Psalm 4

Psalm 4 in several regards reiterates and develops themes from Psalm 3.

"Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer."  Psalm 4:1

David declares that God enlarges him when in difficulty (v1).  Many creatures enlarge themselves under stress to appear bigger before their enemy, but David's strength rests in God's expansion, not his own.

In what ways could God enlarge us in such circumstances?  A few come to mind:

"logical" expansions:
expand our understanding of the situation
expand our understanding of him

"spiritual" expansion:
expand our capacity to trust in Him through the unknown

Note that David doesn't say that God changed his circumstance---one of our default first-line prayers to the Lord when we face trials.  The change was not in the circumstance but in David.

David's urges the listener to focus on their internal conflict:

"Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still."  Ps 4:4

Touching back to Psalm 3, this one expands upon trust while sleeping:

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.  -Ps 4:8

Why does he mention both lay me down and sleep?  They seem to be two distinct acts--one resting before sleep, reclining and the other, actual sleep.  Perhaps this is to note it's not an exhausted kind of sleep where you cave to your body's demands; instead, there is an intentionality to the process.