Fathers

Psalms 4

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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. O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah. But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him. Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD. There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

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What the Fathers say

Psalms 4:6

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

But yet, "hope in the Lord," is as yet expressed without explanation. Now what is hoped for, but good things? But since each one would obtain from God that good, which he loves; and they are not easy to be found who love interior goods, that is, which belong to the inward man, which alone should be loved, but the rest are to be used for necessity, not to be enjoyed for pleasure; excellently did he subjoin, when he had said, "hope in the Lord" [Psalm 4:6], "Many say, Who shows us good things?" This is the speech, and this the daily …

Exposition on Psalm 4 ↗

Bede

But because a human being lost this radiance of the divine countenance by sinning, it pleased God to assume the condition of a human countenance by being born in the flesh, in order that he might thereby teach us that we ought to be reborn in the Spirit. It pleased him to appear without sin in the likeness of sinful flesh so that he might cleanse us thoroughly from every sin and form again in us the distinctness of his image.

Homilies on the Gospels 1:6 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Then when he says, "Many," he raises the question which the "many," that is, the foolish, ask: and they say, "Who shows us good things?" As if to say: how can we know what these sacrifices acceptable to God are? He resolves this question when he says: "The light of your countenance, O Lord, is sealed upon us"; as if to say: natural reason implanted in us teaches us to discern good from evil; and therefore he says, "The light of your countenance, O Lord, is sealed upon us," etc. …

Exposition on the Psalms of David ↗