(This is the second of a few posts on Psalm 4, written as a followup to Oscar Hammerstein and reading the Bible)

1. Some people think that because Psalm 4 follows Psalm 3, it was written at the same time. If so, then David is a king in a coup, kicked out of the capital by his son. If so, then maybe these words are his: How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?

2. (I’m sorry if you are new here or if you didn’t read yesterday’s post. We started talking about Psalm 4 and I was wondering who wrote the words I just quoted.)

3. But what if these sentences aren’t from David talking to the people around the traitor Absalom. What if it is God talking? What if he’s talking to people like you and me?

4. But how would you do that? How would you give words to someone like David to write? Unless, of course, you were having a conversation with him, and he was taking notes.

5. Dear readers. Are you still with me or have I hopelessly confused you? My guess is that unless you are reading this before your first cup of coffee, you are with me.  You know that paragraph 1 is to a general audience, 2 is to people who meet a special condition, 3 is back to a general audience and 4 is to God.

That’s how Psalm 4 is written, switching audiences, requiring attention.

By the way, I didn’t write 4  just as an example. It is an explanation.  I think that this poem/prayer reflects  a conversation. David talks to God and says, “are you listening?” God talks to David – and all of us who look delude ourselves, who go searching for gods – and says, “are you really talking to me?”

It’s a good question. It takes reflection. That’s why David writes “selah” here. It’s a word for a pause.

Selah.