A child prays, “Now I lay me down to sleep,” echoing David’s confidence in Psalm 4. But we may find it hard to sleep at times.
Cry out to your God! Turn to God when you need him. The problems that threatened David may have been Absalom’s rebellion (as in Psalm 3), his persecution by Saul, or possibly famine (see verse 7). God does not promise his people a problem free life as long as we live in this world that is under the curse, but he does want you to cry out to him. Turn to the Lord in your distress. Cry out to him with the knowledge that he does hear and answer. Cry out, knowing that the Second Adam offered prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears during his work on earth, Hebrews 5:7,8.
Understand the character of your God. Understanding the character of your God makes a profound difference in how you live each day. He is righteous. Even the opening petition makes clear that there is a connection between the righteousness of God and that of his people. The connection between God’s righteousness and yours is found by faith–and involves the offering of right sacrifices. David is looking ahead by faith to the One who is the sacrifice for the sins of his people. In the face of the delusional idolatry of verse 2, David points you to God’s setting apart of his people, verse 3. Skeptics doubt, but David points you to the covenantal faithfulness of the Lord, echoing the Aaronic benediction, verse 6. He provides abundantly for your needs, v. 7. Continue reading “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep”