Psalm 4

Context

Psalm 4 is traditionally attributed to David, but his authorship is not accepted by modern scholars.{{Cite book |last1 = Berlin |author-link1 = Adele Berlin |author-link2 = Marc Zvi Brettler |editor1-last = Berlin |editor1-first = Adele |editor2-last = Brettler |editor2-first = Marc Zvi |editor3-last = Fishbane |editor3-first = Michael A. |chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=aDuy3p5QvEYC |url-access = registration

The psalm's text is a reflection of David speaking to all sinners while addressing himself to Absalom. The message in the psalm is that the victories of sinners are only temporary and meaningless, and that only repentance can bring true happiness. It is a request to God for deliverance from past distresses.

This is the first psalm of the book of Psalms with a musical instrument—strings—mentioned in the title. There also was a ending the previous psalm, Psalm 3. There is, however, no agreement what meant. Popular modern views might include a pause, a reflection or a lifting. Poetically, if is a connection, it is as if David recited his Psalm 3, then paused and began to sing, continuing with his harp. The themes will be false and true worship, but also false and true satisfaction. "They long for prosperity", David sings, but David has it and is more satisfied "than when their grain and new wine abound". Some see a chiastic structure in the layout of this psalm.

Text

The following table shows the Hebrew text of the Psalm with vowels, alongside the Koine Greek text in the Septuagint and the English translation from the King James Version. Note that the meaning can slightly differ between these versions, as the Septuagint and the Masoretic Text come from different textual traditions.A 1917 translation directly from Hebrew to English by the Jewish Publication Society can be found here or here, and an 1844 translation directly from the Septuagint by L. C. L. Brenton can be found here. Both translations are in the public domain.

Uses

Judaism

• Verse 5 is part of the prayers of the Bedtime Shema.
• Verse 7 is part of the Prayer for Sustenance recited on High Holidays.

New Testament

Verse 4 is quoted in Ephesians .

Book of Common Prayer

In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, Psalm 4 is appointed to be read on the morning of the first day of the month.

Catholic Church

The psalm forms part of the Benedictine rite of the daily evening prayer Compline. After the Reform of the Roman Breviary by Pope Pius X it was only used on Sundays and Solemnities. In the Liturgy of the Hours it is part of Compline on the eve of Sunday and Solemnities.

Coptic Orthodox Church

In the Agpeya, the Coptic Church's book of hours, this psalm is prayed in the office of Prime. It is also in the prayer of the Veil, which is generally prayed only by monks.

Musical settings

While several composers set the whole Psalm 4, some writers and composers focused on the aspect of sleeping in peace, as a base for evening music.

Fanny Crosby wrote a hymn based on verse 8 in 1853, titled “An Evening Hymn", which she described as her first published hymn.

Heinrich Schütz composed a setting of a metred version in German, "Erhör mich, wenn ich ruf zu dir", SWV 100, published in 1628 in the Becker Psalter. Michel Richard Delalande wrote a great motet (S41) in Latin in 1692 for services celebrated in the royal chapel of Versailles. Henry Desmarest also wrote a great motet on the psalm. Marc-Antoine Charpentier composed around 1689 Cum invocarem exaudivit me, H. 198, for soloists, choir, flutes, strings and continuo. Desmarest, Nicolas Bernier, André Campra, wrote a great motet Cum invocarem exaudivit me. A plainsong version was included in H. B. Briggs and W. H. Frere's Manual of Plainsong published in 1902.

Max Drischner composed a setting of verses 7 and 9, combined with Psalm 74:16, as the final movement of his Tübinger Psalmen for voice, violin and organ, or choir, melody instrument and keyboard instrument, in 1948, titled "Ich liege und schlafe ganz mit Frieden".

Illuminated Manuscripts

File:Psalter of Eleanor of Aquitaine (ca. 1185) - KB 76 F 13, folium 030v.jpg|The beginning of Psalm 4 in the Psalter of Eleanor of Aquitaine. File:Harley ms 603 f003r.jpg|Psalm 4, and the beginning of Psalm 5, in the Harley Psalter.

Notes

References

References

1. "Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 4".
2. (2017). "The Great Shift: Encountering God in Biblical Times". Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
3. "The Destiny of the Righteousin the Psalms". Chalice Press.
4. (1993). "The Oxford Companion to the Bible". Oxford University Press.
5. Church of England, [https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/The%20Book%20of%20Common%20Prayer%201662.pdf Book of Common Prayer: The Psalter] as printed by [[John Baskerville]] in 1762
6. The Artscroll Tehillim, page 6
7. The Psalms: translated and explained By Joseph Addison Alexander, Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg, page 26
8. Commentaires sur les psaumes, [[Hilary of Poitiers. d’Hilaire de Poitiers]], IVe siècle, Paris, Éditions du Cerf, 2008, collection sources chrétiennes n°515.
9. Commentaire sur les psaumes (jusqu’au psaume 54), de saint [[Thomas Aquinas. Thomas d’Aquin]], 1273, Éditions du Cerf, 1996.
10. "Musical Instruments of the Old Testament".
11. "Music in the Bible (Psalms) - Wikiversity".
12. "Psalms Chapter 3 KJV".
13. Jewish Encyclopaedia, [http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/13398-selah Selah]
14. {{bibleverse. Psalms. 4:7. NIV
15. Alden, Robert L., [https://www.etsjets.org/files/JETS-PDFs/17/17-1/17-1-pp011-028_JETS.pdf Chiastic Psalms], ''Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society'', accessed 7 May 2020
16. "Psalms – Chapter 4". Mechon Mamre.
17. "Psalms 4 - JPS 1917". [[Sefaria.
18. "Psalm 4 - Septuagint and Brenton's Septuagint Translation". Ellopos.
19. The Complete Artscroll Siddur, page 295
20. The Complete Artscroll Machzor for Rosh Hashanah, page 79
21. See also Séfer Tehilim, de Rachi, XIe siècle.
22. Kirkpatrick, A. F.. (1901). "The Book of Psalms: with Introduction and Notes". At the University Press.
23. "St. Benedict's Psalmody". [[University of Toronto]].
24. "Prime". agpeya.org.
25. "Veil". agpeya.org.
26. Carleton, Will. (1903). "Fanny Crosby's Life Story". Every Where Publishing Co.
27. Stone, D., [http://old.www.lithoi.org.uk/church/mop/psalter/psalm_004_a5.pdf ''Psalm 4: Cum invocarem''], from ''A Manual of [[Plainsong]] for Divine Service containing the Canticles Noted [and] the Psalter Noted to Gregorian Tones together with the Litany and Responses'', edited by H. B. Briggs and W. H. Frere, Novello and Company, London, 1902