A Night Of Peaceful Sleep

Psalm 4

Just about everyone can remember some times when they just couldn’t fall asleep due to worries and cares.  There have been plenty of nights I have spent tossing and turning, the worries hounding my mind, and been unable to fall asleep, or times when I woke up after about an hour or so sleeping, unable to fall back asleep because the worries and fears attack any peace.  David also experienced nights when sleep just would not come because of the fears and worries that he had.

Psalm 4 was written after one such night.  The psalm could have been written after one such night during the many years he spent fleeing the murderous rage and attacks of King Saul, who sought his life.  Perhaps it was years later, during the weeks and months when David’s son, Absalom, orchestrated a coup, forcing David to flee his capital city, Jerusalem, and fight to regain his throne.  There must have been plenty of other times during his reign as king when worries, cares, and fears bothered him, and he couldn’t get to sleep. What did David do then? Did he get his doctor to prescribe him some sleeping pills?  Did he drink several glasses of wine or other alcohol to make sure he was plenty drowsy, and to also drown those worries? Was the carpet in his bedroom all worn out from pacing back and forth night after night? Let’s look into Psalm 4 and see how David handled his worries and sleepless nights.

In the opening verses of Psalm 4 we see that David called out in prayer to God.  First he recognized and acknowledged the proper relationship he needed with God, by calling Him “God of my righteousness” (vs. 1).  Our God is a God of righteousness, and it is only through His righteousness that we have salvation and deliverance. He it is who delivers us from distress and troubles.  David knew and acknowledged this in his prayers.

One of the many worries that David encountered numerous times in his life was attacks from enemies.  For many years he was on the run from King Saul, and later his own son, in addition to fighting various nations as king.  However, David knew that he could turn to the Lord for help (vs. 2-3). He knew that God would hear him when he called. Our enemies may have plans for us, but God’s plans for us are good (Jeremiah 29:11).  For those who follow Christ, we can be confident, too. He has forgiven us through Jesus, and He will hear us.

David knew that our problems and concerns can make us angry.  That is human nature, and he must have experienced that numerous times.  We can lie in bed at night, and as we think of so many things, we can get angry.  David tells us that it is okay to get angry, but we must not allow that anger to lead us to sin (vs. 4).  As he would lie in bed, he allowed his prayers and meditations to calm him down. David also knew that more important than empty religious ceremonies was a right attitude of submission and obedience to God, along with heartfelt praise (vs. 5).  God preferred the sacrifice of righteousness more than that of sheep and oxen. We now must come to God through the sacrifice of Jesus’ Blood.

When we go through difficult times, our enemies might taunt us, asking in a mocking way where our God is now, with all of our problems.  They may imply that He has forsaken us. That happened to David, as well, but he knew that He hadn’t. David knew that God would give him rest in the midst of trouble, and pour out His blessings (vs. 6-8).  We, too, can have total confidence in God in the middle of trouble. David knew that the peace that comes from God is more valuable than any material gain (vs. 7). He knew that joy is more to be sought after than just happiness.  True joy comes from knowing and trusting God. Happiness is a result of pleasant circumstances. Joy is steady, as long as we trust God. Happiness is unpredictable. Joy defeats discouragement. Happiness tries to cover it up. Joy is lasting, whereas happiness is temporary.

At the end of another day of pressure, pain, and persecution David had this conversation of Psalm 4 with God, which led to relaxation.  Despite difficult and stressful times, David was able to sleep well because he knew the Lord would keep him safe. During our sleepless and worrisome nights we need to put the same kind of confidence and trust in God to give us peace.