Psalm 4:1

Note: I usually will edit down Calvin a little more than I have here in this first part specifically. In this instance, there was so much gold to be had that I worried in attempting to be rid of the dross I might throw a few precious nuggets out in the process. I have edited it down as much as I could but a large portion of it remains.

Note: Matthew Poole suggests that this may better be translated O my righteous God or O God of my mercy as those titles are found elsewhere in the bible such as in Ps. 59:10, 17 whereas the translation we use is found only in this one instance. I looked to all of the versions I have and only two saw fit to be in agreement with him to any degree. The NIV uses O my righteous God and the RSV uses O God of my right. I would be so bold as to say that while the concept of mercy is abundant and consistent with the rest of this verse that hermeneutically that would be an insufficient rendering since the Hebrew word used here is tsedeq (Strong’s 6664) and carries with it the idea of righteousness. I would think with some pretty accurate versions, including the fairly literal translation of the ESV, all being in accord with the use of O God of my righteousness it is then warranted, especially when it is explained within the following commentaries.

Note: The other word where there is some difference in translation deals with the Hebrew word rachab (Strong’s 7337) which means literally to enlarge, widen, make room and can signify vast open space. In the eight versions of the bible I use there were five different renderings for this word. I will list them for you: NKJV, NASB, NIV, ESV – relieved; KJV – enlarged; 1599 GB – liberty; Amplified – freed and enlarged; RSV – given me room. My assessment is that while the literal translation would render it either enlarged or given me room, contextually it doesn’t fit so well. Therefore I think the better version of it probably rests with the NKJV, NASB, NIV, ESV, 1599 GB, or Amplified and should be rendered relieved, freed, or liberty; with the Amplified giving the best rendering of it in including both the context and literal interpretation.

“Answer me when I cry, O God of my righteousness”
• In these words is shown the faith of David, who, although brought to the uttermost distress, and indeed almost consumed by a long series of calamities, did not sink under his sorrow; nor was he so broken in heart to be prevented from betaking himself to God as his deliverer. By his praying, he testified, that when utterly deprived of all earthly succor, there yet remained for him hope in God. Moreover, he calls Him the God of his righteousness, which is the same thing as… the vindicator of his right; and he appeals to God, because all men everywhere condemned him, and his innocence was borne down by the slanderous reports of his enemies and the perverse judgments of the common people. And this cruel and unjust treatment which David met with, ought to be carefully marked… for… to be ill spoken of for doing well, is an affliction which daily befalls the saints. And it becomes them to be so exercised under it as to turn away from all the enticements of the world, and to depend wholly upon God alone. Righteousness… to be understood of a good cause, of which David makes God the witness… by his example, he teaches us, that if at any time our uprightness is not seen and acknowledged by the world, we ought not on that account to despond, inasmuch as we have one in heaven to vindicate our cause. But it is a consolation far surpassing this, to know when men vaunt themselves over us wrongfully, that we are standing in the view of God and of the angels. Paul [and]… Isaiah also [were] fortified by the same confidence (1 Cor. 4:5; Isa. 50:6, 7). If, therefore, we cannot find justice anywhere in the world, the only support of our patience is to look to God, and to rest contented with the equity of His judgment. Since all the purity of men is mere pollution in the sight of God, how can the godly dare to bring forward their own righteousness before Him? With respect to David… he did not boast of his own righteousness except in reference to his enemies, from whose calumnies he vindicated himself. He had the testimony of a good conscience that he had attempted nothing without the call and commandment of God, and therefore he does not speak rashly when he calls God the protector and defender of his right. […] David honored God with this title of praise… to set Him in contrast with the whole world. JC
• Either the witness and defender of my righteous cause; or from whom I expect that righteous judgment and decision of my cause with manifold injuries and calumnies. MP
• The name by which the Lord is here addressed, “God of my righteousness,” deserves notice. Since it is not used in any other part of Scripture. It means, Thou art the author, the witness, the maintainer, the judge, and the rewarder of my righteousness; to thee I appeal from the calumnies and harsh judgments of men. Herein is wisdom, let us intimate it and always take our suit, not to the petty courts of human opinion, but to the superior court, the King’s Bench of heaven. CHS
• His innocence and uprightness, which the Lord knew and was a witness of: and since He was his covenant God, he doubted not but He would bring it forth as the light, and favour his righteous cause, and do him justice upon his enemies: or the psalmist addresses God in this manner, because He was the author of his righteousness, and was the justifier of him, by imputing the righteousness of His Son unto him. So Christ addresses His Father; who He knew would justify Him, and by whom He was justified as the surety of His people, when He, rose from the dead: and so the saints can draw nigh to God the Judge of all, through the righteousness of Christ; knowing that He is just, and the justifier of him that believes in Jesus; and that He is just and faithful to forgive their sins, and cleanse them from all unrighteousness, on account of His blood. The petition put up by the psalmist is, to be heard when he called, that is, to hear his prayer, as it is explained in the latter part of the verse: and God is a God hearing prayer; and so David, Christ, and all the saints, have found Him to be: and the encouragement to pray to the Lord, in hope of being heard, arose from past experience of divine goodness. JG
• Jehovah is the possessor of righteousness, the author of righteousness, and the vindicator of misjudged and persecuted righteousness. This God of righteousness David believingly calls his God; for the righteousness he possesses, he possesses in Him, and the righteousness he looks for, he looks for in Him. K&D, Franz Delitzsch
• When men condemn us unjustly, this is our comfort, It is God that justifies; He is the God of a believer’s righteousness. MH
• Thou that art the defender of my just cause. 1599 GB

“Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress.”
• […] in my opinion, [David]… mentions the benefits which he formerly received from God, and by these strengthens himself against the time to come. Thus the faithful are accustomed to call to their remembrance those things which tend to strengthen their faith. [David] has learned that God is always present with His own people and will never disappoint their desires. The mode of expression which he here employs is metaphorical, and by it he intimates that a way of escape was opened to him even when he was besieged and enclosed on every side. JC
• Freed me from my former straights and troubles. So he urgeth God and strengtheneth his own faith with his former experiences. MP
• A figure taken from an army enclosed in a defile, and hardly pressed by the surrounding enemy. God hath dashed down the rocks and given me room; He hath broken the barriers and set me in a large place. CHS
• That this is not in vain, his previous experience assures him: Thou hast made a breadth (space) for me when in a straight. He bases his prayer on two things, viz. on his fellowship with God, the righteous God, and on His justifying grace which he has already experienced. He has been many times in a straight already, and God has made a broad place for him. K&D, Franz Delitzsch

“Have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.”
• [… David] also shows where he expected to obtain what he needed, namely, from the mercy of God. […] as often as we ask anything From God, it becomes us to begin with this, and to beseech Him, according to His free goodness, to relieve our miseries. JC
• Thou may justly destroy me for my many and great sins, and therefore I flee from thy justice to thy mercy, on which all my hopes are grounded. MP
• Though thou may justly permit my enemies to destroy me, on account of my many and great sins, yet I flee to thy mercy, and I beseech thee to hear my prayer, and bring thy servant out of his troubles. The best of men need mercy as truly as the worst of men. All the deliverances of saints, as well as the pardons of sinners, are the free gifts of heavenly grace. CHS
• The psalmist pleads no merit nor worthiness of his own, but applies to the grace and mercy of God; and sensible of his sin, both original and actual, he entreats a discovery of pardoning grace and mercy. The words may be rendered, "be gracious unto me", or "show me favour"; bestow the blessings of grace, grant larger measures of grace, and fresh supplies of it: and so all sensible sinners apply to God for mercy; and all the saints have recourse to Him as the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, for every mercy, both temporal and spiritual. JG

Personal Summary:

I love David’s opening plea here. It is the surest sign of a mature man of God that he has an understanding of his own estate. David knew what a wretched sinner he was in and of himself. All of us that are saved must have this same recognition. Certainly that comes in varying degrees and in different time spans from person to person. Usually when we are first saved there is a deep conviction of sin that drives us to the cross. It is not even close to an accurate conviction of sin; but, overwhelmed with those gross sins that stick out like a sore thumb we run to the cross seeking refuge in the Lord. As we grow this recognition of sin grows too. It is a strange relationship, exclusive perhaps only to Christianity, that as you get better at something you recognize more fully how inept you truly are. Those with the deepest conviction of sin are more than likely the most pious saints one can meet. As a result the more we grow the more we recognize how unworthy and unrighteous we are in our natural fallen state. The more we are aware of our sin the more we flee to the cross of Christ wherein God has justified the elect; not on our merit but on the merit of Christ; His imputed righteousness hangs on the believer like a banner of glory! David saw a form of this and understood fully that his righteousness depended not on his merit but on God’s merit. Thus God was a refuge where he could flee knowing that God would justify his saint as the world persecuted him and the church of God in general. For those of us in Western cultures we see little of the persecution that exists against the church. We have been blessed to know religious freedom and worship. Perhaps we see social persecution but that is nothing ultimately. Yet in the world at large the church is heavily persecuted. They boast a righteous cause and are persecuted for it. This verse could not be more ready for them to use in their cry to God. And why should we separate ourselves from them? Are we not all a part of the visible church struggling on this earth as one body of Christ? Therefore let us all flee to the cross and cry, “Abba Father! Free us from this wretched world and the pains therein! Vindicate us oh God of our righteousness!” Pray for those that experience the persecution that brings pain and discomfort. They may not be close to us but their cause is righteous, their victory is assured in Christ, and it is God who vindicates them no matter how man may have convicted them.

David’s cry is the victorious cry of one who has endured, who has seen trials, those trials have produced patience, and that patience has produced perseverance (see Jas. 1:3-4). He is confident in the outcome of this predicament (whatever it may have been); because, through experience he has learned to lean on the Lord who has delivered him from all of these situations. I cannot but attest to the fact that the same is true for me. I have had some unspeakably hard times in my life. They have ripped my heart out in ways I never even dreamed possible. At times I thought ruin was as assured as the sun that rises in the dawn. But experience has shown me that God has always delivered me from those trials. I can honestly look back now and see how He restrained me even when I was lost. Do you believe this to be a true experience in your own life? Do you know in your heart that this is so? It is one thing that we all so easily attest to this as Christians and that we so easily write off the difficulties of others, and some minor difficulties in our own lives as well, with verses such as these. But when real trials come that shake your faith and try you beyond what you had ever thought possible, do you believe this? You have to! You must! I know from painful experience that for that to be a reality pain and heartache and difficulty must come. Conviction would be superficial at best otherwise. But when it comes remember this, recall to mind the things the Lord has delivered you from in the past, however irrelevant they may seem to you then or now, and know that your Sovereign God is faithful and will sustain you in this situation like He has in all others. David knew this and it emboldened his faith.

Christ died that we may be cloaked in His righteousness. Dare we abandon or lose faith in such a beautiful gift such as that? His mercy endureth forever! (1 Chr. 16:34)