While David is the traditional author of the book of Psalms, we know that many of the poems in this book date much later and were written by other authors.  The collection as we now have it did not take its final form until shortly before the time of Christ.

We don't know wh the editor or editors may have been at this time, but we can tell a little bit about them and what they wanted us to do with their book by looking at the way it is organized.

First, we see that book is arranged into five smaller books.  Each of these receives a heading, and each ends with a benediction, some form of the call "Blessed be the Lord, Our God, of Israel from everlasting to everlasting."  These five books may have come from different original sources, but the decision to present the psalter in five parcels is clearly deliberate.  Probably, the editors want us to see the psalter as standing alongside the five books of the Torah in some way.  More than likely, they envisioned their book being used alongside the reading of scripture in the synagogue at the daily services.

But they probably have more than that in mind.  If we look at the first several psalms, in particular, we see a certain rythm which the authors are trying to establish.  Psalms 1 and 2 stand as an introduction to the Psalter as a whole.  Beginning in Psalm 3, we have some hints about when the psalms were to be read.

3:5 sets the stage:  "I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the Lord sustains me."  Verse 7 picks up the thread "Arise, O Lord..."  This is a prayer to be prayed upon waking in the morning.

Psalm 4 continues the pattern.  4:4 says "In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your heart and be silent..." while verse 8 affirms "I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."  This is a prayer to be prayed before bed at night.

Look ahead at the next several Psalms:

Psalm 5:3...  "In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice..."

Psalm 6:6...  "...all night long I flood my bed with weeping..."

Psalm 7:6...  "Arise, O Lord, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies.  Awake, my God; decree justice."

Psalm 8:3...  "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place..."

Psalm 9:19...  "Arise, O Lord..."

Psalm 10 was probably originally part of Psalm 9, and also includes the phrase "Arise, O Lord..."  After this, the references to day and night are not as pronounced, and eventually they disappear altogether.  But the patter has clearly been set.  The editors of the book clearly intended us to use these poetic utterances as aids to prayer in the morning and the evening.

Further, the morning and evening prayers have something of a common rythm.  The morning prayer tend strongly towards cries for justice, while the evening prayers slant towards self examination and a call for protection.

Psalm 4 fits this mold.  The psalmist is clearly in anguish at the attacks he is enduring from his enemies.  He pauses before retiring for two quick thoughts.

First, he prays that his response to these attacks might not be provoked by anger, and thus lead to sin (self examination.)  Then, he delivers himself into God's ever watchful care as he seeks the respite of sleep.

We will use this psalm in the context of morning worship from time to time.  Even there, though, we should remember it as a call to constant prayer, morning and evening, as we lean on the justice and mercy of an everlasting God.