How to Sleep Well – Psalm 4
How to Sleep Well – Psalm 4
by Pastor Lee Hemen
June 24, 2007 AM
The makers of the Serta mattress state that “Sleep is necessary for our bodies to build up energy reserves and regenerate body cells and tissues. During sleep, your heartbeat and breathing slow, growth hormones peak, muscles relax, and your body temperature lowers. Sleep is a sophisticated process carefully regulated by our brain with valuable restorative properties for our physical and mental health…. Sleep deprivation is thought to cause half of all traffic fatalities on U.S. highways. In fact, studies have shown that being forced to stay awake 17 to 19 hours can cause the same impaired abilities as having a 0.05 percent blood alcohol content. Irregular sleep patterns and lack of sleep can bring on short attention span, memory and vocabulary loss, and other symptoms. Complication can include obesity, premature aging, fatigue and increased risk for diabetes, infection, cardiovascular disease and gastrointestinal disease. Chronic sleep deprivation can even lead to paranoia or hallucinations.” I guess sleeping well is important, huh?
Shakespeare’s Hamlet lamented, “To die, to sleep; to sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub; for in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause...” I am sure there have been times when all we wanted was a good night’s sleep. Of course Hamlet is thinking about the ultimate “sleep,” death. Often times sleep is hard to find when we know our own lives are not what they should be. King David found this to be true, especially when he was fleeing Absalom, his own son, who wanted to kill him and take over the throne. I wonder if David suffered from sleep deprivation? With a son like Absalom, probably. However, we find David speaking to the issue of how to sleep well. In fact he gives us several pieces of advice that will help anyone to sleep a whole lot better. Let’s discover what David relates on how to sleep well, shall we?
READ: Psalm 4
Bible students have widely recognized that this psalm is closely connected with Psalm 3. The two psalms, based on the similarities in their expression and structure, may have stemmed from the same crisis. If so, then David may have written Psalm 4 after he spent the night in the midst of danger (see 3:1, 5-6). The connection between the two psalms is not certain. However, the message of Psalm 4 is one that teaches us how to sleep well. David teaches that…
I. Sleep is found by those who seek the Lord! (v. 1)
1. Comfort is found in the One who can rescue you! In his anguish David cries out, “Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God.” In this David tells us several important facts: 1) When we are anxious about life, we often do not listen well to God’s voice, and 2) God is “righteous” and therefore always does the correct thing in our lives. David wanted more than anything for God to “hear” his prayer and to “Give me relief from my distress.” More than anything David wanted God’s mercy in his life. David understood what the writer of Proverbs meant when he wrote, “Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.” (Proverbs 28:5) Justice is found in God who is righteous and gives mercy. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) Jesus taught, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8) Having restless nights? Unable to sleep well? David knew that sleep is found by those who seek the Lord!
EXAMPLE: Eugene Field wrote, “"Sleep, oh, sleep! The Shepherd guardeth His sheep. Fast speedeth the night away, Soon cometh the glorious day; Sleep, weary ones, while ye may, Sleep, oh, sleep!" The shepherd king David knew that sleep is found by those who seek the Lord!
David teaches us that…
II. Sleep is found when our hearts are right with God! (vv. 2-5)
1. A right heart is placed in the hands of the Lord! David in his distress understood four things that people needed to be aware of in order to find the rest they need: 1) Stop trusting in false gods. “Delusions” in the NIV is literally empty things or things that are nothing at all! When we trust in vain stuff like wealth, jobs, houses, things, or even friendships, relationships, or family members that are empty we are trusting in “false gods” rather than the real thing! We turn God’s “glory into shame.” 2) David states that those who trust in God, He has “set apart for Himself.” God delights in those He loves. In fact, “the Lord will hear when I call to him!” 3) Again, sleep comes to those who have found the peace of God. When we are getting ready for bed, is there anything we have harbored in our hearts? Any angry thought, unkind word, or ungodly deed we are guilty of? “Search your hearts and be silent,” David says. John would write, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) A confessed heart is a heart right before the Lord and will find rest for the weary soul. And finally 4) We are to “offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord!” David discovered long before this that “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart.” (Psalm 51:17) David discovered that sleep is found when our hearts are right with God!
EXAMPLE: Gregory Dent wrote, “When we sleep, sleep, sleep. Are promises made that we always keep. And imagined fears make it easy to weep. And forbidden pleasures we dare not reap. When we sleep, sleep, sleep…” David discovered that sleep is found when our hearts are right with God!
David teaches us that…
III. Sleep is found when God gives us inner peace! (vv. 6-8)
1. Discontented people often demand from God what they do not deserve! They angrily ask, “Who can show us any good?” The tacit meaning of this is “What good thing does God have for me?” They only follow God when good things happen in their lives. David’s answers this narrow-mindedness by praying, “Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord!” He knew where all blessings come from. The inner joy and peace David experienced was far greater than anything man could make or experience. This is why he would say, “You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound.” No beer or booze, festival or celebration, harvest or record crop, could compete with the joy and peace in a life that followed God! Paul would write, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” Paul would continue by telling his readers to “Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:18-20) Happiness is not found in what God can do for you, but in knowing Him personally. This is why David could confidently sing, “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Nothing else in life could. David teaches us that sleep is found when God gives us inner peace!
EXAMPLE: Donovan sang a song that went something like this: “Sleep now sleep, And so fade sorrow. Sleep beloved sleep, Sleep now sleep afar tomorrow. Sleep beloved sleep; You are home this night; Home of winter; Your home of autumn; Summer and spring; You are home this night. Lasting home; Eternal home; Your eternal home.” David teaches us that sleep is found when God gives us inner peace!
Conclusion:
How to sleep well? David knew that sleep is found by those who seek the Lord! David discovered that sleep is found when our hearts are right with God! David teaches us that sleep is found when God gives us inner peace!
by Pastor Lee Hemen
June 24, 2007 AM
The makers of the Serta mattress state that “Sleep is necessary for our bodies to build up energy reserves and regenerate body cells and tissues. During sleep, your heartbeat and breathing slow, growth hormones peak, muscles relax, and your body temperature lowers. Sleep is a sophisticated process carefully regulated by our brain with valuable restorative properties for our physical and mental health…. Sleep deprivation is thought to cause half of all traffic fatalities on U.S. highways. In fact, studies have shown that being forced to stay awake 17 to 19 hours can cause the same impaired abilities as having a 0.05 percent blood alcohol content. Irregular sleep patterns and lack of sleep can bring on short attention span, memory and vocabulary loss, and other symptoms. Complication can include obesity, premature aging, fatigue and increased risk for diabetes, infection, cardiovascular disease and gastrointestinal disease. Chronic sleep deprivation can even lead to paranoia or hallucinations.” I guess sleeping well is important, huh?
Shakespeare’s Hamlet lamented, “To die, to sleep; to sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub; for in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause...” I am sure there have been times when all we wanted was a good night’s sleep. Of course Hamlet is thinking about the ultimate “sleep,” death. Often times sleep is hard to find when we know our own lives are not what they should be. King David found this to be true, especially when he was fleeing Absalom, his own son, who wanted to kill him and take over the throne. I wonder if David suffered from sleep deprivation? With a son like Absalom, probably. However, we find David speaking to the issue of how to sleep well. In fact he gives us several pieces of advice that will help anyone to sleep a whole lot better. Let’s discover what David relates on how to sleep well, shall we?
READ: Psalm 4
Bible students have widely recognized that this psalm is closely connected with Psalm 3. The two psalms, based on the similarities in their expression and structure, may have stemmed from the same crisis. If so, then David may have written Psalm 4 after he spent the night in the midst of danger (see 3:1, 5-6). The connection between the two psalms is not certain. However, the message of Psalm 4 is one that teaches us how to sleep well. David teaches that…
I. Sleep is found by those who seek the Lord! (v. 1)
1. Comfort is found in the One who can rescue you! In his anguish David cries out, “Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God.” In this David tells us several important facts: 1) When we are anxious about life, we often do not listen well to God’s voice, and 2) God is “righteous” and therefore always does the correct thing in our lives. David wanted more than anything for God to “hear” his prayer and to “Give me relief from my distress.” More than anything David wanted God’s mercy in his life. David understood what the writer of Proverbs meant when he wrote, “Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.” (Proverbs 28:5) Justice is found in God who is righteous and gives mercy. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) Jesus taught, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8) Having restless nights? Unable to sleep well? David knew that sleep is found by those who seek the Lord!
EXAMPLE: Eugene Field wrote, “"Sleep, oh, sleep! The Shepherd guardeth His sheep. Fast speedeth the night away, Soon cometh the glorious day; Sleep, weary ones, while ye may, Sleep, oh, sleep!" The shepherd king David knew that sleep is found by those who seek the Lord!
David teaches us that…
II. Sleep is found when our hearts are right with God! (vv. 2-5)
1. A right heart is placed in the hands of the Lord! David in his distress understood four things that people needed to be aware of in order to find the rest they need: 1) Stop trusting in false gods. “Delusions” in the NIV is literally empty things or things that are nothing at all! When we trust in vain stuff like wealth, jobs, houses, things, or even friendships, relationships, or family members that are empty we are trusting in “false gods” rather than the real thing! We turn God’s “glory into shame.” 2) David states that those who trust in God, He has “set apart for Himself.” God delights in those He loves. In fact, “the Lord will hear when I call to him!” 3) Again, sleep comes to those who have found the peace of God. When we are getting ready for bed, is there anything we have harbored in our hearts? Any angry thought, unkind word, or ungodly deed we are guilty of? “Search your hearts and be silent,” David says. John would write, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) A confessed heart is a heart right before the Lord and will find rest for the weary soul. And finally 4) We are to “offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord!” David discovered long before this that “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart.” (Psalm 51:17) David discovered that sleep is found when our hearts are right with God!
EXAMPLE: Gregory Dent wrote, “When we sleep, sleep, sleep. Are promises made that we always keep. And imagined fears make it easy to weep. And forbidden pleasures we dare not reap. When we sleep, sleep, sleep…” David discovered that sleep is found when our hearts are right with God!
David teaches us that…
III. Sleep is found when God gives us inner peace! (vv. 6-8)
1. Discontented people often demand from God what they do not deserve! They angrily ask, “Who can show us any good?” The tacit meaning of this is “What good thing does God have for me?” They only follow God when good things happen in their lives. David’s answers this narrow-mindedness by praying, “Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord!” He knew where all blessings come from. The inner joy and peace David experienced was far greater than anything man could make or experience. This is why he would say, “You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound.” No beer or booze, festival or celebration, harvest or record crop, could compete with the joy and peace in a life that followed God! Paul would write, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” Paul would continue by telling his readers to “Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:18-20) Happiness is not found in what God can do for you, but in knowing Him personally. This is why David could confidently sing, “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Nothing else in life could. David teaches us that sleep is found when God gives us inner peace!
EXAMPLE: Donovan sang a song that went something like this: “Sleep now sleep, And so fade sorrow. Sleep beloved sleep, Sleep now sleep afar tomorrow. Sleep beloved sleep; You are home this night; Home of winter; Your home of autumn; Summer and spring; You are home this night. Lasting home; Eternal home; Your eternal home.” David teaches us that sleep is found when God gives us inner peace!
Conclusion:
How to sleep well? David knew that sleep is found by those who seek the Lord! David discovered that sleep is found when our hearts are right with God! David teaches us that sleep is found when God gives us inner peace!
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