confidence in God: "I will both lay me down and sleep."
God, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. "Who was, and is, and is to come."
David's confidence is grounded in God's faithfulness across time: "Who has delivered, and doth deliver, and in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us." (2 Corinthians 1:10).
2. His calmness within himself, drawn from his confidence in God: "I will both lay me down and sleep." Simul, or pariter in pace cubabo ("At the same time, or likewise, I will lie down in peace").
Those who have an abundance of worldly wealth and pleasures— such as those whose corn and wine are increasing—may lie down and sleep contentedly, like Boaz, who slept at the end of a heap of corn (Ruth 3:7). But even though David lacks such worldly advantages, he declares that he can lie down and sleep in peace just as contentedly.
The text connects his lying down with his sleeping: "I will not only lay me down, as one seeking composure, but I will also sleep, as one who has truly found it." Some interpret this to suggest that he falls asleep as soon as he lies down, being weary from the work of the day and free from any disturbing thoughts that might otherwise keep him awake.
These words are meant to be our guide when we retire at night. We should take care to live throughout the day—especially as it draws towards evening—in such a way that we are prepared for our evening devotions. Our hearts should not be overburdened, whether on one hand with indulgence and drunkenness, as is often the case with those who live for pleasure, or on the other hand with the cares of this life, as frequently happens with those engrossed in business. Instead, we should exercise discipline over both our thoughts and
time, ensuring that we finish the day's work well. This serves as a foretaste of finishing our life's work well—and all is truly well when it ends everlastingly well.
Doctrine: As we should begin the day with
God and wait upon him throughout the
day, so we should also strive to close it
with him.
To explain this duty of closing the day with God, and doing so in a good frame of mind, I can think of no better approach than to follow the structure of the text, highlighting David's example and applying it to our own lives.
I. First, let us retire to rest.
Nature requires rest just as it requires food. Humanity goes forth to work and labour, but this continues only until evening. When the day's work is done, it is time to lie down.
We read of Ishbosheth, who lay on his bed at noon but met death there (2 Samuel 4:5-6. Similarly, David arose from his bed at evening time but fell into sin—a worse fate than death (2 Samuel 11:2,). We must work while it is day, as long as we have the opportunity to do the work of him who sent us. The night, when no one can work, is the appropriate and appointed time to rest.
It is promised in Zephaniah 2:7 : "They shall lie down in the evening." We should embrace this promise, resting when it is time to rest and avoiding the practice of turning day into night and night into day, as so many do for ill reasons.
A. Some stay up to commit mischief
against their neighbours.
Some stay awake at night to kill, steal, and destroy. As described in Job 24:16: "In the dark, they dig through houses which they had marked for themselves in the daytime." David also laments about his enemies in Psalm 59:6: "At evening, they go round about the city." Those who do evil hate the light. Judas Iscariot, the traitor, sought Jesus with his band of men when he should have been in his bed.
The wickedness of such people is further aggravated by the effort they expend on evil. They are so consumed by their malicious designs that they cannot sleep unless they have caused harm (Proverbs 4:16).
In contrast, how shameful it is for those who claim to live for good that they cannot sacrifice some personal gratification to pursue it. A Latin writer put it this way:
"In order that they may murder men, robbers rise up by night, and do you not awaken so that you may protect yourself?"
Say, then, "While others stay awake looking for opportunities to do harm, I will lie down, be quiet, and ensure I harm no one."
B. Others stay up in pursuit of the world and its wealth. They not only rise up early, but they also stay up late, eagerly pursuing their covetous practices (Psalm 127:2), and either to gain or to save, they deny themselves the most necessary sleep. This behaviour is folly, as it deprives them of the comfortable enjoyment of what they already have—an enjoyment that is the ultimate goal— while pretending to care and work harder to obtain more, which is
merely the means. Solomon speaks of those who "neither day nor night sleep with their eyes" (Ecclesiastes 8:16), who make themselves slaves and drudges to the world, which is one of the cruelest taskmasters. In doing so, they make that which is vanity itself into vexation of spirit. They weary themselves in pursuit of every vanity (Habakkuk 2:13), and are so miserably in love with their chains that they deny themselves not only the spiritual rest that God has provided for them as the God of grace, but also the natural rest which, as the God of nature, he has ordained. This denial is a vivid example of the harm sinners do to their own bodies as well as their souls.
Let us see the folly of such behaviour and avoid labouring for the food that perishes, and for the abundance that deprives the rich man of sleep. Instead, let us labour for the food that endures to eternal life —the grace that is the guarantee of glory—whose abundance will make our sleep sweet and refreshing.
C. Others stay up indulging their pleasures. They refuse to lie down at an appropriate time because they cannot bring themselves to leave their vain entertainments—their music, dancing, plays, cards, and dice—or, worse still, their indulgence in rioting and excess, for "those that are drunk are drunk in the night." It is bad enough when such gratifications, whether of base lusts or of vain minds, consume the whole evening, engrossing their souls entirely. They insensibly leave neither time nor inclination for evening devotions, whether private or with their families. But it is much worse when such indulgence continues late into the night, for then it inevitably encroaches on the following morning, stealing the time that should also be devoted to the exercises of religion.
Those who choose, with so much pleasure, to stay up until the early hours of the morning to, as they say, "have a merry night of it"— spending their time in filthiness, foolish talking, and jesting, which are not fitting—would consider it unreasonable if they were asked to spend even half an hour past their usual bedtime engaged in any good duties. Such people would have criticised the apostle Paul himself as "long-winded" and indiscreet for continuing his speech until midnight on a special occasion (Acts 20:7). Yet, they would be equally reluctant to, like David, rise at midnight to give thanks to God, or, like their Master, spend an entire night in prayer.
Let those corrupt affections, which lead to such excess and transgression, be mortified and not gratified. Those who have allowed themselves such irregularities, if they take the time for honest self-reflection, cannot fail to see the harm these behaviours have caused to the prosperity of their souls. Therefore, they should resolve to deny themselves for their own spiritual well-being.
One rule for ending the day well is to keep to good hours: everything is beautiful in its proper time. I have heard it said long ago, and I humbly repeat it now:
Early to bed, and early to rise, Is the way to be healthy, and wealthy, and wise.
Let us take it as understood that unless some necessary business, a work of mercy, or an exceptional act of devotion keeps you awake beyond your usual time, you are inclined to retire to rest. When we do lie down, let us do so with thankfulness to God and thoughts of our own mortality; with penitent reflections on the sins of the day; and with humble prayers for the mercies of the night.