Psalms 4:4

4:4 Tremble with fear and do not sin! 1 

Meditate as you lie in bed, and repent of your ways! 2  (Selah)

Psalms 27:8

27:8 My heart tells me to pray to you, 3 

and I do pray to you, O Lord. 4 

1 sn The psalmist warns his enemies that they need to tremble with fear before God and repudiate their sinful ways.

2 tn Heb “say in your heart(s) on your bed(s) and wail/lament.” The verb דֹמּוּ (dommu) is understood as a form of דָמָם (“wail, lament”) in sorrow and repentance. Another option is to take the verb from II דָמָם (damam, “be quiet”); cf. NIV, NRSV “be silent.”

3 tc Heb “concerning you my heart says, ‘Seek my face.’” The verb form “seek” is plural, but this makes no sense here, for the psalmist is addressed. The verb should be emended to a singular form. The first person pronominal suffix on “face” also makes little sense, unless it is the voice of the Lord he hears. His “heart” is viewed as speaking, however, so it is better to emend the form to פָּנָיו (panayv, “his face”).

4 tn Heb “your face, O Lord, I seek.” To “seek the Lord’s face” means to seek his favor through prayer (see 2 Sam 21:1; Pss 24:6; 105:4).