Psalm 4:3–8 3But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: The Lord will hear when I call unto him. 4Stand in awe, and sin not: Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. 5Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the Lord. 6There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, Lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. 7Thou hast put gladness in my heart, More than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. 8I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: For thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.
How did you sleep?
Were you able to turn off your worries and rest?
Did you catch that last verse of today’s Psalm?
Psalm 4:8 “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: For thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.”
That sounds a lot like a verse from the last chapter, doesn’t it?
Psalm 3:5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.
I wonder if David woke to praise his God for giving him sleep despite his circumstances and then later that evening, he determines to trust God to handle things again.
Could it be that he prays Psalm 4 then closes his eyes and begins to snore?
Are you having trouble sleeping?
If so, this Psalm has some practical steps for better sleep.
1. Talk to those who have been grieving you.
In vs. 2-3 of this Psalm David addresses those who had hurt him directly.
Psalm 4:2–3 2O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? How long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah. 3But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: The Lord will hear when I call unto him.
Have you ever considered how the pillow of the person who knows they have done all they could to fix fractured relationships is much more comfortable than those who haven’t?
Just praying for God to do our duty is not effective! He said, “faith without works is dead.”
Paul quoted the beginning of Psalm 4:4 "Stand in awe and sin not" when teaching about forgiveness.
Ephesians 4:26 “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath”
Getting angry is sometimes unavoidable and even expected but staying that way is dangerous. The bitter grudge you hold will probably not keep your enemy awake at night, but it will likely rob you of sleep so do all you can, leave it with the Lord, and rest.
2. Talk to Yourself.
It is not always a sign of insanity despite what you have heard. David recommends communing with your own heart.
Psalm 4:4–5 4Stand in awe, and sin not: Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. 5Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the Lord.
3. Don’t Talk Negatively.
Look at what David taught us in the next verse.
Psalm 4:6 “There be many that say, who will shew us any good?”
In other words, many say, “nobody is ever nice to me” “Everyone is against me”
David’s point is don’t be like them. Don’t be negative. Even if it were true in this world, it is not true in Heaven. You have the most important one in the universe in your corner and he has shown you the ultimate good in the gift of his Son.
4. Talk to God.
Psalm 4 opens and closes with prayer. The key to a peaceful life is to open and close each day in prayer. Have you ever had someone in your life that you could call and somehow, they could calm you down and provide encouragement and hope? Yes, you have! The Lord has been there for you even if you didn’t take advantage of his presence.
So, let’s follow these steps, do our duty, talk to our Lord, and sleep in his watchful arms.
Right now, you better wake up though, we have a whole day ahead of us!
God bless,
BB
2021 Bible Reading Plan
January 5, 2021
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