Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!

You have given me relief when I was in distress.

Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!

Psalm 4:1

David was desperate. I don't know what he was going through but he was desperate. And it seems David wonders: "Will God really hear my prayer? Will God rescue me? Will God come through for me? Does God actually care?"

So David cried out to God: Hear me! Answer me! Rescue me! Have mercy! Hear my prayer!

By verse 3 it seems David has regained confidence that God will hear his prayer:

But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself;

the Lord hears when I call to him. (4:3)

He probably says this as much to himself as to others: "The Lord hears when I call to him. Yes, he does!"

And by the end of the song, verse 8, David rests in God. He has put his trust in God and God has filled David with peace and comfort.

In peace I will both lie down and sleep;

for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. (4:8)

Quite a change from verse 1! David has gone from desperate distress to sleeping peacefully.

At times life will be desperate for us. Overwhelming. Painful. Perhaps life is that way right now.

When desperate times come, cry out to God. Fly to God. Call out to God. Be bold! Be desperate! Be persistent!

Talk to yourself. Shut out the voices of doubt (demonic voices) and remind yourself that God will hear your cry, he will surely hear.

Rest in him. Receive his peace, his comfort. Lie down and sleep in peace, for God, alone, will make you dwell in safety. Safe in the loving arms of God.