When Others Criticize You: Counsel from the Fourth Psalm
Posted by Isaac Butterworth | Filed under Psalms
It is likely that King David wrote Psalm 4 when he was undergoing a great deal of criticism. There may have been a downturn in the economy because of a drought, which, of course, would have impacted farmers and growers. We may infer this from the reference in verse 7 to “grain and wine” in abundance, a condition of better times. How do people react in such circumstances? We often look for someone else to blame.
And, of course, we often look to our leaders. It seems that David, as the king, was watching his “honor…turned into shame” by the “vain words” and “lies” of his detractors (v. 2). But they did not limit their assaults to the king. They even blamed God. You can see this in verse 6, where David tells us “there are many who say, ‘Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O LORD!’”
You and I might think: “Well, at least they were praying!” But a closer look will tell you that their prayers exposed a sullen spirit. They loved the gift more than the Giver, and what their presumption revealed was not dependence upon God but, rather, a demand of God. It is in this context that David says to the Lord, “You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound” (v. 7).
Whether it’s feast or famine with us, whether we are enjoying plenty or enduring scarcity, our delight is to be found in God, not in circumstances. And if he is the source of our joy, we are less likely to find fault and criticize when the situation is less than pleasant.
But we are not immune to criticism. Even when our hearts are set on God, there may be those who will point the finger of blame at us. What do we do at such times?
In this Psalm, David gives us five strategies for coping with others’ faultfinding. Here they are:
- First, we are to remind ourselves of God’s past mercies. In David’s prayer in verse 1, he spoke of a time in the past when God had come to his aid. He said, “You have given me relief when I was in distress.” We must not allow the disapproval of others to cause us to have spiritual amnesia. No matter how severe the current circumstance, we may look back to other times when God has helped us.
- Second, we are to pray. Much of Psalm 4 is made up of David’s address to God. He wrote in verse 1, speaking to God, “Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.” And in verse 3, he reminded those who caviled against him, “Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him.” God is the first One to whom we should turn when others attack us, and we are wise to believe that He hears us when we pray.
- Third, we are to examine our own hearts. This was the counsel David gave to his critics, when he said, “Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent” (v. 4). The words “Be angry” could also mean, “Tremble.” No doubt, when we look honestly at our own distorted desires and affections, we may shudder a bit. While David addressed these words to others, we would do well to follow his advice even when others lie about us. We need to make sure our hearts are right. Recall the words of the Apostle Peter, who wrote, “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” (1 Pet. 2:12). Good deeds come from good hearts. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”
- Fourth, we are to do what is right. In verse 5, David said to his enemies, “Offer right sacrifices.” Under the New Covenant, a right sacrifice for us is “a living sacrifice.” That’s what Paul said in Romans 12:1: “I appeal to you therefore…by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice.” Earlier in Romans, he wrote: “Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as instruments for righteousness” (Rom. 6:13).
- Finally, we are to trust God. David said it quite simply in verse 5, where he wrote: “Put your trust in the LORD.” He also showed his own trust in God when he said in verse 8, “In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
In the end, it is the God in whom we put our faith who sustains us. The Scriptures tell us that “whatever does not proceed from faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23). The reason for this is: If we are not trusting God, we are trusting something else. And to put our confidence in anything else is idolatry. When people are lying about us and blaming us for their unhappiness, we need to turn immediately to God. Otherwise, we are likely to retaliate by returning blame. And when we do that, we see our souls spiral downward. That is why Jesus said, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven…” (Matt. 5:11f.). It takes faith to trust that your suffering will be rewarded later.
This does not mean that we do not speak truth. David certainly did. He called his critics out and exposed their lies. But his trust was in God, and it was to God that he looked for peace – not to circumstance. Let’s remember David’s counsel when we find ourselves to be the target of others’ shaming and blaming rhetoric.
A Prayer
Heavenly Father, I am a sinner. I have no righteousness of my own. But you are the God of my righteousness. I have your acceptance because Christ paid for my sins by his sacrificial death, and I have your approval because Christ provided the righteousness required of me by his sinless life.
When others lie about me or blame me for their unhappiness, help me to remember that I am yours. You have set me apart, along with all your other children, and you hear us when we call.
Help me always to ponder my own heart in silence, to remember that I am a beneficiary of grace, and to put my trust in you alone. You are the source of my joy, and I take greater pleasure in knowing you, the Giver, than in having the gifts you give. Thank you for the peace I have, knowing that, even in my sleep, you secure my safety. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Photo Credit: Chimneys – Casa Mila – Gaudi by Shaun Dunmall
