THE SACRIFICES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

In this psalm, David is still in distress, and the subject matter seems to follow on immediately from Psalm 3. This had been a morning hymn, since the psalmist looked back to a night passed with secure sleep, 3. 5. But Psalm 4 is an evening hymn, since in verse 8 he contemplates that the sleep of the coming night will be in safety. So there is a progression in experience between the two psalms, separated perhaps only by the daylight hours of one day in his flight from Absalom.

David was now at some distance from Jerusalem and the ark just returned to mount Zion. Yet guidance was more than ever necessary. The priest may carry the Urim and Thummim that would show God’s mind for guidance, Exod. 28. 30; Num. 27. 21; 1 Sam. 28. 6; 30. 7, 8. But this was of no use for one far from Jerusalem, so David relied solely upon God lifting up the light of His face upon him, Psa. 4. 6.

David must have known the reason for his trouble, yet in Psalm 51 he had deeply repented, followed in Psalm 32. 2 that the Lord “imputeth not iniquity” to those whom He has forgiven. Hence David recognized that he was “godly”, set apart by the Lord for Himself, 4. 3. Being at a distance from the altar, he could no longer offer burnt offerings and bullocks upon it, 51. 19; he had confessed that the sacrifices of God would be “a broken spirit”, v. 17. He knew that God would “be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness”, v. 19. Hence David, in his flight, put this into practice, saying “Offer the sacrifices of righteousness”, 4. 5. Only one to whom righteousness has been imputed by faith can offer such sacrifices; see Romans 4. 5-8.

In the Christian’s experience there are other sacrifices that bring pleasure to the Lord. The gifts sent to Paul were “an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God”, Phil. 4. 18; Paul regarded himself as a drink offering poured out on the Philippians’ sacrifice and service of faith, 2. 17; the believer’s walk in love should be a sacrifice to God, as was Christ’s, Eph. 5. 2; the bodies of believers should be “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God”, Rom. 12. 1. These are marks of a true priest.

“With such sacrifices God is well pleased”, Heb. 13. 16.