436_Satisfied in God Psalm 4 Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! 2 O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah 3 But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him. 4 Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah 5 Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. 6 There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” 7 You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. 8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. What does it mean to be truly satisfied? Most people think it lies in the right circumstances—good health, financial security, harmonious relationships, or success in career or ministry. When something shifts—unmet expectations, sudden chaos, or pain—peace evaporates, and frustration sets in. There was once a painting competition for children based on the theme, “The Beauty of Serenity.” Most children portrayed images of stillness and beauty—a still lake at sunset, a great forest, a garden blooming with flowers, a mother with her sleeping baby in her arms. One drawing stood out. It depicted a sea tossed violently by storm, waves crashing against the jagged cliffs. Nestled in a cleft of the rock, shielded from wind and waves, was a nest on which sat a tiny bird, looking out at the stormy sea and sky and singing. True serenity isn’t never having storms, but experiencing security amidst chaos. It is the joy that sings in the dark. It is the life of the soul satisfied not by the external, but in God who shelters and shields. This is the heart of Psalm 4. David, the man after God’s own heart, finds himself surrounded by trouble. His son Absalom seized the throne, and slept with his father’s wives in a tent pitched in public view, signaling his complete breach with his father. In this, he was following the strategy of Ahithophel, once David’s trusted counselor. Abandoned by friends and allies, David was fleeing Jerusalem, crossing the Jordan, into the wilderness. And still he had to protect and provide for the loyal band who refused to leave him. Yet, instead of a heart overwhelmed by fear and broken by betrayal, the prayer reveals quiet confidence and trustful strength. “Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!” His first response is not panic, but prayer—anchored in who God is and what he has done. He is “the God of my righteousness,” the vindicator. David’s memory brings up the unfailing salvation of God, right from delivering David