Psalms 4:3

But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.

King James Version · Read in your translation · Open the Explore console

Word by word — the Hebrew

Word	Hebrew	Strong’s	Meaning
know	וּדְע֗וּ u.de.'U	H3045	to know (properly · conjunction + verb, qal imperative, 2nd person masculine plural
LORD	יְ֭הוָה Yah.weh	H3068	Jehovah · proper noun, a title
apart	הִפְלָ֣ה hif.Lah	H6395	to distinguish (literally or figuratively) · verb, hiphil perfect, 3rd person masculine singular
godly	חָסִ֣יד cha.Sid	H2623	properly · adjective, masculine singular absolute
LORD	יְהוָ֥ה Yah.weh	H3068	Jehovah · proper noun, a title
hear	יִ֝שְׁמַ֗ע yish.Ma'	H8085	to hear intelligently (often with implication of attent… · verb, qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular
call	בְּקָרְאִ֥י be.ka.re.'I	H7121	to call out to (i.e. properly · preposition + verb, qal infinitive construct + pronominal suffix

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain:…
Psalms 34:15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
Psalms 91:14-15 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvat…
2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the n…
2 Peter 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath…

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Psalms 4:1-5

The title of the psalm acquaints us that David, having penned it by divine inspiration for the use of the church, delivered it to the chief musician, or master of the song, who (according to the divine appointment of psalmody made in his time, which he was chiefly instrumental in the establishment of) presided in that service. We have a particular account of the constitution, the modelling of the several classes of singers, each with a chief, and the share each bore in the work, 1 Chr. 25. Some prophesied according to the order of the king, Psa 4:2. Others prophesied with a harp, to give thanks, and to praise the Lord, Psa 4:3. Of others it is said that they were to lift up the horn, Psa 4:5…

Read the whole note in the console

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 4:3

godly--an object as well as subject of divine favor (compare Psa 105:14-15).

John Gill on Psalms 4:3

But know,.... Take notice of it, consider it, be assured of the truth, of it; it may be depended upon as fact, that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: which may be understood of David himself, an holy good man; a man after God's own heart; whom the Lord chose, and in a marvellous manner separated from the rest of his brethren; took him from the sheepfold, and set him upon the throne of Israel, for the glory of his great name; and therefore the attempts of his enemies against him would be without success: and also of the Messiah, God's Holy One, whom he has chosen out from among the people to be their Saviour and Redeemer, to the glory of his grace; wherefore the work of…

Read the whole note in the console

John Calvin on Psalms 4:2-3

Psalm 4:2-3 2. O ye sons of men, how long will ye try to turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seeking after lying? Selah 3. But know that Jehovah hath chosen for himself one who is merciful: Jehovah will hear when I call upon him. 2. O ye sons of men. The happy result of the prayer of David was, that resuming courage, he was able not only to repel the fury of his enemies, but also to challenge them on his part, and fearlessly to despise all their machinations. That our confidence, therefore, may remain unshaken, we ought not, when assailed by the wicked, to enter into conflict without being furnished like David with the same armor. The sum is, that since God was dete…

The Church Fathers

You see, he will not simply free me from the troubles that befall me but will also render me conspicuous and distinguished in victory; this, you see is the meaning of "made an object of wonder."
— Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 4:3

When there is a burdensome care, however many times I call out to God, he does not delay to hear me: this establishes, therefore, as an example to me and others, his providence. However, it is the custom of those who are bound by their miseries, who are pushed into the folly of bitterness, to complain against God and to say that he shows no concern for the affairs of mortals, nor does he govern human life with reason.
— Theodore of Mopsuestia, COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 4:4

So, why is it, you ask, that many people are not heard? On account of the inappropriate requests they make. You see, in this case not to be heard is better than to be heard. So even if we were heard, we would not be happy about it; whereas even in the cases we were not heard, we would give praise even on that account. In other words, on the one hand, when we make inappropriate requests, we are better off for not getting them; on the other, when our asking is indifferent, God beguiles us into entreating him by delaying the response, which is no little gain.… So let us not desist when we are not heard, nor be distraught nor become numb, but persist with entreaty and request. God, after all, does everything for the best.
— John Chrysostom, COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 4:7

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Neginoth — I.e., songs with instrumental accompaniment, found in the titles of Ps. 4; 6; 54; 55; 67; 76; rendered “stringed instruments,” Hab. 3:19, A.V. It denotes all kinds of stringed instruments, as the…
Assurance · .Of their election — .Of their election
Character · .Godly — .Godly
Character Of Saints · Godly — Godly
Sanctification · Is separation to the service of God — Is separation to the service of God
Titles And Names Of Saints · Godly, The — Godly, The

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Psalms 4:3

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Psalms 4:1-5

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 4:3

John Gill on Psalms 4:3

John Calvin on Psalms 4:2-3

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Psalms 4:3

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Psalms 4:1-5

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 4:3

John Gill on Psalms 4:3

John Calvin on Psalms 4:2-3

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Keil & Delitzsch on Psalms 4:2-3

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Psalms 4:2

Spurgeon's Treasury of David on Psalms 4:3