Word of Salvation – Vol.52 No.42 – November 2007
An Evening Prayer
By Rev. John Haverland
Text: Psalm 4
Readings: 2Corinthians 3:7-4:6
Theme: David expressed his joy and rest in the Lord when many were against him.
Purpose: To encourage you to find joy and rest in the Lord even when people and circumstances are against you.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
It is good to have regular habits and routines in life. One of the best habits you can have is to begin and end your day with prayer to God.
When you first wake up in the morning the best thing you can do is to pray to the Lord. Prayer in the morning reminds you that the Lord is always there and you are to live for him and seek his guidance in all the activities of the day.
And prayer in the evening before you go to bed reminds you again that God will watch over you through the night and that you can rest securely in him.
Psalms 3 and 4 have been called morning and evening prayers respectively.
In Psalm 3 verse 5 David writes; ‘I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the Lord sustains me.’ And in Psalm 4 verse 8 we read; ‘I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.’
Perhaps these psalms have been placed next to each other because they refer to the morning and the evening, to getting up and going to bed.
We know that David wrote Psalm 3 when his son Absalom rebelled against him and the king had to flee for his life from Jerusalem.
We don’t know when he wrote Psalm 4. Some commentators believe it reflects the same situation. Others suggest it came from the time when David was running away from Saul. We don’t really know what gave rise to this psalm.
That is true of many of the psalms; we don’t know the original circumstances. We don’t know the background or the situation in which it was first written.
But that doesn’t matter, because the psalms have a general application to a whole variety of circumstances. They apply to us in the many and varied situations in our lives. They speak to us today as clearly as they spoke to the people of Israel back when they were written.
In this psalm David expressed his joy and rest in the Lord when many were against him. Today it encourages us to find joy and rest in the Lord when we find ourselves in difficult circumstances.
In these words David spoke to God, then to his enemies, then to all Israel, and then to God once again.
1. First of all David ADDRESSED THE LORD.
This psalm begins with a cry to the Lord.
‘Answer me when I call to you.’ This was his prayer. He was in a situation of difficulty. Many people had turned against him. They were turning his ‘glory into shame’, as he says in verse 2. His enemies were slandering him and were opposed to him. In his distress he called to God and pleaded for an answer.
His prayer reminds us that when we are in trouble then we too should cry out to the Lord. The problem is that when we do this we don’t always get an answer. Sometimes our prayers seem to bounce back from heaven. We aren’t sure that they have reached the Lord.
David also felt this at times, as is reflected in other psalms. But here he reminded himself, and the Lord, of the basis for his prayer; he called the Lord; ‘my righteous God’ (vs 1). He reminded himself of who God is. He recalled God’s character. God is righteous. This is who he is and this is what he would do – he would do what was right. The word “righteous” also has within it the idea that God is reliable, he is trustworthy, he is faithful, he will keep his promises, he will help his people.
You too need to remember this. Yes, sometimes it seems as though God is far away. Sometimes it seems as though our prayers don’t get past the ceiling. But the Lord is there and he is a righteous and reliable God; he is trustworthy and true; he hears your prayers and he will answer you.
As he began his prayer David also reminded himself that God had heard and answered him in the past. This doesn’t come out so clearly in the NIV translation, which makes this a prayer for the future; ‘Give me relief from my distress’ (vs 1b). It is better to read this as a reflection on the past; ‘You have relieved me in my distress.’ God had helped him in the past and so he would no doubt help him again.
We could compare this to a lawyer in court supporting his argument by presenting past case histories to the judge; if this has happened in the past then it should be repeated in this case.
In the same way we can plead with God on the basis of his help in the past; this gives us confidence that he will help us once again.
This phrase is even more striking in the Hebrew text. The word ‘distress’ is literally the word for a narrow or tight place; and the word translated as ‘relief’ means to enlarge or extend. David had been in a tight corner and the Lord had enlarged his space. He had been hemmed in and God had given him room to move.
There are pluses and minuses to living in the country, but one of the big pluses is that you have space around you, room to move, a wide horizon to enjoy.
The Lord can do this for you spiritually. When you feel hemmed in he can enlarge your space. When you are running out of options he can open up opportunities.
So David began this psalm by addressing the Lord in prayer and we need to do the same.
2. Secondly, in verses 2-5 he ADDRESSED HIS ENEMIES.
These people who opposed him were within Israel; they knew about the Lord and were part of the covenant community; but they opposed David and they had turned away from the Lord. David tried to reason with them and he appealed to them.
He asked them a question in verse 2: ‘How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?’ The word ‘delusions’ can be translated as worthless or vanity or emptiness. It is the theme of the book of Ecclesiastes. And the word translated as ‘false gods’ is literally the word for lies (NASB – ‘deception’).
Some in Israel had turned away from the Lord and were chasing delusions. They trusted in things that were worthless. They were chasing after the wind. They relied on the gods of the nations, which were no gods at all. They had sold their souls for something useless and trivial. David asked them; ‘How long are you going to do this? How long before you wake up and realise how futile this is?!’
This is a penetrating question that is worth asking of all the people of the world. A famous preacher in the early church, named Chrysostom (c.347-407), spoke about this.
He said that if he were the most able preacher in the world to deliver a sermon to all the people of the world gathered together in one congregation, and if he had some high mountain for his pulpit, and if he had a voice of brass, as loud as the trumpets of the archangel, so that all the world could hear him, he would choose this text to preach: ‘How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?’ This is a powerful and searching question.
We should ask this of people today and of ourselves. Many are seeking happiness in money and wealth, or in ambition and success. Many are deceived thinking that they can find satisfaction through parties and sex, or through alcohol and drugs.
Then there are others who are seeking the false gods of the New Age – the gods of crystals and reincarnation and eastern meditative techniques and mystical ideas about healing.
And then still others believe that they can find solutions to their lives in technology and education and learning.
Today too we can ask the people of our society and our world: ‘How long will you seek happiness in things that are empty and look for meaning in the lies of this age? When will you wake up?!’
And what about you? Are you chasing a delusion? Are you trusting in false gods?
So we ask the same question David asked.
David also gave these people a reminder: (Verse 3) ‘Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself.’ Here is the truth of God’s election. God has chosen a people for himself and has set them apart to be his own.
That was true in the Old Testament and is true in these New Testament times. We in the church are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God (1 Pet 2:9). The people of the world may ignore the church, they may mock us, they may ridicule us or even persecute us. But they need to know ‘that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself.’ And we need to know that too. We need to remind ourselves of this great truth. This is who we are – let’s not forget this!
So David asked a question of his enemies, he gave them a reminder and he also gave them some advice.
In verse 4 we read; ‘In your anger do not sin.’ The word translated as anger is the Hebrew word to be agitated, or to tremble or to quiver. People tremble out of fear or out of anger. Here David advised his enemies to tremble before the Lord, to stand in awe of God, to consider what they were doing and to humble themselves.
He went on to say; ‘when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.’
We have noted that this is an evening psalm. Sometimes when people go to bed at night they can’t sleep and they lie awake.
Some use that time to plan and plot evil and acts of revenge.
Others of us are inclined to brood on wrongs people have done to us, or to worry about the future.
David advises us to use this time more profitably – use it examine yourself. Talk to yourself as you lie in bed. In the quietness and stillness of the night ask yourself questions. Search your heart. Go to the core of your being. Examine the centre of your life. Look over your attitudes and motives. Review your thoughts and ideas. Evaluate your goals and hopes and plans.
And when you have done all that, be still before the Lord. Tremble before him and recognise him as God. Stop your busyness and agitation and worry and fluster and be silent before God. Recognise him as Lord.
And follow that by obeying the Lord: ‘Offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord’ (vs 5).
The people of Israel were commanded to offer sacrifices for their sin. Those had to be genuine. Many in Israel offered sacrifices because that was the thing to do – but it was only a formality, a mere habit. But the sacrifices acceptable to God are a broken spirit and a contrite heart; these God will not despise (Ps 51:17).
Those sacrifices pointed forward to the Lord Jesus who is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. To trust in the Lord today is to trust in Jesus and in his death on the cross. Your only hope of salvation is in his death and resurrection. It is through him that God will forgive your sins and wash you clean. You need to trust in the Lord. You need to believe in Jesus Christ as the only hope of being right with God. What David said to the people of his day is also addressed to us in our day – ‘Offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord.’
3. David spoke to the Lord, and he spoke to his enemies, and then he in verse 6 spoke to ALL MEN AND WOMEN – he addressed the people of the world.
He asked a question: ‘Who can show us any good?’ The word ‘any’ is not in the Hebrew text, which makes the question more pointed; ‘Who can show us good?’
David expressed a question that was in the minds of many people in Israel. This was obviously a time of uncertainty and anxiety. People were seeking a purpose and direction. They were looking for meaning and certainty. They wanted to know what was good and what would bring them happiness.
This is in people’s minds today as well.
It is a general question that all thinking people have asked through all the ages.
It is a question that should occur to all the people of the world no matter where they live or what job they do or where they study.
It is a question that is fundamental, that is basic. It is a question you must ask and answer; ‘Who can show us good.’
David answered that question in the next line; ‘Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.’ (Verse 6b)
You can tell a lot about how a person feels about you by looking at their face. Yes, some people have a poker face, but others have a face that you can read like a book! You look at them and you can tell whether they are happy to see you or unhappy; whether they look kindly towards you or are angry.
God is a Spirit, so he doesn’t have a physical form and we can’t see his face.
But this is a manner of expressing God’s favour and kindness towards us. This is a prayer for the light and sunshine of God’s grace!
In response to the question about what is good David tells us that the supreme good is to find the favour and friendship of God. You can find that through Jesus who came as the Light of the world. It is in and through Jesus that the light of God’s face shines upon you. ‘For God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.’ (2 Corinthians 4:6)
Have you seen the glory of God in the face of Christ? Are you living in the light? That is the only way to know and experience the goodness of God.
4. Finally, at the close of this psalm, David SPOKE AGAIN TO THE LORD.
Verse 7 is a beautiful expression of joy.
‘You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound.’
The Lord had put joy in his heart, joy in the centre of his being, in the core of his life. He found more happiness in the Lord than could be found in the greatest prosperity the world could give him.
The apostle Paul put this in New Testament terms when he wrote to the Christians in Philippi; ‘Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!’ (Phil 4:4).
Are you doing that? Are you rejoicing in the Lord? Do you find more joy in the Lord than all the prosperity and riches the world has to offer? Has the Lord put this joy in your heart?
Then verse 8 is a beautiful expression of trust in the Lord. ‘I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.’
This is the closing statement of this evening prayer. When he went to bed at night David could lie down and sleep in peace.
There was trouble around him; his enemies opposed him; the future was unclear; the people of Israel were chasing delusions and lies.
But he was unafraid. He trusted in the Lord. He could lie down calm and composed. He could rest and sleep because he knew the Lord was there and God would keep him safe. He knew that God would answer him when he called.
He knew that God had set apart the godly for himself and that the Lord would let the light of his face shine upon him.
This isn’t just for David; you can know this too; this is for every believer. No matter what is going on in your life you wake up in the morning because the Lord has sustained you (Psalm 3:3); and at night you can lie down and sleep in peace because God allows you to dwell in safety.
Amen.