We don't know exactly what trial David was suffering.

2. We don't know exactly what trial David was suffering.

3. We don't know exactly what trial David was suffering. • Many believe it may have been when David fled from Absalom.

4. We don't know exactly what trial David was suffering. • Many believe it may have been when David fled from Absalom. • Psalm 3 does speak about David's flight from Absalom & there are many similarities between these two Psalms.

5. The placement of Psalm 4 is quite informative.

6. The placement of Psalm 4 is quite informative. • We have no idea who put the Psalms in their present order.

7. The placement of Psalm 4 is quite informative. • We have no idea who put the Psalms in their present order. • David wrote many Psalms, but he didn't write them all.

8. The placement of Psalm 4 is quite informative. • We have no idea who put the Psalms in their present order. • David wrote many Psalms, but he didn't write them all. • Psalm 137 was written during the Babylonian Captivity, well after David's death.

9. The placement of Psalm 4 is quite informative. • Putting Psalms 3 & 4 together informs us much about following God.

10. The placement of Psalm 4 is quite informative. • Putting Psalms 3 & 4 together informs us much about following God. • Psalm 3 praises God in the morning.

11. The placement of Psalm 4 is quite informative. • Putting Psalms 3 & 4 together informs us much about following God. • Psalm 3 praises God in the morning: "I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the LORD sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around" (vv 5-6, ESV).

12. The placement of Psalm 4 is quite informative. • Putting Psalms 3 & 4 together informs us much about following God. • Psalm 3 praises God in the morning: (vv 5-6). • Psalm 4 praises God in the evening.

13. The placement of Psalm 4 is quite informative. • Putting Psalms 3 & 4 together informs us much about following God. • Psalm 3 praises God in the morning: (vv 5-6). • Psalm 4 praises God in the evening: "In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety" (v 8, ESV).

14. Our days needs to be "wrapped" in prayer from beginning to end.

15. Psalm 4 presents God as THE GUARDIAN.

16. Psalm 4

17. God isA PERSISTENT GUARDIAN v 1

18. "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" (v 1, ESV).

19. God is David's righteousness.

20. God is David's righteousness. • In other words, God is faithful.

21. God is David's righteousness. • In other words, God is faithful—because God is faithful, he will keep his promises to help David.

22. When David went to fight Goliath, he told Saul, "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine" (1 Sm 17:37, ESV).

23. That makes no sense!

24. That makes no sense! Being delivered from a bear & lion is one thing, but being delivered from a giant is something else entirely!

25. Why would David be so confident?

26. David has already been anointed king.

27. David has already been anointed king. • After Samuel anointed David, we read, "And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward" (1 Sm 16:13, ESV).

28. David has already been anointed king. • After Samuel anointed David, we read, "And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward" (1 Sm 16:13, ESV). • Is it too much to think that the LORD had promised to bless David richly and, therefore, David knew he had nothing to fear from that uncircumcised Philistine?

29. David has already been anointed king. • After Samuel anointed David, we read, "And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward" (1 Sm 16:13, ESV). • Is it too much to think that the LORD had promised to bless David richly and, therefore, David knew he had nothing to fear from that uncircumcised Philistine? • "I will give you rest from all your enemies" (2 Sm 7:11, ESV).

30. The Lord had given David relief when he was in distress.

31. The Lord had given David relief when he was in distress. • Over & over & over, God had blessed David when he was faced with enemies.

32. The Lord had given David relief when he was in distress. • Over & over & over, God had blessed David when he was faced with enemies. • David, therefore, knew that God would provide that deliverance again.

33. David presents God as a PERSISTENT GUARDIAN-One who has promised deliverance & has provided it in the past.

34. David presents God as a PERSISTENT GUARDIAN-One who has promised deliverance & has provided it in the past. • God has promised that whatever Satan throws our way, he will be our Guardian.

35. The Hebrew Christians were facing multiple problems-persecution, losing their possessions, backsliding.

36. The Hebrew Christians were facing multiple problems-persecution, losing their possessions, backsliding. "He has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'" (Heb 13:5-6, ESV).

37. The Hebrew Christians were facing multiple problems-persecution, losing their possessions, backsliding. "He has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'" (Heb 13:5-6, ESV). • That the Lord will never leave us demonstrates that he is our PERSISTENT GUARDIAN.

38. God isA PERCEIVING GUARDIAN v 3

39. Throughout this Psalm, David is confronting the leading men of Israel.

40. Throughout this Psalm, David is confronting the leading men of Israel. • The Hebrew "sons of men" (v 2) makes this clear.

41. Throughout this Psalm, David is confronting the leading men of Israel. • The Hebrew "sons of men" (v 2) makes this clear. • Holman Christian Standard Bible: "How long, exalted men, will my honor be insulted?" • "You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound" (v 7, ESV)

42. To these leading men, David says, "But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him" (v 3, ESV).

43. What does David mean by saying that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself?

44. What does David mean by saying that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself? • David could simply mean that whoever is godly has been set apart for God.

45. What does David mean by saying that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself? • David could simply mean that whoever is godly has been set apart for God. • I'm more inclined to think that David speaks of himself here as God's anointed king. • "O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies?" (v 2, ESV).

46. What does David mean by saying that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself? • David could simply mean that whoever is godly has been set apart for God. • I'm more inclined to think that David speaks of himself here as God's anointed king. • "O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies?" (v 2, ESV). • The leading men of Israel apparently want to depose David as king.

47. Such would certainly fit with this Psalm's coming from the time of Absalom.

48. Such would certainly fit with this Psalm's coming from the time of Absalom. • "Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel" (2 Sm 15:6, ESV).

49. Such would certainly fit with this Psalm's coming from the time of Absalom. • "Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel" (2 Sm 15:6, ESV). • After Absalom had the men of Israel behind him, he conspired to take the throne of his father.

50. David, because the LORD anointed him as king, had been sanctified-set apart-for God.