PSALM 4
5. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and put your trust in the Lord.
6. There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of Thy countenance upon us.
7. Thou has put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
8. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.
David is on the way to Psalm 16. He is learning the way to pleasures forevermore. The most important part of this psalm I believe is verse 5. We must make the right sacrifice. The Lord was teaching Israel to give Him their hearts and lives. He did not want the blood of animals. He wanted them to serve Him out of love. David knew this.
If we give Him our life, then we are more prone not to sin. He will lead us in paths of righteousness. He wants us to trust Him. And that, at times is a sacrifice for us to do. I used to do so much fasting when my daughter was sick that I came to depend on that way of sacrifice until the Lord showed me to stop fasting and trust Him.
I had gotten very comfortable with my fasting making me holy. So, when I started eating, I felt like I wasn’t doing enough. He kept giving me Psalm 4. I had to put my eyes on Him and trust Him to show me what to eat. And He did.
I learned to trust Him instead of my works. I learned that there are times of fasting and times of trusting. It is the difference between faith and works. I had to learn to rest with my eyes on Him. I had to give Him everything and know He would take care of it all. I could rest and know I was finally truly safe.
When He shines His countenance on us, we are changed. We are in His presence and there is more joy than those around us can know. We can sleep better than ever.
But know that Satan never will stop trying to stop you from being at rest. He will use others to judge you in every way because they do not understand. And that is sad. We do not owe any one an explanation of our walk with God but Him.