TRV
Translation
King James Version
Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
Berean Standard Bible
You have filled my heart with more joy than when grain and new wine abound.
American Standard Version
Thou hast put gladness in my heart, More thanthey havewhen their grain and their new wine are increased.
World English Bible Messianic
You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their grain and their new wine are increased.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Thou hast giuen mee more ioye of heart, then they haue had, when their wheate and their wine did abound.
Young's Literal Translation
Thou hast given joy in my heart, From the time their corn and their wine Have been multiplied.
In the KJVVerse 13,973 of 31,102
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Commentary on Psalms 4 verses 6–8
6 ¶ There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
We have here,
I. The foolish wish of worldly people: There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Who will make us to see good? What good they meant is intimated, Psa 4:7. It was the increase of their corn and wine; all they desired was plenty of the wealth of this world, that they might enjoy abundance of the delights of sense. Thus far they are right, that they are desirous of good and solicitous about it; but there are these things amiss in this wish: - 1. They enquire, in general, "Who will make us happy?" but do not apply themselves to God who alone can; and so they expose themselves to be ill-advised, and show they would rather be beholden to any than to God, for they would willingly live without him. 2. They enquire for good that may be seen, seeming good, sensible good; and they show no concern for the good things that are out of sight and are the objects of faith only. The source of idolatry was a desire of gods that they might see, therefore they worshipped the sun; but, as we must be taught to worship an unseen God, so to seek an unseen good, Co2 4:18. We look with an eye of faith further than we can see with an eye of sense. 3. They enquire for any good, not for the chief good; all they want is outward good, present good, partial good, good meat, good drink, a good trade, and a good estate; and what are all these worth without a good God and a good heart? Any good will serve the turn of most men, but a gracious soul will not be put off so. This way, this wish, of carnal worldlings is their folly, yet many there be that join in it; and their doom will be accordingly. "Son, remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things, the penny thou didst agree for."
II. The wise choice which godly people make. David, and the pious few that adhered to him, dissented from that wish, and joined in this prayer, Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. 1. He disagrees from the vote of the many. God had set him apart for himself by distinguishing favours, and therefore he sets himself apart by a distinguishing character. "They are for any good, for worldly good, but so am not I; I will not say as they say; any good will not serve my turn; the wealth of the world will never make a portion for my soul, and therefore I cannot take up with it." 2. He and his friends agree in their choice of God's favour as their felicity; it is this which in their account is better than life and all the comforts of life. (1.) This is what they most earnestly desire and seek after; this is the breathing of their souls, "Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Most are for other things, but we are for this." Good people, as they are distinguished by their practices, so they are by their prayers, not the length and language of them, but the faith and fervency of them; those whom God has set apart have a prayer by themselves, which, though others may speak the words of it, they only offer up in sincerity; and this is a prayer which they all say Amen to; "Lord, let us have thy favour, and let us know that we have it, and we desire no more; that is enough to make us happy. Lord, be at peace with us, accept of us, manifest thyself to us, let us be satisfied of thy loving-kindness and we will be satisfied with it." Observe, Though David speaks of himself only in the Psa 4:7, he speaks, in this prayer, for others also, - "upon us," as Christ taught us to pray, "Our Father." All the saints come to the throne of grace on the same errand, and in this they are one, they all desire God's favour as their chief good. We should beg it for others as well as for ourselves, for in God's favour there is enough for us all and we shall have never the less for others sharing in what we have. (2.) This is what, above any thing, they rejoice in (Psa 4:7): "Thou hast hereby often put gladness into my heart; not only supported and refreshed me, but filled me with joy unspeakable; and therefore this is what I will still pursue, what I will seek after all the days of my life." When God puts grace in the heart he puts gladness in the heart; nor is any joy comparable to that which gracious souls have in the communications of the divine favour, no, not the joy of harvest, of a plentiful harvest, when the corn and wine increase. This is gladness in the heart, inward, solid, substantial joy. The mirth of worldly people is but a flash, a shadow; even in laughter their heart is sorrowful, Pro 14:13. "Thou hast given gladness in my heart;" so the word is. True joy is God's gift, not as the world giveth, Joh 14:27. The saints have no reason to envy carnal worldlings their mirth and joy, but should pity them rather, for they may know better and will not. (3.) This is what they entirely confide in, and in this confidence they are always easy, Psa 4:8. He had laid himself down and slept (Psa 3:5), and so he will still: "I will lay myself down (having the assurance of thy favour) in peace, and with as much pleasure as those whose corn and wine increase, and who lie down as Boaz did in his threshing-floor, at the end of the heap of corn, to sleep there when his heart was merry (Rut 3:7), for thou only makest me to dwell in safety. Though I am alone, yet I am not alone, for God is with me; though I have no guards to attend me, the Lord alone is sufficient to protect me; he can do it himself when all other defences fail." If he have the light of God's countenance, [1.] He can enjoy himself. His soul returns to God, and reposes itself in him as its rest, and so he lays himself down and sleeps in peace. He has what he would have and is sure that nothing can come amiss to him. [2.] He fears no disturbance from his enemies, sleeps quietly, and is very secure, because God himself has undertaken to keep him safe. When he comes to sleep the sleep of death, and to lie down in the grave, and to make his bed in the darkness, he will then, with good old Simeon, depart in peace (Luk 2:29), being assured that God will receive his soul, to be safe with himself, and that his body also shall be made to dwell in safety in the grave. [3.] He commits all his affairs to God, and contentedly leaves the issue of them with him. It is said of the husbandman that, having cast his seed into the ground, he sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed springs and grows up, he knows not how, Mar 4:26, Mar 4:27. So a good man, having by faith and prayer cast his care upon God, sleeps and rests night and day, and is very easy, leaving it to his God to perform all things for him and prepared to welcome his holy will.
In singing these verses, and praying over them, let us, with a holy contempt of the wealth and pleasure of this world, as insufficient to make us happy, earnestly seek the favour of God and pleasingly solace ourselves in that favour; and, with a holy indifferency about the issue of all our worldly concerns, let us commit ourselves and all our affairs to the guidance and custody of the divine Providence, and be satisfied that all shall be made to work for good to us if we keep ourselves in the love of God.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 6–8. Public domain.
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Origen of AlexandriaAD 253
SELECTIONS FROM THE PSALMS 4:7
The meaning of this little verse is consistent with the verses that precede it. For what else is the light of the countenance of the Lord over his righteous ones than a heart full of joy? That very thing which we feel through the sensation of joy becomes a partaker of his divinity when it contemplates God.
Diodorus of TarsusAD 390
COMMENTARY ON PSALM 4
The forms of your providence are inscribed and indelibly etched, as it were, on each person’s heart; after all, who is the provider and who the supplier of what is needed from without for life? In fact, perhaps it was for this reason also that you put us in a state of need, so that we might not forget the provider of what we need and receive. After all, you were capable first of making us feel no need, and then of giving us some nourishment sufficient for several days; you were not prepared to do this, however, causing us instead to look for it each day so that you might have the opportunity for supply, and those receiving it daily might not forget you as the giver. So who will set at nought, he asks, the manifest signs of your providence, or prove totally unmindful of it?
John ChrysostomAD 407
COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 4:10
He did not say simply, “You have made me the gift of joy” but “of heart,” suggesting that the joy is not in external things, not in … gold or silver, not in clothing or groaning tables, not in the extent of sovereignty or the size of one’s house. Such joy is not of heart but of eyes only. Many people with these possessions, at any rate, think life not worth living; they carry around with them in their soul a furnace of despondency, exhausted by the multitude of concerns and oppressed by unceasing apprehension.… If present realities give you joy, and you learn God’s providence from them, gain a greater and deeper learning from future realities, for the reason that they are better, more stable and permanent. You see, if you believe God’s providence takes the form of you being in wealth and prosperity, let your having wealth in heaven bring you much more to this conviction. If, however, you inquire, “Why is it that these things are kept in store in hope and are not immediately obvious?” I should give this reply, that we believers regard the objects of hope to be more obvious than those that are obvious; such, after all, is the certainty of faith. But if you were to inquire again, “Why is it that we do not gain rewards here and now?” I should give this reply, that the present is the time for struggles and contests, the future is the time for wreaths and laurels. And this is an effect of God’s providence, the gathering together of difficulties and sweat in this brief and passing life, on the one hand, and on the other the continuance of laurels and wreaths throughout an everlasting and ageless eternity.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 4
[Psalm 4:7] "You have put gladness into my heart." Gladness then is not to be sought without by them, who, being still heavy in heart, "love vanity, and seek a lie;" but within, where the light of God's countenance is stamped. For Christ dwells in the inner man, [Ephesians 3:16-17] as the Apostle says; for to Him does it appertain to see truth, since He has said, "I am the truth." [John 14:6] And again, when He spoke in the Apostle, saying, "Would you receive a proof of Christ, who speaks in me?" [2 Corinthians 13:3] He spoke not of course from without to him, but in his very heart, that is, in that chamber where we are to pray.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 4:7 is a profound declaration by King David, asserting that the deep, abiding gladness God instills in the heart far surpasses any fleeting joy derived from material prosperity. It contrasts the temporary satisfaction of abundant harvests ("corn and wine") with the enduring spiritual contentment that comes directly from the divine presence, positioning God as the ultimate source of true and superior joy.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several potent literary devices to convey its message. Comparison/Contrast is central, setting the deep, God-given gladness of David's heart against the joy derived from material increase ("corn and wine"). This contrast highlights the qualitative difference between spiritual and worldly satisfaction. The phrase "more than" functions as a form of Hyperbole, emphasizing the immense superiority and overwhelming nature of divine joy. It is not just a little more, but profoundly more, suggesting an incomparable measure. Furthermore, "corn and wine" serve as Metaphors or Synecdoche for all forms of material prosperity and worldly success. By using these common, vital elements of ancient life, the psalmist universalizes the comparison, making it clear that no earthly gain, however significant, can match the joy found in God.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 4:7 stands as a timeless theological statement on the nature of true joy and where it is ultimately found. It challenges the common human tendency to equate happiness with material acquisition or external circumstances, instead pointing to God as the sole and sufficient source of deep, abiding gladness. This divine joy is not dependent on a full granary or overflowing winepress; it is an internal spiritual reality that transcends economic prosperity or worldly success. The verse teaches that contentment is not found in what one possesses, but in the intimate relationship with the One who provides. It aligns with the broader biblical principle that spiritual blessings are infinitely more valuable and enduring than any earthly wealth, fostering a perspective that prioritizes God's presence and favor above all else. This theological truth liberates believers from the endless pursuit of fleeting pleasures, redirecting their hearts toward the inexhaustible wellspring of joy found in the Lord.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
In a world constantly urging us to find satisfaction in consumerism, career advancement, or social status, Psalms 4:7 serves as a radical counter-cultural declaration. It invites us to pause and honestly examine the true sources of our joy and contentment. Are we, like those David contrasts himself with, primarily seeking fulfillment in the increase of our "corn and wine"—our material possessions, financial security, or worldly achievements? Or do we cultivate a deep, abiding relationship with God, allowing His presence to be the wellspring of an inner gladness that remains steadfast regardless of external circumstances? This verse encourages a profound shift in perspective, urging us to reorient our desires and pursuits from the fleeting to the eternal. It calls us to trust that the joy God provides is not merely a temporary feeling, but a foundational state of being that sustains us through both abundance and scarcity, proving infinitely more satisfying and enduring than any earthly gain. Cultivating this God-given gladness involves prioritizing His presence, meditating on His Word, and finding our identity and security in Him alone.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of "corn and wine" in this verse?
Answer: "Corn and wine" (specifically grain and new wine) were the primary agricultural staples and indicators of prosperity in ancient Israel. They represented the tangible blessings of a bountiful harvest, economic well-being, and God's provision for the land and its people. The joy associated with their increase was a natural, worldly happiness tied to security and abundance. By contrasting his God-given gladness with the joy from "corn and wine," David highlights that true, deep, and lasting contentment comes from a spiritual source (God) rather than from material possessions or earthly success. It's not that material blessings are bad, but that the joy derived from them is qualitatively inferior and quantitatively less than the joy God provides. The Bible often presents material blessings as gifts from God (e.g., Deuteronomy 28:1-14), but this verse emphasizes that they are not the ultimate source of human flourishing.
Is this verse suggesting that wealth or material prosperity is inherently bad?
Answer: No, the verse is not a condemnation of wealth itself, nor does it suggest that material prosperity is inherently evil. The Bible often presents material blessings as gifts from God (e.g., Deuteronomy 28:1-14). Instead, Psalms 4:7 is a statement about priorities and the source of true joy. It teaches that while "corn and wine" (material blessings) can bring temporary happiness, they cannot provide the deep, abiding gladness that God alone places in the heart. The danger lies not in having wealth, but in making it the ultimate source of one's joy, security, or identity. The verse encourages us to seek our primary satisfaction in God, recognizing that His presence and favor are far more valuable than any earthly gain.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 4:7, with its declaration of God-given gladness surpassing worldly prosperity, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. David's experience of a joy placed in his heart by God foreshadows the perfect and eternal joy that emanates from the person and work of Christ. Jesus himself is the true "bread of life" (John 6:35) and the "true vine" (John 15:1), embodying the ultimate spiritual sustenance that far exceeds any earthly "corn and wine." The joy He offers is not contingent on outward circumstances or material increase but is an internal, spiritual reality, a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Jesus promised His disciples a joy that no one could take from them (John 16:22), a joy that would be full and complete (John 15:11). Through His redemptive work on the cross, Christ has secured for believers access to the very presence of God, where "there is fullness of joy" (Psalm 16:11). Thus, the gladness David experienced is a foretaste of the perfect, unending joy found in knowing Christ, who is our ultimate treasure and the source of all true contentment and satisfaction, far surpassing any earthly gain.