Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
Title. - To the chief Musician, х mªnatseeach (H5329)] - literally, overseer (1 Chronicles 15:21, margin; 2 Chronicles 2:2; 2 Chronicles 34:13): hence, the precentor of the singing, who either sang alone or bore the chief part in singing, the chorus chiming in with him (cf. Habakkuk 3:19, margin: on imitation of the superscription of the Psalms). The psalm, according to the title, was assigned by David to him before the musical performance, in order that he might be prepared to sing it publicly with the accompaniment of sacred music in the temple-service. The same holds good of the other 52 psalms in which this title occurs. This temple-music constitutes the national music of Israel. Aquila and Jerome translate, less probably, 'To the Conqueror,' or 'Giver of victory;' namely, Messiah.
Neginoth - the general name for all stringed instruments [from naagan (H5059), 'performed music'] Compare Isaiah 38:20, Hebrew. For "on" [bª-] translate '(to be sung) accompanied with stringed instruments.'
The occasion was (as in Psalms 3:1-8) when David fled from Absalom. Psalms 4:1-8. Prayer (Psalms 4:1); warning to the ungodly foe (Psalms 4:2-5); God's favour gives gladness even amidst trials (Psalms 4:6-7); hence, flows calm repose (Psalms 4:8).
Hear - `answer' (cf. Psalms 3:4, note).
God of my righteousness - God, who, as being righteousness itself, will support my righteous cause. The "my" refers to the compound idea, my righteousness-God. This furnishes a rule as to how far we can look for God's aid in answer to prayer. To ask God for help in any but a righteous cause would be to insult God's righteousness, and to wish Him to become unrighteous like ourselves. The Antitype could, in the fullest sense, claim for His righteous cause the God of righteousness to be His Vindicator.
Thou hast enlarged me ... in distress - `In straits thou hast made wide room for me.' David had just been set free from imminent peril, in Jerusalem, with which he was threatened by Absalom, (2 Samuel 15:14, etc.) 'Narrowness' in Scripture means adversity, as enlarging means prosperity.
Have mercy upon me - margin, 'Be gracious unto me' х chaaneeniy (H2603)]. Mercy relates more to sin: grace х cheen (H2580)] relates to God's favour in general.