What keeps you awake at night? Lately Ive been losing sleep, tossing and turning on my bed, trying to work out a solution to an issue. Eventually I begin fretting about not getting enough rest to handle the challenges of the next day!
Sound familiar? Troubled relationships, an uncertain future, whatever it iswe all give in to worry at one point or another.
King David was clearly in distress when he penned Psalm 4. People were ruining his reputation with groundless accusations (v. 2). And some were questioning his competency to rule (v. 6). David probably felt angry for being treated so unfairly. Surely he could have spent nights stewing about it. Yet we read these remarkable words: In peace I will lie down and sleep (v. 8).
Charles Spurgeon explains verse 8 beautifully: In thus lying down, . . . [David] resigned himself into the hands of another; he did so completely, for in the absence of all care, he slept; there was here a perfect trust. What inspired this trust? From the start, David was confident that God would answer his prayers (v. 3). And he was sure that since God had chosen to love him, He would lovingly meet his needs.
May God help us to rest in His power and presence when worries threaten. In His sovereign and loving arms, we can lie down and sleep.
INSIGHT
Davids confident assurance of Gods care was the source of his ability to rest, and this theme of rest winds its way throughout the psalms. In Psalm 46:10 the psalmist says, Be still, and know that I am God. The phrase be still can be translated relax. Its as if God is counseling the psalmist, Ive got this. Take it easy. In the shepherds psalm, David reminds us, He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters (Psalm 23:2). What a wonderful picture of restand the source of that rest is the God in whom we confidently trust. This enabled one psalmist to share: Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you (Psalm 116:7). Our ability to rest is directly related to our confidence in the Fathers love, care, and concern for us. So in times of anxiety and stress the child of God can look to the Father and know Hes got this. We can be at rest!
What can you entrust to Gods care?