DOES WORRY KEEP YOU AWAKE?
Psalm 4
Answer me
when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You
have given me relief when I was in distress.
Be
gracious to me and hear my prayer!
O men, how
long shall my honor be turned into shame?
How
long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah
But know
that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself;
the
LORD hears when I call to him.
Be angry,
and do not sin;
ponder
in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah
Offer right
sacrifices,
and
put your trust in the LORD.
There are
many who say, “Who will show us some good?
Lift
up the light of your face upon us, O LORD!”
You have
put more joy in my heart
than
they have when their grain and wine abound.
In peace I
will both lie down and sleep;
for
you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
David knows that any kind of rescue on the part of God in
his life will be based solely on the righteousness of God and not his own. The
work and care of God is certainly a gracious act and in no way deserved. As
David seeks God’s help he also call men into look to His LORD and not after
their own human understanding. The psalmist knows that God has set His own
apart and that He will hear their call.
I love the way David goes to bed:
Be angry, and do not sin;
ponder
in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.
In bed at night, when all is quiet is where, many times,
thoughts run wild. Loneliness, despair, bitterness, and many more negatives
thought come to the surface. It is in those moments that our hearts can express
rebellion to God. Our bitterness or outright anger demonstrates that we feel
that we deserve something different or better.
David says to be quiet and think. He is watching his thought
life and the center of his thinking is God and not himself. He is rehearsing
the character of God and His righteousness. The psalmist chooses to trust in
the creator and sustainer of the universe. He knows that he can trust his
sovereign God and not himself.
In those moments some are tempted to question God, but not
David, he is quietly waiting upon God to show himself faithful. He knows where
the light will come for those dark moments.
He is not dependent on material things to produce joy. He
has watched men have abundance and not experience the joy that he has in his
heart. The reality of his enemies and the difficulty of his situations might
not change, but he will find rest in the LORD.
Worry keeps so many people awake, but those that trust Him
can rest at night in the midst of the difficulties of life.
As I think of many that are going through physical
difficulties, friends that are struggling through broken marriages and
difficult relationships with children, others that are looking for jobs or are
having difficulties in their place of employment, some that are struggling in
churches that are in turmoil, others that are missing some loved ones where can
they find hope? Where can I find peace in my difficulties? The same place where
David did: in the arms of a careful, wise, omnipotent, and loving God.
Relief and hope cannot be found in our ability to change
situations, or even in the change of circumstances or people. We lived in a
fallen world populated by fallen people. Our hope is in the LORD!
Stop looking down, stop looking around, certainly stop
looking at yourself and look up and through God’s Word look at your heavenly
father! Let the peace of God guard your heart.
Philippians 4:6-7
…do not be anxious about anything, but in
everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
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