Psalm 4

Psalm iv. This Psalm affords us another most important principle, the effect of a good conscience in calling upon God in our distress. It is not here a good conacience as justified from sin, but a practically good conscience, giving confidence towards God. If our heart condemn us not, says the apostle, then have we confidence towards God. Hear me when I call, 0 God of my righteousness. He does not say, Justify me, 0 God of my righteousness; but hear me. The soul is in trouble, yet had been enlarged, had had experience of God’s faithful lovingkindness. His glory and honour was from God. How true this was of Christ! Man turned it into shame and sought after vanity. Still it remained unalterably true, in the divine government of Him who cannot deny Himself that He has set apart the godly for Himself. They are thine, says Christ. We are a peculiar people to Himself. Now this is always true, but in walking in godliness we have the present confidence of it, and our eye sees God brightly, and we know then He will hear us. We have not lost the perception of what Ee is ;ii the present moment for us. Our soul is not beclouded, and nothing is so soon clouded as present dependence on and confidence in God. Integrity when there is dependence, gives courage. It is not that God will not hear us from the depths of contrition — but that is another thing. Integrity of heart gives confidence in the day of trouble, because God is seen by the spirit. The eye is then fixed on Him across all the trouble. And so it is here: Commune with your own hear! and be still; worship God in integrity, without fear, and trust in Him. In what is around us, many might say, Where is any good to be found? and discouraged and disheartened, despair of finding any; but in and through all circumstances the light of God’s countenance is the secure and unchangeable good. His favour is better than life. Besides, it secures good. The power of evil is below the power of God. He disposes of it, removes it, turns it to blessing, annuls it as He sees fit. The light of His countenance does this for faith. And the soul rises above evil and rejoices in God. Hence there is more joy than in temporal blessings. They may be taken away: besides, they are not God Himself, and the light of His countenance in trouble is altogether Himself, and gives the secret to the soul of His being for us. Hence he lays down in peace and sleeps — does not disquiet himself in anxious watchfulness against evil, for after all it is God only that secures him in joy or trouble.