is impossible to overemphasize the importance of prayer. It is without a
doubt the greatesttoolavailable to us. Prayer is the source of our power; it is
the means of our praise, and the avenue of our spiritual prosperity. David was
certainly a man of prayer. He was the king of Israel, and yet he knew on
whom he had to depend. There canbe little doubt that David made prayer a
priority in his life.
I firmly believe if there is one area in which the church is weak, it is in our
ability and desire to pray. We all know that we ought to pray. I’m sure that
we attempt to pray on a regular basis, but are we the people of prayer we
ought to be? Are we familiar enough with prayer to really get a hold of God
when we pray? We need to learn to pray and develop a commitment and
hunger for that time of communion with the Lord. If there has everbeen a

need for God’s children to pray, it is now! 1 Tim.2:1 – I exhort therefore, that,
first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions,and giving of thanks, be made
for all men; 1 Thes.5:17 – Pray without ceasing. Jer.29:13 – And ye shall seek
me, and find me, when ye shall searchfor me with all your heart. 1
Chron.16:11 – Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. God
gives a clearcommand in His Word that we are to pray.
I want to look at the various aspects ofthis beautiful prayer of David as we
consider:A Prayer of Faith.
I. The Perceptionof Prayer (1, 3) – If we are to be effective when we pray, we
must first realize to whom we are praying. The very nature of prayer leads us
to considerthe Almighty God whom we seek. Whatshould we perceive as we
pray?
A. The Righteousness ofGod (1a)– Hear me when I call, O God of my
righteousness. Davidis reflecting on the holy and righteous nature of the
Lord. He realizes that God alone is the source of righteousness, evenhis
righteousness. Were it not for the mercies of the Lord pardoning our sin
through the blood of Jesus, we would still be viewed as sinful and condemned.
There is no righteousness within man, nothing we can boastof in ourselves.
All that we are we owe to the Lord and His righteousness.
 Our relationship with God through the Sonaffords us the privilege of
prayer. Without Him we are nothing; with Him we are just sinners savedby
grace. We cannotpray unless we see Godas holy! Prayer is an act of worship.
Who is worthy of worship except the Lord? I stand amazed that God would

love me enough to provide for my salvation and count me as worthy is His
eyes.
July 20, 2014
P a s t o r C h r i s B e n f i e l d , F e l l o w s h i p M i s s i o n a r y B a p t i s t
C h u r c h
Page 2
B. The Faithfulness of God (1b, 3) – Thou hast enlargedme when I was in
distress. [3] But know that the LORD hath setapart him that is godly for
himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him. David pondered the
difficult times in life. He consideredthose times when he faceddefeat and even
death. In those times of hardship and pain, God had been faithful. He had not
just kept David by seeing him through the trials, but God had richly blessed
him in those trying times. There had never been a time that David could
remember where God forsook him.
 Who among us could say that God has not been faithful? We likely didn’t
understand or appreciate all we endured, but God remained faithful. Even in
trials, He met our needs and we came through stronger. God has enlargedus!
The savedare not left alone or abandoned. We have been separatedunto the
Lord and He hears us when we pray, V.3. Isn’t that amazing? God has chosen
us and set us aside as His people. We belong to Him. There is nothing that can
separate us from the love and provision of the Lord. Rom.8:35-39.

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