“Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer. How long will you people turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Know that the LORD has set apart his faithful servant for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him. Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Offer the sacrifices of the righteous and trust in the LORD. Many, LORD, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?” Let the light of your face shine on us. Fill my heart with joy when their grain and new wine abound. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:1-8, NIV).
Have you experienced when rain was “running” after you? When I was still a little boy, six years or even younger than that, while I was playing with my friends on the road, we could see from a distance that the rain was already pouring down and it was heading to our direction. We tried to outrun it, but it finally caught us and just enjoyed the rain water as it soaked us.
However, there was also a time that it was not the rain that was running after me. Perhaps, I was also about of the same age, when I was being pursued by a dog. When the rain was drawing close to catch me, I was laughing with great delight. But, when I looked back and saw the dog was drawing close to bite me, I was crying out loud and so terrified.
You may not experience being pursued by the rain and got caught and got wet. You may not experience being chased by a dog. But, have you felt being pursued by a giant problem or difficulty?
What should a true believer do, if that would happen in his life? Also cry out loud and be terrified?
Actually, as Christians, even if terrifying trial would happen to us, there are good things that we could expect from our Good God. So, this time, let’s find out…WHAT WE COULD EXPECT FROM GOD… and that’s what we are going to focus on as we deal with our text (Psalm 4:1-8).
So, if we are suffering from great affliction or distress, especially if we feel that we are being pursued by a big problem or assaulted by many problems, what help could we receive from God? In our agony, is there anything good that we could be certain that would come from Him? If we feel that we are in a miserable situation, what could we expect from Him?
Before we find the answer, let’s realize that Psalm 4 is a continuation of Psalm 3. It was the prayer of David that was turned into a Psalm. He uttered those words, when he fled from Jerusalem, in order to avoid armed confrontation with his own son Absalom, who was trying to take the life of David in order to become the king.
When a messenger told David that Absalom gained many supporters, “… David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, ‘Come! We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin upon us and put the city to the sword.’ The king’s officials answered him, ‘Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses’” (2 Sam. 15:14-15).
So, David with his entire household and his faithful soldiers left Jerusalem. And as he went, he was weeping (verse 30).
While on his way, he also encountered Shimei, “a man from the same clan as Saul’s family,” who cursed him and threw stones at him and all his officials” (2 Sam. 16:15-13).
When he and the people arrived at their destination, David was aware that the army of Absalom could pursue them any time. At night, the words in Psalm 4 were among the thoughts in the mind of David.
And we could draw from it that whenever we suffer anguish, we could expect at least two good things from God. What are those?
First, EXPECT RELIEF (verses 1-5).
We read verses 1-5: “Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer. How long will you people turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Know that the LORD has set apart his faithful servant for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him. Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Offer the sacrifices of the righteous and trust in the LORD. ”
Notice verse 1, “Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.”
In the ESV, we read: “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!”
It says, “You have given me relief…” David was not just asking for a relief or comfort or consolation. He had experienced before relief or comfort from God, whenever he was in distress. So, now, that he was again in distress, he expected the same relief from God.
While there were people who sought his downfall, he was comforted to realize that God has set him apart from those who were delusional and sought false gods. He was set apart for God. And so, God will be gracious to him and He will listen to his prayer.
David also realized that it’s a relief to abstain from having sinful thoughts, when others did something wrong to you. Search the heart of any ill-feeling and be silent. And just trust the Lord.
Christians, then, should realize today that God could help us in whatever problem we suffer, not just by removing it or giving us the solution to solve it.
They should not expect that because God can do everything, He will remove every problem in order that His help be realized.
Really, nothing is impossible with God and He could help even when the difficulty, the problem, or the threat is not removed. His help, His goodness, His power, His love, then, is not measured by His action of alleviating or vanishing the pain.
His help can also come even when He is allowing someone to go through the storm of life, be shaken by the tremors of suffering. He can also help by giving relief.
He may not still the storm, but He can comfort, strengthen or steel the heart.
And that relief, that comfort, that spiritual strength could be enjoyed by a believer, as God made him to realize he is set apart, different from those who are after false hopes and false gods. He is brought by the true God to Himself – to belong to Him. Thus, a believer can be certain that God is listening to him, aware of all his troubles. A true believer realizes that to be in God’s Presence is more desirable than to be in the state of the absence of all threats and trials.
Also, relief or comfort from God could be enjoyed, if a believer would refrain to entertain sin in his heart. There’s a tendency to plan and do even what is wrong just to ease any pain. But it is best to offer righteous thoughts and acts to God. And trust Him.
So, brothers and sisters, do we find ourselves being besieged by many problems or threatened, as if, by mountainous problems rolling toward us?
Parents, are bills coming pouring in and we do not know how to settle each one of them?
Students, are assignments keep on piling and we could not find the time to prepare them?
Singles, is loneliness looming in your heart and about to drown you in desperation?
Also, it may not always be someone who would like to topple you from your position. It could be an unjust accusation, a shocking bad news from your doctor, a final denial from someone you’re seeking favor, or even a seemingly unfruitful outcome of your ministry.
And because we could not see that God is removing the problem, are we tempted to solve it by indulging in sinful ideas and wrong actions?
Several times before that I suffered toothache. Several times also that my tooth was extracted. But the dentist would not remove an aching tooth, especially when the gum was swollen. He would first give a medication to ease the pain and deflate the swollen gum.
There are times that the Divine Dentist will not also remove at once the cause of our pain. But, no matter how big or complicated is our problem, no matter how many they are – our Heavenly Father is so powerful, so wise, so loving and we can expect from Him our needed relief.
He has regarded as different from others. He is always listening to us. So, let’s restrain ourselves from doing what is wrong and just continue to offer what is right to Him. Rely on Him.
Aside from expecting relief, what else could we expect from God, if we are in extreme pain or as if we are being chased by giant problems?
Second, EXPECT JOY (verses 6-8).
Let’s read verses 6-8, “Many, LORD, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?” Let the light of your face shine on us. Fill my heart with joy when their grain and new wine abound. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.”
In the 1978 version of the NIV, we read verses 6-7: “Many are asking, ‘Who can show us any good?’ Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord. You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound.”
David pointed out that in men, there were uncertainties: “Who can show us any good?” But, in God, there is a favorable blessing, when the light of His face will shine upon you. And you could expect the blessing of “greater joy.”
And David was a king and knew the joy to have an abundant material possession. Yet, he declared that the joy given by God was greater when grain and wine abound. And that joy from God could still be celebrated, when material abundance was now in the hands of his enemies.
Also, that joy could not be drowned even when he was threatened by an enemy attack. In peace, he could still lie down and sleep soundly, because in God there is joy and safety.
Believers should embrace those thoughts of David, when they are in difficulty or threatened with problem(s). Greater joy could be enjoyed even not in abundance, not in good health, not in a favorable situation, not in the limelight.
David also declared in Psalm 16:11, “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
Surely, joy could not be found in the pain. But even in pain, one could be filled with joy if he is in the presence of God.
Again, David proclaimed in Psalm 19:8, “The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.”
The precepts, testimonies, instructions, commands, declarations, or words of the Lord could give joy to an aching heart.
Believers, then, should not allow their mind to dwell on their pain, on their hurt, on their distress. They should not focus on what they could not do. They should not focus on the harm that their persecutors could do to them.
While in pain, they should fastened their attention on the words of God. They should cherish on His words.
Jesus told His followers, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11, ESV).
His followers, then, were threatened with sorrow, because He was about to leave them. But He left to them His words, that their joy “may be full.”
How about us, brothers and sisters – if we are also threatened with sorrow or in suffering, if we are threatened with difficulty or suffering in difficulty, could we also expect greater joy from God? Could we also expect the full measure of the joy of our Savior?
Yes, we can! We have a Blessed or Happy God. In His Presence, there is fullness of joy. We have His Spirit and joy is also a fruit. We have His Word and we could fill our mind with it and be able to rejoice with an unspeakable joy in our heart, even in the midst of various trials.
Last Monday, during the flag raising ceremony program at the Legazpi Police Station, I pointed out again to our police authorities the prayer of Jesus in John 17:13 that through His words, His followers could have the full measure of His joy. So, I told them that if they want to experience the full measure of the joy of the Son of God, they should go to the Bible – the Word of God. Perhaps, they could experience a certain amount of joy, if they go to beer houses, or other amusement places, or engage in other earthly joyful activities. But, they are all fleeting, momentary.
Brothers and sisters, let us not be content with the temporary joy of this world. Let us go after the eternal joy of God’s Word. The kind of joy that no anxious thoughts could drown. The kind of joy that we could still sing and praise God, though we may be spiritually imprisoned in the cell of trials or whatever hardship.
So, even if we are not released in our extreme pain, we can surely expect genuine and greater joy.
And even if we find it difficult or foresee the difficulty of sharing the Greatness of Jesus or the Goodness of His Word with others, or facing the hardship of teaching others to grow in Christ – we can expect joy in doing it
In closing, no person could suffer on earth greater than the suffering of Jesus. But He endured the extreme pain, because of the joy “set before Him” (Heb. 12:2). He was expectant for the joy, not languishing in pain.
We, too, could expect for joy and expect for relief, even in the midst of pain, if we truly believe that Jesus is our Savior and Lord. That He died for our sins and rose again that we may become righteous in His sight. And through His Spirit, we are able to live the righteous life, He expects for every believer to perform, especially in making His Goodness and Greatness be proclaimed to others, who are ignorant of His joy.
