Psalmen 4:8

both lay me down, &c.--or, will lie down at once, and sleep in sure confidence and quiet repose (Psa 3:5). Next: Psalms Chapter 5

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep,.... Signifying, that he had such a calmness and serenity of mind, amidst all his troubles, that he could not only lay himself down in great peace, and much composure of mind, but sleep also, and that as soon as laid down almost; some lay themselves down, but cannot sleep, through the anxiety of their minds; but the psalmist could do both: or the word rendered "both" may he translated "together" (u); and the sense be either that he would lie down and sleep together with his friends, committing himself and them to the care and protection of God; or that he should lie down and sleep together with his enemies; meaning that he was assured that there would quickly be a reconciliation and peace between them; see Pro 16:7; for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety; suggesting that his protection and safety were owing to the power and presence of God only; and that was the reason of the tranquillity of his mind, and why he slept so quietly in the night watches, though in such danger from his enemies; or "thou, Lord, makest me only" or "alone" (w), being solitary and destitute of friends, to dwell in safety; finder the shadow of thy wings, encompassed by thy favour, and surrounded by thy power; see Deu 33:28. (u) "simul", Musculus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Gejerus, Cocceius. (w) "me solum", Cocceius; "me seorsim", Gejerus. Next: Psalms Chapter 5

(Heb.: 4:9) Thus then he lies down to sleep, cheerfully and peacefully. The hymn closes as it began with a three line verse. יחדּוּ (lit., in its unions = collectively, Olshausen, 135, c, like כּלּו altogether, בּעתּו at the right time) is by no means unemphatic; nor is it so in Psa 19:10 where it means "all together, without exception." With synonymous verbs it denotes the combination of that which they imply, as Isa 42:14. It is similar in Psa 141:10 where it expresses the coincidence of the fall of his enemies and the escape of the persecuted one. So here: he wishes to go to sleep and also at once he falls asleep (ואישׁן in a likewise cohortative sense = ואישׁנה). His God makes him to dwell in seclusion free of care. לברד is a first definition of condition, and לבטח a second. The former is not, after Deu 32:12, equivalent to לבדּך, an addition which would be without any implied antithesis and consequently meaningless. One must therefore, as is indeed required by the situation, understand לבדד according to Num 23:9; Mic 7:14; Deu 33:28; Jer 49:31. He needs no guards for he is guarded round about by Jahve and kept in safety. The seclusion, בּדד, in which he is, is security, בּטח, because Jahve is near him. Under what a many phases and how sweetly the nature of faith is expressed in this and the foregoing Psalm: his righteousness, exaltation, joy, peace, contentment in God! And how delicately conceived is the rhythm! In the last line the evening hymn itself sinks to rest. The iambics with which it closes are like the last strains of a lullaby which die away softly and as though falling asleep themselves. Dante is right when he says in his Convito, that the sweetness of the music had harmony of the Hebrew Psalter is lost in the Greek and Latin translations.

David was a preacher, a royal preacher, as well as Solomon; many of his psalms are doctrinal and practical as well as devotional; the greatest part of this psalm is so, in which Wisdom cries to men, to the sons of men (as Pro 8:4, Pro 8:5), to receive instruction. The title does not tell us, as that of the former did, that it was penned on any particular occasion, nor are we to think that all the psalms were occasional, though some were, but that many of them were designed in general for the instruction of the people of God, who attended in the courts of his house, the assisting of their devotions, and the directing of their conversations: such a one I take this psalm to be. Let us not make the prophecy of scripture to be of more private interpretation than needs must, Pe2 1:20. Here I. David begins with a short prayer (Psa 4:1) and that prayer preaches. II. He directs his speech to the children of men, and, 1. In God's name reproves them for the dishonour they do to God and the damage they do to their own souls (Psa 4:2). 2. He sets before them the happiness of godly people for their encouragement to be religious (Psa 4:3). 3. He calls upon them to consider their ways (Psa 4:4). III. He exhorts them to serve God and trust in him (Psa 4:5). IV. He gives an account of his own experiences of the grace of God working in him, 1. Enabling him to choose God's favour for his felicity (Psa 4:6). 2. Filling his heart with joy therein (Psa 4:7). 3. Quieting his spirit in the assurance of the divine protection he was under, night and day (Psa 4:8). To the chief musician on Neginoth. A psalm of David.

4:8 Peace comes from God’s blessing and protection (4:6; see 37:11).