Psalm 4 2

Psalm 4:2 kjv

O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.

Psalm 4:2 nkjv

How long, O you sons of men, Will you turn my glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness And seek falsehood? Selah

Psalm 4:2 niv

How long will you people turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods

Psalm 4:2 esv

O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah

Psalm 4:2 nlt

How long will you people ruin my reputation?
How long will you make groundless accusations?
How long will you continue your lies? Interlude

Psalm 4 verses

Psalm 4 2 Meaning

Psalm 4:2 expresses the psalmist's deep lament and direct appeal to those who oppose him, and by extension, God's anointed king. It interrogates their motives, highlighting their rejection of true divine glory in favor of empty, worthless pursuits and deceptive idols or worldly alliances. The verse conveys exasperation and an urgent plea for introspection, asking "how long" they will persist in dishonoring the true God and pursuing that which is ultimately futile and false.

Psalm 4 2 Context

Psalm 4 is a lament and prayer of trust delivered by David, likely facing opposition and distress. It contrasts the tranquil trust of the psalmist in God with the restless, vain pursuits of his adversaries, possibly his political enemies or those within his own kingdom who doubt God's anointing upon him. The verse immediately follows David's direct appeal to God in Pss 4:1 for a hearing and deliverance. Pss 4:2 then directly addresses the "sons of men," reflecting exasperation and a challenge to their foolishness, preparing for a contrast with the blessings found in God's presence later in the Psalm. Historically, this could refer to Absalom's rebellion (2 Sam 15-18) or any period of opposition when David's authority, given by God, was challenged by those trusting in worldly schemes or false gods. It speaks to a polemic against reliance on human strength, popular opinion, or idolatry which yields no ultimate gain, in contrast to reliance on YHWH.

Psalm 4 2 Word analysis

• O you sons of men (בְּנֵי־אִישׁ - Bene Ish):

  • Word Level: Bene (sons of), Ish (man, often signifying an important or distinguished man, though here likely refers to mankind in general).
  • Significance: A general address to humanity, specifically to the people or adversaries who oppose God's plan or king. It highlights their status as mere mortals, contrasting with the Divine whom they are dishonoring. The term emphasizes a universal human tendency to choose wrong paths.

• How long (עַד־אָנָה - Ad Anah):

  • Word Level: Ad (until, how long), Anah (where, indicating place, but used idiomatically for duration here).
  • Significance: An exclamation of weariness, impatience, and urgent plea. It conveys a deep longing for a situation to change, expressing the psalmist's distress and also the perceived duration of the adversaries' folly. It suggests a time for their misguided actions to cease. This "how long" is a lamenting cry.

• will you turn (תַּהְפְּכוּן - Tahpekhun):

  • Word Level: From Hapakh (to turn, overthrow, transform, change). Here in the Piel imperfect, indicating a sustained or deliberate action.
  • Significance: Implies a willful and active distortion or reversal. They are intentionally converting or twisting something of great value (glory) into something despicable (shame). It's not an accidental error but a directed, active process of corruption.

• my glory (כְבוֹדִי - Kevodi):

  • Word Level: Kavod (glory, honor, weight, splendor, reputation). The suffix -i means "my".
  • Significance: This "glory" can be interpreted in two interconnected ways:
    1. God's glory: The intrinsic honor, majesty, and character of YHWH. The adversaries' actions effectively blaspheme God and disrespect His divine sovereignty.
    2. David's God-given glory: His kingship, honor, or reputation as God's anointed, reflecting God's own glory upon him. The adversaries' attacks are an assault on divine authority established through David. The actions of the people were an affront to both the king and God who established him.

• into shame (לִכְלִמָּה - Liklimmah):

  • Word Level: Li- (into, for), Klimmah (shame, disgrace, dishonor, humiliation, confusion).
  • Significance: The direct result of their actions. They are bringing dishonor and disrepute to what should be honored. This "shame" contrasts sharply with Kavod (glory/honor), showing a perverse reversal of values. Their pursuit is ultimately self-defeating and results in their own degradation.

• will you love (תֶּאֱהָבוּן - Te'ehavun):

  • Word Level: From Ahav (to love, like, desire deeply). In the Qal imperfect.
  • Significance: Points to a deep, intentional affection and attachment. It's not just a momentary error but a settled inclination of the heart. They are devoted to this wrong path, indicating a profound spiritual misplaced affection.

• futility (רִיק - Riyq):

  • Word Level: Emptiness, vanity, worthlessness, nothingness, emptiness of resources. Often connected with hevel (Ecclesiastes), implying meaninglessness.
  • Significance: Denotes the utter lack of substance or lasting value in their pursuits. Whatever they seek – be it false gods, worldly power, or personal gain – it is ultimately hollow and offers no true fulfillment. This often relates to idolatry or materialism, which provide only transient satisfaction.

• and seek after (תְבַקְשׁוּ - Tevaqshun):

  • Word Level: From Bakash (to seek, require, demand, pursue). In the Piel imperfect.
  • Significance: Implies active, deliberate searching, pursuing with intensity and purpose. This is a conscious decision to go after something.

• falsehood (כָזָב - Kazav):

  • Word Level: Lie, deception, fraud, delusion, what proves to be unreliable or untrue, a failure.
  • Significance: Refers to untruth, especially in a moral and spiritual sense. This can apply to idolatry (worshiping what is not truly God), reliance on deceptive strategies, or trust in unreliable human promises/power instead of divine truth. It's the opposite of emet (truth, faithfulness). It highlights the fundamental error in their perception of reality.

• Selah (סֶלָה - Selah):

  • Significance: A technical musical or liturgical term. Often understood as a pause for reflection, contemplation, or a musical interlude (perhaps a crescendo). It cues the listener/reader to reflect on the weight and truth of the preceding words, reinforcing the profound seriousness of the psalmist's rhetorical questions.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "How long will you turn my glory into shame?": This phrase underscores the active rebellion and desecration. It's an indictment of those who not only reject divine truth but actively defame it. The juxtaposition of "glory" and "shame" highlights the moral inversion at play, echoing divine wrath against those who pervert justice or true worship (e.g., Exod 20:7, Pss 74:10).
  • "How long will you love futility and seek after falsehood?": These two parallel clauses form a poetic couplet, intensifying the accusation. "Love futility" describes the inner affection and commitment to what is empty, while "seek after falsehood" describes the active outward pursuit of what is deceptive. Together, they depict a deliberate choice and deep attachment to all that is opposed to God's reality and truth, emphasizing the spiritual blindness and moral depravity of the adversaries. This is a profound contrast to loving God and seeking righteousness.

Psalm 4 2 Bonus section

The "sons of men" often contrast with "sons of God" (Ps 29:1, Job 1:6) or a direct reference to YHWH's authority over human rulers. Here, it addresses humanity in general, particularly those with misplaced affections, highlighting a universal human struggle against divine wisdom. The Kavod (glory) in the verse resonates with the concept of God's presence as manifest glory (e.g., in the Temple, Exod 40:34), emphasizing the blasphemous nature of diminishing His name or truth. This psalm as an "evening prayer" adds weight to the introspection—a time when one might reflect on the day's actions and choose between righteous trust and vain pursuits before the darkness. It also sets up the thematic call to repentance and turning towards God found in subsequent verses.

Psalm 4 2 Commentary

Psalm 4:2 presents a searing indictment and rhetorical question from the psalmist, lamenting the persistent rebellion of those who dishonor God and His anointed. It contrasts the weighty, enduring glory of the true God with the emptiness (riq) and deceit (kazav) of the things chosen by humanity. The "how long" expresses a sense of prophetic urgency and spiritual exasperation at their deep-seated affection for the temporal and deceptive. This verse encapsulates the foundational human choice between devotion to the sacred, authentic truth of God and the futile, illusory promises of the world or false idols. Their actions not only disgrace God's manifest presence or the honor He bestows, but also reflect their spiritual blindness, prioritizing what is hollow and false over what brings true life and lasting honor.