Psalms 4:3 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Know that the Lord Hebrew, Jehovah, the supreme, the everlasting God, whose favour is an infinite blessing, and whose wrath is a boundless evil; hath set apart Hath chosen; to himself And taken under his peculiar care and protection; him that is godly The man that truly fears, loves, and serves him. It is generally supposed that David spoke here primarily of himself, and of his own designation to the throne; that he is meant by the godly man, whom God had set apart for himself, or for the honour of the kingdom, and who did not usurp or assume to himself a dignity not appointed him of God; and that therefore the opposition they made to him and to his advancement, as it was very criminal, inasmuch as therein they fought against God, so it would prove vain in the end and ineffectual. God has, in like manner, set apart the Lord Jesus for himself, that merciful one, (as the word חסיד, chasid, here rendered, him that is godly, properly means,) and those that attempt to hinder his advancement will certainly be baffled, for the Father heareth him always. But, as has been intimated above, David certainly meant his words to be understood of every godly man. All the godly are God's chosen, or elect people; his separate and sealed ones, whom he knows to be his, on whom he hath stamped his image, and who hear his superscription. Them the Lord distinguishes with uncommon favours. They have a special interest in heaven, are under God's peculiar care; those that touch them touch the apple of his eye; and he will make their persecutors know it sooner or later; and they shall be mine, saith the Lord, in the day when I make up my jewels. Know this, saith the psalmist. Let godly people know it, and let them never alienate themselves from him to whom they are thus appropriated; let wicked people know it, and take heed how they hurt those whom God protects.