Psalms 4:1 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

PSALM 4 The chief musician; the master or director of the sacred musicians and music of the temple; of whom see 1 Chronicles 6:31, 1 Chronicles 15:16,17 25:1,2 2 Chronicles 20:21, 2 Chronicles 34:12,13. Heb. To him that overcometh, or excelleth, or triumpheth, to wit, in his profession of music. On Neginoth; or, on stringed instruments, as this word is translated, Habakkuk 3:19; for the Hebrew verb niggen, whence this is derived, signifies to play with the hand upon an instrument, 1 Samuel 16:23, 1 Samuel 18:10. This Psalm is, for the matter or substance of it, much like the former, and seems to have been made upon the same or some other like occasion, when he was distressed either by Absalom, or by Saul, or by some other great and powerful enemies. David prayeth for audience, Psalms 4:1. He reproves the wicked, Psalms 4:2. The privilege of the godly, and his faith in God, Psalms 4:3. An exhortation to duty, Psalms 4:4,5. The ungodly satisfied with earthly blessings, but the godly cannot be at rest without the favour of God, Psalms 4:6-8. O God of my righteousness; either the witness and defender of my righteous cause; or from whom I expect that righteous judgment and decision of my cause which I cannot obtain from mine enemies, who load me and my cause with manifold injuries and calumnies. Or, O my righteous God. Or, O God of my mercy; which title is given to God elsewhere, as Psalms 59:10,17; whereas this title, O God of my righteousness, is not given to God in any other place of Scripture. O God, to whose mercy I owe all that I have or hope for: which was a very fit and powerful argument in prayer, and very agreeable to the following words, in which there is an acknowledgment of God's former mercies, and a petition for mercy. And so this and other words in Hebrew and Greek, which properly signify righteousness, are oft used for mercy or kindness, as Isaiah 58:8 Psalms 31:1, Psalms 36:10 2 Corinthians 9:9, and in many other places. Thou hast enlarged me, i.e. freed me from my former straits and troubles. So he urgeth God and strengtheneth his own faith with his former experiences. Have mercy upon me; thou mayst justly destroy me for my many and great sins, and therefore I flee from thy justice to thy mercy, on which all my hopes are grounded.