PEACEFUL SLEEP
I will lie down and sleep in peaceH7965, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8
In the first few verses of Psalm 4, David is praying about the fact that his enemies not only engage in combat, but they also attack him by maligning his character, lying about him. He asks how long this is going to continue. However, as he turns to the Lord, he is reminded that God is good and is able to protect him, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
We found this explanation in Believer’s Bible Commentary:
Reassured of the Lord’s all-sufficiency, the psalmist’s inner agitation subsides. He can now lie down in peace and sleep, knowing that it is the LORD who makes him dwell in safety. What a change prayer has produced in only eight short verses! (16)
We like this statement by Charles F. Stanley:
Peace with God is the fruit of oneness with God. Ps. 4:8 (17)
David’s attitude has been transformed as he communed with his Lord. He was assured of God’s ability to protect him from his enemies. However, the peace in which he sleeps is not just the cessation of military attacks. It is the internal peace, the overall confidence of wellbeing. His mind can rest peacefully because God has made him whole. He has the peace of God that reassures him and silences any anxiety as he prays and submits his situation to the Lord.
There are times in our lives when we feel restless, anxious, or even fearful. We may be in a dangerous situation or be facing a troubling diagnosis. Like David, there may be people in our lives making false accusations against us. Our best resource is always prayer because when we honestly seek the Lord, when we enter into communion with Him, He can calm our hearts and allow us to sleep peacefully. Having trouble going to sleep? Pray until the Lord allows you to rest in His perfect peace despite ongoing trials. The peace of God does not depend upon a change of circumstances. His peace defies human logic by allowing us to be calm even while the storms of life rage, swirling around us. God’s peace is available in all ways, always.
Father, thank You that You can give us peace that surpasses human understanding (Philippians 4:6-7). Help us to always turn to You during difficult times.