Tillet S. Teddlie wrote a hymn entitled “Hear Me When I Call,” inspired by Psalm 4:1.
“Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer” (Psa. 4:1).
I am not sure why the song leaves out the “of” because it totally changes the meaning of the verse—unless it was done deliberately with a view to imputed righteousness. That far back in the history of the Lord’s church, I would not think so.
I used to know what the little “sideways parenthesis” was to indicate two notes tied together—a tie. Is that it? Could that not be used to tie the note for ‘God’ + ‘of’ or perhaps use ‘of’ + ‘my’ together and make the meter move along naturally?
HEAR ME WHEN I CALL
Hear me when I call, O God, my righteousness,
Unto Thee I come in weakness and distress;
Hold my trembling hand, lest helpless I should fall,
O hear me, Lord, hear me, O hear me when I call!
Hear my cry, O God, attend unto my prayer,
More and more I need Thy mercy and Thy care;
Clouds of doubt arise and faith grows weak and small,
O hear me, Lord, hear me, O hear me when I call!
Hear my voice, O God, and cleanse my soul within,
Mercy do I need for all my doubts and sin;
Only in thy grace I trust my all and all,
O hear me, Lord, hear me, O hear me when I call!
Hear my prayer, O God, I need thy cleansing power,
Let me feel Thee near each moment of each hour;
Hold my trembling hand, lest helpless I should fall,
O hear me, Lord, hear me, O hear me when I call!
Hymn aside, there is a really good lesson in Psalm 4:1-8. Allow me to separate the parts and point out the prayer requests King David made to God.
To the chief Musician on Neg’-i-noth, A Psalm of David.
1.Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness
Psalms 11:7
Psalms 24:5
Psalms 41:12
Isaiah 45:24
Jeremiah 23:6
1 Corinthians 1:30
2 Corinthians 5:20-21
thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress;
1 Samuel 17:37
1 Samuel 19:11-12
1 Samuel 23:26-28
Psalms 18:18-19
Psalms 31:8
Psalms 40:1-3
Psalms 116:6
Psalms 116:16
2 Corinthians 1:8
2 Corinthians 1:10
have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer
Exodus 34:6-7
Psalms 56:1
Psalms 57:1
Psalms 86:3-5
Psalms 119:76-77
Psalms 119:132
Psalms 143:2
2 O ye sons of men,
Psalms 57:4
Psalms 58:1
Ecclesiastes 8:11
Ecclesiastes 9:3
how long will ye turn
Exodus 10:3
Numbers 14:11
Psalms 72:2
Proverbs 1:22
my glory into shame?
Psalms 3:3
Psalms 14:6
Psalms 106:20
Isaiah 20:5
Isaiah 45:17
Jeremiah 2:11
Hosea 4:7
1 Corinthians 1:31
how long will ye love vanity,
1 Samuel 12:21
Psalms 2:1
Psalms 5:6
Psalms 58:3
Psalms 63:11
Isaiah 59:4
Jeremiah 2:5
Jeremiah 9:3
Jonah 2:8
Ephesians 4:25
and seek after leasing? Selah.
Psalms 5:6
OT:3577 bz*K* kazab (kaw-zawb’); from OT:3576; falsehood; literally (untruth) or figuratively (idol): KJV – deceitful, false, leasing, + liar, lie, lying.
3 But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly
Exodus 33:16
Ephesians 2:10
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14
2 Timothy 2
1 Peter 2:9
2 Peter 2:9
for himself:
Titus 2:14
the Lord will hear when I call unto him.
Psalms 34:15
Psalms 55:16-17
Psalms 56:9
Psalms 91:14-15
John 15:16
4 Stand in awe,
Psalms 2:11
Psalms 33:8
Psalms 119:161
Jeremiah 5:22
and sin not:
Job 28:28
Proverbs 3:7
Proverbs 16:6
Proverbs 16:17
Ephesians 4:26
commune with your own heart upon your bed,
Psalms 63:6
Psalms 77:6
and be still. Selah.
Psalms 46:10
Habakkuk 2:20
Psalms 3:2
5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,
Deuteronomy 33:19
2 Samuel 15:12
Psalms 50:14
Psalms 51:19
Isaiah 1:11-18
Isaiah 61:8
Malachi 1:8
Malachi 1:11-14
Matthew 5:23-24
Hebrews 13:15-16
and put your trust in the Lord .
Psalms 2:12
Psalms 26:1
Psalms 37:3
Psalms 62:8
Psalms 84:11-12
Isaiah 26:3-4
Isaiah 50:10
1 Peter 4:19
6 There be many that say,
Psalms 39:6
Psalms 49:16
Psalms 49:20
Ecclesiastes 2:3-26
Isaiah 55:2
Luke 12:19
Luke 16:19
James 4:13
James 5:1-5
Who will shew us any good? (“good” + “evil” in NT = 32 more verses).
Psalm 106:4-5
Ecclesiastes 3:13
Ecclesiastes 9:2
Hebrews 5:14
Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
Numbers 6:26
Psalms 21:6
Psalms 42:5
Psalms 44:3
Psalms 67:1
Psalms 80:1-3
Psalms 80:7
Psalms 80:19
Psalms 89:15
Psalms 119:135
7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart,
Psalms 37:4
Psalms 43:4
Psalms 63:2-5
Psalms 92:4
Song of Solomon 1:4
1 Peter 1:8
more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
Judges 9:27
Isaiah 9:3
Jeremiah 48:33
8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep:
Job 11:18-19
Psalms 3:5
Psalms 16:8
Proverbs 3:24
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
1 Thessalonians 5:10
Revelation 14:13
for thou, Lord,
Leviticus 25:18-19
Leviticus 26:5
Deuteronomy 12:10
Deuteronomy 33:27-29
Ezekiel 34:25
Hosea 2:18
Romans 8:35-39
only makest me dwell in safety.
Job 11:18-19
Psalms 3:5
Psalms 16:8
Proverbs 3:24
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
1 Thessalonians 5:10
Revelation 14:13
—Beth Johnson