Like any good hymnal, the Psalter has a wide variety of selections.
For the sorrowful, there are laments; for the joyful, hymns of
thanksgiving and praise. There
are psalms for specific feasts and psalms for any season.
There are psalms for the morning and psalms for the nighttime.
Psalm 4 is a psalm for the night.
In ancient usage, when faced with trial and tribulation, devout Jews
would pass the night in the
The Gospels show Jesus praying in the night and through the night.
In the
With his great desire to follow Christ in all things, St. Francis of
It is ironic that the ones who have closed their hearts to God are often the
first to ask:
What can bring us happiness?
Francis knew the answer, for he had let
the light of God’s face shine on him
and in him.
Striving to be open to the Lord and His way of working, the Seraphic Father
was ready to receive
into his heart the greater joy, the joy which is the fruit of the
Holy Spirit, the joy which God alone can give and which no one can take
away.
Psalm 4
“What can
bring us happiness?”
many say.
Let the light of your face
shine on us, O Lord.
Fear Him, do not sin:
ponder on your bed and be still.
Make justice
your
sacrifice
and trust in
the Lord.
I will lie
down in peace
and sleep
comes at once,
for You
alone, Lord,
make me dwell in safety.
You have put
into my heart
a greater
joy
than they
have
from
abundance of corn
and new
wine.
It is the
Lord who grants favors
to those
whom He loves;
the Lord hears me
whenever I
call Him.
O men, how
long
will your
hearts be closed,
will you
love what is futile
and seek
what is false?
When I call,
answer me,
O God of
justice;
from anguish
You released me;
have mercy
and hear me!