Psalms 4-6, Acts 17:16-34 • Key Verse: Psalm 4:8
When he wanted to let me know how little trouble he had sleeping, a friend would say, “I could
sleep on the soft side of a board.” For others, though, the agony of insomnia is real. We can have
trouble both falling and staying asleep, especially when wrestling with a problem. Difficulties
can deny us a good night of rest.
Then we read a verse like Psalm 4:8: “I will lie down and sleep in peace.” “Well, good for
David,” we say. “It must be nice to be king, having all your needs met, living in the lap of
luxury, snoozing away the night.”
But then we look closer. Verse 1 says, “Give me relief from my distress.” This was not a time of
calm in David’s life. Perhaps it was when he was fleeing from his own son, Absalom. Whatever
it was, David’s distress did not disrupt his sleep—and therein lies the challenge for us.
Why do we let stress rob us of our rest? Sleep aids may only mask the pain. For David, the only
“sleeping pill” was prayer. Read this psalm again carefully. Look for the words prayer, trust, joy,
gladness and peace. David’s sleep came as he rested not on the best mattress in. the kingdom, but
in God, “for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety” (v.8).
The next time you are struggling to sleep, read Psalm 4 and ask God to help you turn over your
problems to Him.
Woodrow Kroll & Tony Beckett
www.backtothebible.in