Psalms 4:4-5

Context

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

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

4:5 Offer the prescribed sacrifices³

and trust in the Lord!⁴

[4:4] ¹sn The psalmist warns his enemies that they need to tremble with fear before God and repudiate their sinful ways.

[4:4] ²tn 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.”

[4:5] ³tn Or “proper, right.” The phrase also occurs in Deut 33:19 and Ps 51:19.

[4:5] ⁴sn Trust in the Lord. The psalmist urges his enemies to make peace with God and become his followers.