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Zion Bread of Life Christian Church

Psalm 4 詩篇 4

Tuesday, 29th August 2023

Rev Daniel Xi An Poon 潘錫安 牧師

We all have the tendency to think back, to remember the past, but it doesn’t mean we should dwell in the past, but from our past, we learn to recognise God in everything we’ve been through. Stop having a victim mindset, stop feeling sorry for ourselves, start seeing God in our past, present, and future. God has led us this far, He is still leading us, there’s always a way out for us, and that’s why we’ve walked this far. Can we recognise God’s blessings in our difficulties and hurt? He has been with us all the way, His grace and mercy are with us, His protection is upon us, and His love has never left us.

我們都有回想過去的傾向，但這並不意味著我們應該沉溺於過去，而是從過去中學會在我們所經歷的一切中認識神。停止有受害者心態，停止為自己感到難過，開始在我們的過去、現在和未來看到神。神已經帶領我們走到了這一步，神仍然在帶領我們，我們總有出路，所以我們才走了這麼遠。我們能否在困難和傷害中認識到神的祝福？祂一直與我們同在，祂的恩典憐憫與我們同在，祂的保守在我們身上，祂的愛從未離開過我們。

We should learn to write down our feelings, to record our ups and downs, then we can start to see how God is leading us bit by bit, step by step, and we can see the light in the darkness. David’s life was shaped to become the great king, God was like his coach, He led David, taught David, and through ups and downs, God never left us. From in the House of his father, being anointed to be by Samuel, to fighting with Goliath, hiding in the cave of Adullam, becoming the king, failing then receiving victory again… God was with David all the way.

我們應該學會寫下自己的感受，記錄下自己的酸甜苦辣，這樣我們就能開始看到神是如何一點一滴、一步一步地帶領我們的，我們才能在黑暗中看到光明。大衛的一生被塑造成偉大的君王，神就像他的教練，帶領大衛、教導大衛，經歷風風雨雨，神從未離開我們。從在父家被撒母耳膏立，到與歌利亞交戰，躲在亞杜蘭洞，成為王，失敗再得勝……神一直與大衛同在。

God is also with us right now, do we give thanks for being able to walk this far? A good marathon athlete will not complain how far and how hard they’ve ran, they will not look back and feel sorry for their tiredness but they will only look forward, towards the rewards that’s ahead. It’s so easy for us to see what we’ve lost, what we are lacking, but these things will not help us to receive eternity, Jesus told us to gather treasure in Heaven, which is to live in the present, enjoy what we have today, and not chasing what’s in the past. When we look back, we will fall into depression, we will worry, and we will not be able to sleep well.

此時此刻神也與我們同在，我們能走到這一步，是否感恩呢？一名優秀的馬拉松運動員不會抱怨自己跑了多遠、有多努力，他們不會回頭看，不會為自己的疲憊感到遺憾，而只會向前看，期待前方的獎勵。我們很容易看到我們失去了什麼，我們缺少什麼，但這些東西並不能幫助我們獲得永恆，耶穌告訴我們要在聚寶在天上，那就是活在當下，享受並活出我們所擁有的今天，而不是追逐過去。當我們回想起來過去的傷害時，我們會陷入抑鬱，我們會擔心，我們會睡不好覺。

David taught us in Psalm 4 to rely on Jehovah without hiding anything from Him. Are we hiding anything? We thought we’ve given up everything to follow God, but have we really? When we met the people who hurt us in the past, when we remember the words that hurt us in the past, how do we feel? God knows our heart, He knows if we’ve really followed Him wholeheartedly.

大衛在詩篇第4篇教導我們要倚靠耶和華，不要向祂隱瞞任何事情。我們有隱藏什麼嗎？我們以為自己已經放棄了一切來跟隨神，但事實真的如此嗎？當我們遇到過去傷害過我們的人，當我們想起過去傷害過我們的話語時，我們的感受如何？神知道我們的心，祂知道我們是否真的全心全意地跟隨。

V1-4 To Set Apart 分別為聖

V1 ‘Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.’ God is righteous, do we believe God is righteous? When we pray, do we still complain about others? If we truely believe God is righteous, then we will not complain, and we will not judge. David knew God was with him all this way, he stopped all the complains and trusted in God’s righteousness. Why do we complain? Why do we point finger to others? Why are we not holding onto God’s hand? Our eyes are looking down, and we cannot see God above us, waiting to hold our hands and waiting to help us. David knew he could rely on God, he knew God would listen to him. David knew God would take him out from the narrow place, to no longer see the pain and sorrow, but to see wider, to see God’s presence.

V1 ‘顯我為義的神啊，我呼籲的時候，求你應允我。我在困苦中，你曾使我寬廣；現在求你憐恤我，聽我的禱告。’ 神是公義的，我們相信神是公義的嗎？當我們禱告的時候，我們還抱怨別人嗎？如果我們真的相信神是公義的，那麼我們就不會抱怨，也不會評判。大衛知道一路走來神都與他同在，他停止了所有的抱怨並相信神的公義。我們為什麼抱怨？我們為什麼要指責別人？為什麼我們不握住神的手呢？我們的眼睛向下看，看不到神在我們上方，等待著握住我們的手，等待著幫助我們。大衛知道他可以依靠神，他知道神會聽他的呼求，會帶他走出狹窄的地方，不再看到痛苦和悲傷，而是看得更寬廣，看到神的同在。

Abraham asked Lot to choose first, because he knew God would not put him to shame, he knew God would lead him and guide him. When we know the righteous God is with us, we will not need to fight for ourselves, we will not need to strive for ourselves, because God will not put us to shame. God will have mercy on us, which means God will listen to our prayers, and He will fight for us. All we need to do is to pour out our heart to Him, simply follow Him.

亞伯拉罕讓羅得先選擇，因為他知道神不會讓他蒙羞，他知道神會帶領他、引導他。當我們知道公義的神與我們同在時，我們就不需要為自己而戰，不需要為自己奮鬥，因為神不會讓我們羞愧。神會憐憫我們，這意味著神會垂聽我們的禱告，祂會為我們爭戰。我們所需要做的就是向祂傾訴我們的心，單單的跟隨祂。

V2 ‘How long, O you sons of men, will you turn my glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood? Selah.’ This is what David did, he poured out his heart to God, he told God everything he was feeling and he was lacking, and he waited, because he knew God will always come to his rescue. We tend to only talked about good things, we want people to see the best of ourselves, and we try to hide our lacking. We are hiding under the fig leaves, we only want people to see the good side of ourselves, but we don’t know our lowest points are our glory. David knew through his weaknesses and his failures, God’s glory would be revealed. David was no longer hiding in the army of the Philistines. When he wrote this psalm, he was already the king of Israel. Are we afraid of how others see us? Are we afraid of people’s opinion of us? This is the orphan mindset, we fear others will reject us. When David chose to walk out of the cave, his low point became his glory.

V2 ‘ 你們這上流人哪，你們將我的尊榮變為羞辱，要到幾時呢？你們喜愛虛妄，尋找虛假，要到幾時呢？（細拉）’ 這就是大衛所做的，他向神傾訴自己的心，他告訴神他所感受到的一切和他所缺乏的一切，他等待，因為他知道神總會來拯救。我們傾向於只談論好的事情，我們希望人們看到最好的自己，並且我們試圖隱藏自己的不足。我們躲在無花果樹葉下，只想讓人們看到自己好的一面，卻不知道自己的最低點正是神顯現在我們生命中的榮耀。大衛知道，通過他的軟弱和失敗，神的榮耀將會彰顯。大衛不再躲在非利士人的軍隊中。當他寫這首詩時，他已經是以色列的王了。我們害怕別人如何看待我們嗎？我們害怕別人對我們的看法嗎？這就是孤兒心態，我們害怕別人會拒絕我們。當大衛選擇走出山洞時，他的低谷變成了他的榮耀。

V3-4 ‘But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly; the Lord will hear when I call to Him. Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah.’ Who are the godly people? Those who set themselves apart and only hold onto God. David knew when he prayed to God, his prayers would be heard. When we become godly people, when we set ourselves apart for God, then we will also experience what David experienced, to be glorified by God. When we give up something in this world, do not think we have lost anything, because God has prepared the best for us. Can we see God’s hands with us all this way? Learn to let go, trust in God, He will lead us a better way.

V3-4 ‘你們要知道，耶和華已經分別虔誠人歸他自己，我求告耶和華，他必聽我。你們應當畏懼，不可犯罪；在床上的時候要心裡思想，並要肅靜。（細拉）’ 誰是敬虔的人？那些將自己分別出來並依靠神的人。大衛知道當他向神禱告時，他的禱告就會蒙垂聽。當我們成為敬虔的人，當我們將自己分別為聖歸給神時，我們就會經歷大衛所經歷的，得到神的榮耀。當我們在這個世界上放棄一些東西時，不要以為我們失去了什麼，因為神已經為我們準備了最好的。一路走來，我們能看到神的雙手與我們同在嗎？學會放手，相信神會帶領我們走更好的路。

V5-8 Rely on Jehovah and Rejoice 倚靠耶和華心裡就快樂

V5-6 ‘Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord. There are many who say, “Who will show us any good?” Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.’ God will draw people to us, when we offer the sacrifices of righteousness, which is to praise God with truth and spirit. When we rely on the Lord, we will lack nothing. But there will be people saying to us, who are benefiting us when we benefiting others? People see the benefits, people follow the blessings, but faith is not by what is seen. David knew he must only seek the light of God, the face of God, and he would not be in darkness anymore.

V5-6 ‘當獻上公義的祭，又當倚靠耶和華。有許多人說：「誰能指示我們什麼好處？」耶和華啊，求你仰起臉來，光照我們！’ 當我們獻上公義的祭，即用真理和心靈來讚美神時，神就會吸引人們來歸向我們。當我們依靠主時，我們就不缺乏什麼。但有人會問我們，當我們利益別人的時候，誰在利益我們？人見利益，人隨福，信卻非所見。大衛知道他必須尋求神的光、神的面，他就不會再在黑暗裡了。

V7-8 ‘You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the season that their grain and wine increased. I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.’ When God’s light come, we will rejoice, we will have gladness in our heart more than those who gathered harvest. Because having a harvest is not eternal, every year the farmers will seek the harvest of grain and wine, they cannot rest. What is our lives? Do we still live in the land of slavery? We thought we have received grain and wine, but true joy is not working hard for this world. When we rely on God, we can rest peacefully, we can dwell in safety.

V7-8 ‘你使我心裡快樂，勝過那豐收五穀、新酒的人。我必安然躺下睡覺，因為獨有你耶和華使我安然居住。’ 當神的光來的時候，我們會歡喜，我們心裡會比那些收割莊稼的人更加喜樂。因為豐收不是永恆的，所以每年農民都會尋求五穀新酒的豐收，不能休息。我們的生活是什麼？我們還生活在為奴為僕之地嗎？我們以為自己得到了豐收五穀新酒，但真正的快樂並不是為了這個世界而努力。當我們依靠神時，我們才能享受安息，我們就能安然居住。

Do we sleep at night and wake up in the morning? This is the principle of God, do not be rebellious, but let our lifestyle honour God. In the day time, we will arise and shine, testify for God, come out of the cave, leave the darkness, and let God’s light shine upon us！

我們晚上睡覺，早上醒來嗎？這是神創造的法則，不要悖逆這個法則，而要讓我們的生活方式榮耀神。到了白天，我們就起來發光，為神作見證，從洞穴裡出來，離開黑暗，讓神的光光照在我們身上！