Bible Study: Psalms 4, 5 and 6

Psalms 4 ESV

Answer Me When I Call

1 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!
 2 O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame?
 How long will you love vain words and seek after lies?
Selah
3 But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself;
the LORD hears when I call to him.
4 Be angry, and do not sin;
ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.
Selah
5 Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the LORD.
6 There are many who say, "Who will show us some good?
Lift up the light of your face upon us, O LORD!"
7 You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.
 8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

     Was written for stringed instruments by David. This is a song asking for relief from troubles. The song is not a demanding of Gods attention, but a plea for to God for his blessings and an end to trouble. Most likely also written during Davids troubles with Absalom. Just anger is good, and can spur to positive action, as long as does not lead to the sins of bitterness or rash action. The Psalm begins with a cry for justice, but ends with the Lord giving peace in verses 5-8.

Psalms 5 ESV

Lead Me in Your Righteousness

1 Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning.
2 Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray.
3 O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice;
the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.
4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil may not dwell with you.
5 The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.
 6 You destroy those who speak lies;
the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house.
 I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.
8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies;
 make your way straight before me.
 9 For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction;
their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue.
10 Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels;
 because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out,
for they have rebelled against you.
11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
 let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
12 For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield.

     Written for the flute. This Psalm is a plead for aid and comfort against enemies. Similar in content to Psalms 3, this was written by David, thought when he wrote it is unknown. As with many Psalms it begins downtrodden and troubled, and ends with a hopeful note and praise to the Lord.

Psalms 6 ESV

O Lord, Deliver My Life

1 O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath.
 2 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing; heal me,
 O LORD, for my bones are troubled.
 3 My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O LORD--how long?
4 Turn, O LORD, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love.
 5 For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise?
 6 I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.
7 My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows weak because of all my foes.
8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping.
 9 The LORD has heard my plea; the LORD accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled;
they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.

     One of what is considered the penitential Psalms (Psalms  6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143) was written by David after his transgression with Bathsheba, admitting his wrong and asking for Gods forgiveness. The afterlife in the Old testament is often seen portrayed as divided in 2 parts, Sheol and Abraham's Bosom, Both a part of an underworld generally referred to as Sheol. David is more concerned with Gods forgiveness now, rather than anything that will happen in the afterlife. We see here the repentant heart of a true believer and Lover of God who has sinned.