Chapter 4

1. Unto the end, in Psalms. An ode of David.
2. In [the time] that I called didst thou hear me, O God of my righteousness: thou didst enlarge me [when I was] in distress; have compassion upon me, and hear my prayer.
3. O ye sons of men, how long will ye be hard of heart? wherefore love ye vanity, and seek ye after falsehood? (Selah.)
4. But know that the LORD made wondrous his pious one: the LORD will hear me when I cry unto him.
5. Be ye angry, and sin not: for that which ye say in your hearts, upon your beds feel compunction. (Selah.)
6. Offer a sacrifice of righteousness, and hope ye in the LORD.
7. There be many that say, Who will shew good things to us? LORD, the light of thy countenance was signed upon us.
8. Thou didst put gladness in my heart: from the fruit of their wheat, wine, and oil were they satisfied.
9. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou alone, O LORD, madest me dwell in hope.

Commentary:

• v. 2: There are many variant readings, and all are somewhat obscure. We follow the Greek Orthodox Synodal text.
• v. 3, "Hard of heart": Barycardioi, literally "heavy hearted".
• v. 5, "Feel compunction": Katanygete, that is, "be pricked with pangs of conscience".
• v. 7, "Signed": Esemeiothe.
• v. 8, "Satisfied": So Brenton understands eplethynthesan. But the Holy Transfiguration Monastery translation reads "multiplied". The active form of the verb means "to make full", "to multiply", or (in grammar) "to pluralise".
• v. 9, "Both": Epi to auto, meaning "in sum" (see the note on Psalm 2:2) and agreeing with the Masoretic text. But others translate the phrase with some variant of "upon the same [place]".

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Have mercy, O Lord, upon Thy servants the scribe John, the priest John, and the parish of Saint Andrew in Lubbock.