On Psalm 4

Summer Psalms - On Psalm 4

August 30, 2022

Pray for Illumination - Heavenly Father, help me to know your ways; teach me your paths and lead me into your truth. Amen.

Read Psalm 4

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.  Psalm 4:8

Today we are headed back home from the Calgary area with an early start on the road.  And so I am actually writing this reflection last night (don’t think too hard about that).  As I lay here preparing to go to sleep in yet another unfamiliar bed, I wonder how well I will actually sleep.  In this Psalm, David describing his ability to sleep well.  But the key to a good night’s rest for David is not the firmness of the pillow or the softness of the mattress, but rather it comes from the Lord.  He sleeps well because he can close his eyes in peace knowing that his life is secure in the hands of God.  But David is not a passive recipient of this peace.  But rather he actively places himself in a receiving posture of heart and mind.  First, of all he is determined to not sin.  Consider how easy it is to let our spiritual guard down after a long day and we are drained of energy.  But David implores us to remember who God is and to choose not to sin.  Instead of getting into our beds and filling our minds with some form of entertainment indulgence, we should invite God to speak into our lives through reflection and prayerful listening.

Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.  Psalms 4:4

The key to peace in our hearts and minds begins with God’s work of sorting through the clutter of our hearts and filling us instead with the grace and peace of Christ.  Then, you can truly rest!  Sweet dreams!!