If you'd open up your copy of God's Word now to the Psalms. Tonight we'll be reading Psalm 4. I think that's on page 529 of your Pew Bibles. Let's give attention now to the Word of God. To the choir master with stringed instruments, a psalm of David. Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness. You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer. O man, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for Himself. The Lord hears when I call to Him. Be angry and do not sin. Ponder in your own hearts on your beds and be silent. Offer right sacrifices and put your trust in the Lord. There are many who say, who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord. You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace, I will both lie down and sleep. For you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." Thus far in the reading of God's Word. Amen. Please be seated. Would you pray with me? Father, our God, we ask now that you would use this psalm, your very word, in our hearts tonight, drawing us ever closer to Jesus Christ, conforming us more and more to His image and teaching us, Lord God, how to pray. We ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen. There is a passage in 2 Kings where the king of Syria is scratching his head and wondering why is it, how is it that Israel knows where we're going, when we're going and his men tell him it's because of Elisha. Elisha is the one who is able to foretell, because he is a prophet of God, where the king of Syria is going, where he's going with his troops. And as a result, the king of Syria sends his army to get Elisha. And if you're familiar with the account, The servant of Elisha goes out in the morning and sees the army of Syria amassed around them and he cries out to Elisha saying, what shall we do? And Elisha prays. Elisha prays to God and asks the Lord to open the eyes of his servant that he might see the chariots of fire. surrounding the Syrian army, the host of God, protecting Elisha and his servant. And then Elisha prays again and asks the Lord to strike the people, meaning the army of Syria, with blindness. And he does so, so that Elisha can now lead the Syrian army into Samaria. Elisha, the man of God, knows God, knows what God is capable of doing, and prays for deliverance, which he knows that God is pleased to provide to his children. Much of what we have tonight in Psalm 4, a psalm of David, arranged for the choir master, arranged to be sung by the people of God. We don't know the exact circumstances that David was in when he wrote this psalm, when he was inspired to write this psalm. We know that he was in distress. That forms the basis for many of David's psalms. Some think it was written when David's son Absalom was pursuing him. Others, like Calvin, think it's when King Saul was seeking to kill David. But whatever the case, it is certainly applicable to our hearts tonight. It was to be used in worship. Used to praise God. Used to draw the people of God ever closer to their Lord and Savior. So tonight, I'd like us to see that God-honoring prayer begins with knowing your Lord, your problem, your place in Christ, and your end. God-honoring prayer begins with Knowing your Lord, knowing your problem, knowing your place in Christ, and knowing your end. And those are our four points for tonight. Knowing your God, knowing your problem, knowing your place in Christ, and knowing your end. Well, first, knowing your God. David approaches God with much knowledge, doesn't he? Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness." David approaches God knowing Him. How do we pray the Lord's Prayer or how did Jesus teach His disciples to pray? How did He teach them to begin? Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Christ taught His disciples to begin their petitions, their prayers, by knowing the God to whom they were addressing, whom they were praying to, that they would call upon Him as their Heavenly Father. How well does a child know his or her Father? That was the first step. That they would know the One that they were praying to as Father, David does the same here in this psalm. Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness. David approaches God with knowledge, with understanding of who He was and is. Identifying that particular attribute, the God of my righteousness, which is going to be of particular use in responding to David's plea in this psalm, this prayer, this song. My righteousness. The maker then, the giver of David's righteousness is the one to whom David is praying, the one who has that gift, the one who is bent low, who condescended to David himself, who has enabled David to know what righteousness is. by the work of the Spirit, to love the law of God, to obey in righteousness. David was praying to the God who has granted David first the ability to seek Him in His kingdom and His righteousness. The God who has gifted David with righteousness, but not a righteousness of His own, but a righteousness that can only come from the triune God. It's a derived righteousness. By David's own admission, his righteousness is derived. It doesn't come from him. It comes from God, God of my righteousness, God who has righteousness, who is righteousness, who's given me his righteousness through his son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption. 1 Corinthians chapter 1. In other words, David is praying to the God who is the source of his righteousness. The one who defines righteousness. Whose very nature is just and right and true. The Rock, His work is perfect. For all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness and without injustice. Righteous and upright as He. Deuteronomy 32. What did David need? as he pleased with God. Was it not righteousness? He was under attack! How was David to respond? With vengeance? With a sword? No! With righteousness! That's what he will call upon God for. Instead of vengeance in lieu of responding to those who taunt him in sin, David will require righteousness for an appropriate God-honoring response. This is what David needed from God. And so David now recognizes and knows this about God and goes to Him as the God of his righteousness. And also the one who relieves distress. Look at verse one again. You have given me relief when I was in distress. Part of David's knowledge about God is what God has done in the past for David. God's works, his mercy. You've given me relief when I was in distress. It comes from David's experiences with God. God knows, David knows how God has worked. in Him, for Him, in the past. He recalls God's mercy. And isn't that what David is seeking, at least in part? You've given me relief when I was in distress. What David is asking for is not going to be breaking new ground. David has experienced it. He knows that God is a God of mercy, that He's capable, that He's able, that He's willing to do that which David is asking for. And so David approaches God with knowledge of mercy. God's mercy. And so in a sense, David's reminding him of what He's done for him in the past. And a God not only of mercy, but a God who's full of grace. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer." Isn't that what David needs? He needs a God of righteousness. He needs a God of mercy. But now he also needs a God of grace. And he knows that he's approaching one who is full of grace and who is waiting just to pour grace out on his children as they ask for it. And so David can seek out grace because he knows that this God of righteousness is also a God of grace. It means that David would have no expectation of being heard by God if God were not a Lord of grace. Be gracious to me, hear my prayer. The grace that David was seeking was specifically in the realm of hearing. And that as David prayed, that he knew that he would be heard because God is a God of grace. Listen to the boldness of David's plea here. Answer me when I call. David sounds demanding. But might it be that David knows of God's nature? He knows He is a God of righteousness, a God of mercy. He knows He is a God of grace. He's approaching one who is a gracious God and thus He can expect, He's confident that He will receive a gracious response. He also knows that God is a God who delights in showing good. Look at verse 6, there are many who say, who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord. Lifting up the light of His face could be understood as to show us Your face, that which no one has seen. What could be better than seeing the face of God, that we might be blessed as You gaze upon us, Your brilliance radiating upon us? That's what the psalmist is seeking. Lift up the light of Your face upon us, O Lord. The God who delights in showing goodness to his children and showering them with abundance. Psalm 34, they who look, who seek the Lord shall not be in want. They who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing. Psalm 84, no good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. James 1, every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above. What could be better than the light of God's face to shine upon us, to be blessed by the God of heaven, taking time to look down on his people and pay attention. There's a sense that God here stops all other activity and focuses attention upon David to engage with his people to the point that he stops every other task and gives his full attention. I have to know God. that you pray to, that you seek to approach in prayer. And David is approaching mindful of his needs, of his dependence. He approaches in humility. He approaches reminding himself of the prior works of God. And he approaches remembering that which God has already done for him. And he approaches knowing God. Do you know God this way? Through His Son, the Lord Jesus. A righteous God. A God full of mercy and grace. A God who is good to His children and ready to pour out good gifts on all of His children. A God who shines His light upon you. Do you know Him as the one who has these very attributes? And if so, do you approach your God with these attributes in mind? Do you pray these attributes? reminding yourself every time, I am coming to you God, the one who is the God of my righteousness, the one who is full of mercy and desires to pour out grace upon me, the one who will hear me graciously every time, the one who will shine His face upon me and give His attention to me, as if nothing else mattered. Is that the one you pray to? That brings us to our second point, knowing your problem. David is not shy about setting forth his problem. Look at verse 2, O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? Here is the beginning of the problem or the potential source of discontentedness. Men, or as the New American Standard puts it, the sons of men. Here it is used not as a pleasant title. It is not used as a title of praise or adoration, but appears to be used in the negative sense, as a pejorative sense, such as is used in other portions of scripture. Psalm 14, the Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God, they've all turned aside. And so now David is receiving personal attacks. From men, how long shall my honor be turned to shame? These men or sons of men are those who are attacking the honor, the glory of David. It's a personal attack as the honor or glory of a man is personal. It's attack upon his integrity, upon his honesty, an attack which goes to the very substance, the character of a person. It's intangible. It's not a physical attack. Psalm 3 sounds of a physical attack. Many are rising up against me. Tens, thousands of people have set themselves against me. But here, the honor, the glory of a man, David, is under attack. These are not the type, the kind of attacks which, which are light. These attacks sting. They tear down. They tear apart. Think of our Lord Jesus Christ. Which attack was the most painful? Was it the physical crown of thorns that was placed upon his head or was it that which it represented? Mockery of his kingship. Was it the slap in the face or was it the claim, the allegation that he had blasphemed the name of his father? The one he loved. from eternity past? Was it the nails through his hands and feet or was it the sin that was laid upon his pure and perfect heart that pierced his inner being? Yes, all personal, all intimate, all which sought to tear down And then there were the global attacks that David mentions as well. How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? There is the personal. How long shall my honor be turned to shame? Secondly, the global attack. How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? It's a general description of the world, the culture, the wickedness in which David lived, moving then from a personal attack now to a global, a general attack, a general condition of those who opposed God. The shame now which these sought to bring upon David, the worshipper of God, was sought now against the God of the universe. These were attacks against God directly. How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? David now contrasts that which worldly men seek after, that which he values. God's Word is precious to David, but all those who oppose God, His Word is of no value. Those who oppose God do not seek truth, they cherish lies and falsehoods. For lies and falsehoods build up rebels in their revelry." The ESV attributes this to the Word of God. The NASB asks, how long will you love the worthless? Meaning idolatry, worship of false gods. Either way, these are attacks against God. against his word and against his worship. How long will you aim at deception or after lies? When deception is the goal, when lies are the objective of men, the target of men, that which they aim at, they're seeking to persuade, to influence, to carpet all around them with falsehoods because they hate the truth. They turn the truth upon its head and they love that which is evil and wicked for it covers up their sin. It's a following the lead of Satan, isn't it? You're of your father the devil, you want to do the desires of your father. He speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Attacks against God, against His Word, against His worship, If we were to summarize these two things, personal attacks and a global attack, what would we say? We'd say there was a lack of peace. Isn't that what David was experiencing? A picture of inner strife as his integrity was being attacked and then he was surrounded by turmoil and unrest as the truth of God's word was assailed by untruths and falsehoods and lies. There's a picture of defilement of the Word of God and thus the worship of God as idols were sought after and God was neglected. A simple teaching that there will be no peace between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. There can't be. God said, I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed, and this is a picture of it here in Psalm 4. And Jesus Christ was sent into this battle. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. Yes. A picture of the problem. This is what brings David to prayer. This is what was the centerpiece, in a sense, of the song that was being sung in worship. God, we have a problem. Help us. We're dependent upon you. And here it is, sending his son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to destroy the works of the devil. That brings us to our third point, knowing your place in Christ. And here we see practical theology in this psalm. The prayer, it brings a response in our hearts. The prayer will convict each of us of our position. It must convict each of us of our position, our place in Christ Jesus, which will lead to God honoring, exalting response to personal attacks, won't it? Even to the wickedness of the world. as we might be attempted to tackle the corruption which remains in the hearts of men in our own strength. But David sets forth a way for those who are in Christ to respond when they find themselves in distress. And so what do we see? We see one doctrinal truth in verse three, and then it's followed by three imperatives. Believers are set apart, and then as we understand that, that believers are set apart, we read, be angry, do not sin, ponder in your heart, be silent, offer sacrifice of righteousness and trust in the Lord. This is a God-honoring response, but it begins with truth. Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for Himself. The Lord hears when I call to Him." This might just be the center of the psalm. As David knows the one to whom he's praying, he understands this problem that's been set before him, the strife that he's in. And now he's reminding himself of this doctrinal truth, this biblical truth. The Lord has set apart the godly for himself. It is a short answer, a powerful reminder to all those who are suffering personal attacks and recognizing the global attacks upon God and upon his worship and upon his son. that the Lord has set apart the godly for Himself. That describes you tonight. The godly. And we might be able to define that as being all those who are in Christ. All those who trust in the Lord Jesus are the godly. And He set you apart for Himself. The world is attacking, and the world will continue to attack. But the Lord has set you apart. Know that nothing can separate you from the love of Christ. Isn't that what we believe? Isn't that what we know? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? And the answer is no. None of that. And all these things were more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus your Lord. You're set apart. David was saying, you're set apart. And as a result, He, by the work of the Holy Spirit, calls you to do three things. First, tremble and do not sin, or be angry and do not sin. There's a direct call here for face-to-face, a face-to-face response to the sons of men. But it's not a call for vengeance. It's just the opposite. Be angry. There's a recognition that the thoughts, the words, the deeds of sons of men would indeed invoke anger, but righteous anger. David doesn't deny this. In fact, he deals with it expressly. He doesn't ignore the simple truth that the words and actions of the wicked, the enemies of God, will rightly evoke anger in the believer's heart. And thus you, in a sense, address it face to face as this anger wells up. The anger arising out of the desire to hear and see and proclaim the name of Christ to be exalted. But what you hear around you are those who are trying to tear it down. And you know this is not God honoring. And so that righteous anger wells up in you as the righteous anger welled up in Jesus as he enters the temple and sees that it has been turned into a house of trade. And he drives out the money changers and he overturns their tables. And he calls them to take these things away. Zeal for your house will consume me. And so The Christian is called even to righteous anger. But then there's a call at the same time not to sin. Do you see that? Heartfelt righteous anger for the honor and name of God is obedience. But it must stop at that point. When you're seeking the honor and glory of God and you're angry that others are not seeking it as well, God calls you to honor Him, to not sin in that regard, to not let it go beyond that. Meditate in your heart and be still. Do you see how it... Transitions? Be angry. Don't sin. Meditate and be still. Ponder in your own hearts on your beds and be silent. These things are going on at the same time. How is one to be angry and also not sin? Here's the answer. Meditate. Ponder. Be still or silent. Open the Word of God. Find that portion in Scripture which speaks to your situation. Read it. Reread it. Find other verses, similar verses, read them, re-read them, memorize them, pray over them, mull about them within your heart. Ask for a deeper, a richer, fuller understanding of freshness through the Spirit. Think, dwell upon the imagery. In a moment we're going to consider the image of grain and new wine. What do they mean? Do that with Scripture as you meditate. And be silent. Wait for the Spirit to use that which you dwelt upon. and prayed over. Allow Him, and I say that from a human perspective, allow Him to work. Expect His work. Wait for the peace of God to spread over your soul. You've been angry, righteously so. And now, wait for the calmness, the peace of God to spread over, the comfort of knowing that Christ is working and He'll never leave you nor forsake you. Ponder in silence. And then offer right sacrifices. Trust in the Lord. As we study Leviticus, we're seeing wrong sacrifices, we're seeing right sacrifices, those which please God, and David is using that. Offer right sacrifices. Put your trust in the Lord. See, that's what Cain would not do. And we see the two coming together, right sacrifices and trusting in the Lord. Cain did neither. because they're connected. Cain's offering was not an offering of righteousness but an offering of wickedness because Cain didn't trust in the Lord. He had no faith. His lack of faith caused his offering to be an unrighteous offering. So David calls the reader here to offer up an obedient heart. You see that? Offer right sacrifices. You're offering an obedient A heart that seeks out righteousness. A heart that longs after righteousness. A heart that so desires to follow Jesus Christ that He must deny Himself and take up His cross and follow me. And that can only be done in faith. Only as one trusts God. Convicting that He, meaning God, will bring about justice. Convinced that Jesus Christ has already delivered you. Trusting in God. that He will deal with His enemies and slay them in His time and in His way. The response is to be one of forcefully letting go of your will and submitting to God's will, as we heard this morning. Bringing that righteousness which He desires out of the trust which He has instilled in you. You see, this is your position, this is your place in Christ. You've been set apart for these things. To tremble or be angry and do not sin, to meditate, to ponder in your heart and be silent, to offer right sacrifices of righteousness and trust in the Lord. That brings us to our fourth point, knowing your end. We see it here, don't we, as this passage, as this wonderful psalm wraps up. God loves his children. We see that with an eternal love even set forth here. And as He loves His children, He hears His children. He'll lift up His light of His countenance upon you. He'll put gladness into your heart and He will provide for safety because He loves you. Here's the response of the Lord to David's plea in a sense. It's a recognition. of what David knows the response of the Lord is and will be. Look at verse 4. Excuse me, not verse 4. Verse 7. You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. This word translated joy might be also translated gladness. Remember verse six, there are many who say, who will show us some good? And David responds and says, it's the Lord. The Lord will show us some good. You've put more joy in my heart. The Lord God will settle gladness or joy into the hearts of all those who are in distress, who are trusting in Jesus Christ. Just like David, when one is in distress, gladness, joy is far off, isn't it? We've experienced it, we know it. If men were able to create true joy and gladness, we'd do it. But we can't. Not in ourselves. If we try, it's just a fleeting emotion experienced momentarily. And then darkness comes back. Distress. But in Christ. And David states that, in Christ's true, real gladness, joy is that which men are unable to generate in and of themselves, but in Christ, in God, there's true joy, gladness in knowing and serving the triune God, joys in the truth of His Word, rejoicing in His love and in loving Him in obedience. Here we have just a picture of the peace, the comfort, tranquility of knowing a loving God. You've put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound." God is settling our hearts, such that the heart is not worrisome, the heart is not inclined toward evil or vengeance or revenge. Jesus is our joy. He's the door to joy and rejoicing. Now think of that picture. More than when their grain and wine abound. When was the greatest time of celebration in the agricultural world of the Israelites? Harvest. The harvest would come in. The men would go to the threshing floor as we read of in Ruth. There had to be a great celebration. Look at what God has done. Look at this harvest. Mounds of grain that they're now going to be threshing. And after it's being threshed, they're left with just that pure grain, that wheat, that barley. And they're rejoicing. They're celebrating. And David is saying it's more than that. It's more than that. That's what God does. That's what Jesus does. God doesn't merely place joy. He grants it. He settles it in abundance. Jesus said, I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. His image is used by David to convey to his readers that the abundance with which God has settled gladness or joy, in the hearts of all of his children. And that brings peace, doesn't it? In peace, I will both lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. See, as David knows that he is coming to a God of righteousness, that he's coming to a God of mercy and one of much grace, and that in his grace he's going to hear David, and David knows that he's going to receive that's what he's asking for. And now that God is pouring out joy into his heart, even in the midst of his honor being turned into shame, even in the midst of the world, defiling God's Word and His worship. Even in the midst of all this, joy and gladness has been placed and has been settled in David's heart. And now, out of that, there is peace. Remember what the strife of the world was doing. It's bringing David to pray, earnestly pray. And as a result of his prayer, David is saying, in peace, I will both lie down and sleep. Who's able to sleep well when you're under distress? When you're under attack? When the world is pressing in, profaning the name of God, when the ugliness of sin in a wicked, dark culture presses close, when your integrity is under attack because you call upon the name of Christ as Lord, when you're feeling and bearing the brunt of this, are you ready to sleep? to lie down in peace, feeling safe and secure? David says, yes, in Christ. As I meditate upon the God of righteousness, the God of mercy and grace, the God of my light, yes. Brothers and sisters, do you see this as your end tonight? Yet as Christ has come, that He has suffered on the cross at Calvary, that He has satisfied the eternal wrath of God for your sins, that He has established the truth of God's Word, the absolute truth, that He is allowing you, even tonight, to come before Him in worship and service and praise, that He's done all things And that no one can separate you from His love because His power is infinite. Christ is calling you to lie down and sleep tonight. To rest in the peace that He has secured. That can never be disturbed by anyone. By anything in peace, I will both lie down and sleep. For you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety." That is a reference to Jesus Christ. You alone, Jesus, make me dwell in safety. Yes, God honoring prayer begins with knowing your Lord, your problem, your place in Christ and your end. Elisha. Elisha prayed to the God he knew. Knowing. Knowing. That God was merciful and righteous and and gracious and would hear him. Brothers and sisters. We live in a time of distress, and yet we know that Christ has ushered peace in. Pray. Pray to the God you know. Pray to the One of righteousness, of mercy, of grace. The One who shines His light upon you in Christ. Amen. Heavenly Father, what a blessing this psalm is to us. At times, Lord God, we can run over the psalms and just get to the next one and not really understand the one we've just read. But we pray, Lord God, tonight, help us to meditate upon this psalm. What a blessing it has been to us tonight. And we pray, Lord God, as we meditate upon it further, that you would add to that blessing. Help us to know you better, Lord. Help us to approach you as the one we know with the attributes that, Father, are full and will help us as we pray in our weakness and our frailty, as sin attacks and as Satan is throwing his darts and arrows at us. Father, help us to know how to pray better and to know that you hear us in your grace. Father, to also know our end in Christ Jesus, the one who has secured peace such that we might lie down and rest securely in Him. Help us, Father. We ask this all in Jesus' name. Amen.