"For you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."

Today we going to spend a few minutes learning how to pray from Psalm 4. 

Let’s look at verse 1, “Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!” When you pray, you must be humble – you must see where you stand in relation to God. Here David says that any righteousness in him is God’s, not his own. When Martin Luther lectured on this Psalm he said this, “[David] finds nothing within himself on the basis of which God should answer him.” In other words – David recognizes the privilege he has in speaking to the Lord, that it is a gift from God, not deserved.

    You have given me relief when I was in distress.

Here we see David remembering how God has delivered him in the past. I don’t know how many times I have done something special for the boys – taken them to a movie or their favorite restaurant or some place they want to go – only to have them be ungrateful moments later when they don’t get their way. I say something like, “After everything I’ve done for you today you are whining!?” I wonder how many times God has felt this way about me? It is an important practice in prayer to remember the prayers He has answered, the ways He has moved – most importantly – the Gospel. If He does nothing else for you that is enough is it not? 

    Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!

² O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame?
    How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah³ But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself;
    the Lord hears when I call to him.

Here David looks to others who do not have faith in God. He has great concern for them and wants them to see the benefit he has is being able to pray. And then he gives these men instruction in prayer. 

⁴ Be angry, and do not sin;
    ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah

A great hinderance to good rest and effective prayer life is anger that leads to sin. Paul quotes this Psalm in Ephesians 4:26 when He writes, “’In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry” Here David says to take time and ponder and pray about your anger. I have found that after a bit of prayerful and calm reflection my anger dissipates. 

⁵ Offer right sacrifices, What do you need to do to make things right with the Lord? Do you need forgive someone, apologize to someone, give up a certain habit or object or relationship that is not honoring Him? More often than not we read a verse like this and we know exactly what God would have us lay down. 

    and put your trust in the Lord. In prayer you removing your trust from false “gods” and choosing to trust the Lord. 

⁶ There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?
    Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”

People are looking for goodness, beauty, meaning in this life – look to God and you see goodness! Here David prays that God will reveal His goodness to these people.

⁷ You have put more joy in my heart
    than they have when their grain and wine abound.

David is declaring how much joy God has put in his heart. What is your source of joy this morning? Do you find joy in the Lord – a peace and excitement that changing circumstances cannot touch?

⁸ In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
    for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

David had many enemies, men who wanted him dead, who were always scheming and accusing. And yet he says he can sleep in peace why? Because there is no device or effort of his own making that can protect him – only God. Only God can protect us. 

In your prayers recommit to taking your refuge in the Lord and, no matter what, you can rest easy.  Many throughout the years have called this an evening prayer and have indeed prayed it before they would go to bed at night. Perhaps this is something we ought to do!