Psalms
(The Bible)
In Psalm 4, the writer not only prays to the Lord for deliverance from adversity, he reinforces his prayer by reminding God of His goodness in the days of yore and His faithfulness in times of trouble. He points to the time when the Almighty not only increased him but also rescued him from the fangs of those who were not particularly fond of him. Not being unaware that the root causes of his problems are human beings like himself, he tries to reason with them, asking them what he thinks are relevant questions. Moreover and perhaps in a bid to blunt the edge of their bellicosity, he then enters into what can be described as a process of constructive engagement with these enemies.
However, in order that they do not attribute his action to any feeling of inadequacy or weakness, he lets it be known that God will always answer his prayers and preserve him because he is godly. He then attempts to bring them on board, that is, making it known to them how they can have a good relationship with the Almighty. First and foremost, he counsels them to stand in reverence of God and to shun evil. Secondly, he advises them to do some self examination in order to determine their motivations and inclinations. Thirdly, he implores them to live righteously before God while reposing a trusting faith in him. Fourthly, he encourages them to resist anyone who would try to lure them back into evil ways for the sake of short term gains. Finally, he states that by making their requests known to the Almighty, God will shine the light of his countenance upon them and they would not lack any good thing.
The writer enumerates the benefits of having a good relationship with God. The first is gladness that surpasses anything one can have by amassing ungodly gain. The second is peace that surpasses human understanding. The third is a glorious rest especially in the knowledge that God's protection is sure.
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