What Does Psalms 4:2 Mean?

(2)**Sons of men.**—A literal rendering of a Hebrew phrase generally interpreted as “men of high degree.” Luther translates “gentlemen” (see Psalm 49:2), where it is “high,” as contrasted with “low.” (Comp. Psalm 62:9, “men of high degree.”) **How long?**—Literally, *how long to shame my glory? *which, after the analogy of Psalm 37:26, “his seed is for a blessing,” must mean *How long shall my glory be for shame *(*opprobrio*)*? *The LXX. and Vulg. follow a different and probably correct reading: “How long will ye be heavy (or slow) of heart? “They also indicate that an interrogative has dropped out before the second clause, so that it is rightly supplied by the Authorised Version. **Seek after.**—In Hebrew the intensive conjugation, *to seek earnestly, *or *again and again.* **Leasing**—*i.e.*, *lying. *(Comp. Psalm 4:6.) So in Wycliffe’s New Testament: “Whanne he speketh leesing, he speketh of his own; for he is a lere, and is fader of it” (John 8:44). “Lesyngmongers” (1Timothy 1:10). Chaucer uses the word; and it is common in *Piers Ploughman. *Shakespeare also knows the word:— “Now Mercury indue thee with leasing, For thou speakest well of fools.”—*Twelfth Night.* (See *Bible Educator, *iv. 3,) Milton’s translation is— “To love, to seek, to prize Things false and vain, and nothing else but lies.” For “Selah,” see Note, Psalm 3:2. From this verse we gather that the report of the calumny uttered against him in Jerusalem had reached the king’s ears.