Psalms 4:1

“Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness, etc.] Or, “my righteous God” f56, who is righteous in his nature, ways, and works, the just Judge of the whole earth, who will do right; or “the vindicator of my righteousness”, as the Syriac version renders it; that is, of his innocence and uprightness, which the Lord knew and was a witness of: and since he was his covenant God, he doubted not but he would bring it forth as the light, and favour his righteous cause, and do him justice upon his enemies: or the psalmist addresses God in this manner, because he was the author of his righteousness, and was the justifier of him, by imputing the righteousness of his Son unto him. So Christ addresses…”

“On Neginoth, that is, stringed instruments, as the kind of musical accompaniment. On other parts of title, see Introduction., The historical occasion was probably the same as that of the foregoing [see on Psa 3:1]. The writer, praying for further relief, admonishes his enemies of the vanity of attacking God's servant, exhorts them to repentance, and avows his confidence and peace in God's favor. (Psa 4:1-8) Hear--as in Psa 3:4. God of my righteousness--or, "my righteous God, as my holy hill" (Psa 2:6), who will act towards me on righteous principles. thou hast enlarged--expresses relief afforded in opposition to "distress," which is expressed by a word denoting straits or pressure. Past…”

“Hear me when I call - When I pray. The word “hear” in such cases is always used in the sense of “listen to,” “hear favorably,” or “attend to;” hence, in the literal sense it is always true that God “hears” all that is said. The meaning is, “hear and answer me,” or grant me what I ask. O God of my righteousness - That is, O my righteous God. This is a common mode of expression in Hebrew. Thus, in Psalms 2:6, “hill of my holiness,” meaning “my holy hill;” Psalms 3:4, “his hill of holiness,” meaning “his holy hill.” The psalmist here appeals to God as “his” God - the God in whom he trusted; and as a “righteous” God - a God who would do that which was right, and on whom, therefore, he might rely…”

“O God - The witness and defender of my righteous cause. Psalms 4:2”

“Ps 4 This individual lament includes a prayer for rescue (4:1), a rebuke of the adversary (4:2-3), an exhortation to the godly (4:4-5), and an expression of confidence (4:6-8). 4:1 Waiting for the Lord’s answer allows for growth in patience and for the refinement of living faith (38:15).”

“Neginoth: Psa 6:1, Psa 67:1, Psa 76:1 \*titles Hab 3:19 \*marg. O: Psa 11:7, Psa 24:5, Psa 41:12; Isa 45:24; Jer 23:6; Co1 1:30; Co2 5:20, Co2 5:21 thou: Psa 18:18, Psa 18:19, Psa 31:8, Psa 40:1-3, Psa 116:6, Psa 116:16; Sa1 17:37, Sa1 19:11, Sa1 19:12, Sa1 23:26-28; Job 36:16; Co2 1:8, Co2 1:10 have mercy upon me: or, be gracious unto me, Psa 56:1, Psa 57:1, Psa 86:3-5, Psa 119:75-77, Psa 119:132, Psa 143:2; Exo 34:6, Exo 34:7 Psalms 4:2”

“(Heb.: 4:2) Jahve is אלהי צדק, the possessor of righteousness, the author of righteousness, and the vindicator of misjudged and persecuted righteousness. This God of righteousness David believingly calls his God (cf. Psa 24:5; Psa 59:11); for the righteousness he possesses, he possesses in Him, and the righteousness he looks for, he looks for in Him. That this is not in vain, his previous experience assures him: Thou hast made a breadth (space) for me when in a strait. In connection with this confirmatory relation of בּצּר הרהבתּ לּי it is more probable that we have before us an attributive clause (Hitz.), than that we have an independent one, and at any rate it is a retrospective clause.…”