Directions for Daily Communion with God
disciple laid his, in the bosom of the Lord Jesus; or, if thou hast not yet attained such boldness of access to him, lay that aching trembling head of thine at the feet of the Lord Jesus, by an entire submission and resignation to him, saying, If I perish, I will perish here; put it into his hand by an entire confidence in him; submit it to his operation and disposal, who knows how to speak to the heart. And if thou art not yet entered into the sabbatism, as the word is, HEB 4:9, Hebrews 4:9 (KJV) this present rest that remaineth for the people of God, yet look upon it to be a land of promise, and therefore though it tarry, wait for it, for the vision is for an appointed time, and at the end it shall speak, and shall not lie. Light is sown for the righteous, and what is sown shall come up again at last in a harvest of joy.
2. The Psalmist having done his day's work, and perhaps fatigued himself with it, it being now bedtime, and he having given good advice to those to whom he had wished a good night, to commune with their own hearts upon their beds, and to offer the evening sacrifices of righteousness, ver. 4, 5, Psalm 4:4-5 (KJV) now retires to his chamber with this word, I will lay me down in peace and sleep. That which I chose this text for, will lead me to understand it literally, as the disciples understood their Master, when he said, Lazarus sleepeth, of taking rest in sleep, JOHN 11:12, 13. John 11:12-13 (KJV) And so we have here David's pious thought when he was going to bed: As when he awakes he is still with God, he is still so when he goes to sleep, and concludes the day, as he opened it, with meditations on God, and sweet communion with him.
It should seem David penned this Psalm when he was distressed and persecuted by his enemies; perhaps it was penned on the same occasion with the foregoing Psalm, when he fled from Absalom his son; without were fightings, and then no wonder that within were fears; yet then he puts such a confidence in God's protection, that he will go to bed at his usual time, and with his usual quietness and cheerfulness, will compose himself as at other times: He knows his enemies have no power against him, but what is given them from above, and they shall have no power given them, but what is still under the divine check and restraint; nor shall their power be permitted to exert itself so far as to do him any real mischief, and therefore he retires into the secret place of the most high, and abides under the shadow of the Almighty, and is very quiet in his own mind. That will break a worldly man's heart, which will not break a godly man's sleep; Let them do their worst, saith David, I will lay me down and sleep; the will of the Lord be done. Now observe here, a. His confidence in God; Thou, Lord, makest me to dwell in safety; not only makest me safe, but makest me to know that I am so; makest me to dwell with a good assurance; it is the same word that is used concerning him that walks uprightly, that he walks surely, PROV 10:9. Proverbs 10:9 (KJV) He goes boldly in his way, so David here goes boldly to his bed. He doth not carelessly as the men of Laish, JUDG 18:7, Judges 18:7 (KJV) but dwells at ease in God, as the sons of Zion, in the city of their solemnities, when their eyes see it a quiet habitation, ISA 33:20. Isaiah 33:20 (KJV)
There is one word in this part of the text that is observable; thou, Lord, only dost secure me. Some refer it to David; even when I am alone, have none of my privy-counsellors about me to advise me, none of my lifeguards to fight for me, yet I am under no apprehension of danger, while God is with me. The Son of David comforted himself with this, that when all his disciples forsook him, and left him alone, yet he was not alone, for the Father was with him. Some weak people are afraid of being alone, especially in the dark, but a firm belief of God's presence with us in all places, and that divine protection which all good people are under, would silence those fears, and make us ashamed of them. Nay, our being alone a peculiar people whom God hath set apart for himself, (as it is here, ver. 8.) will be our security. A sober singularity will be our safety and satisfaction, as Noah's was in the old world; Israel is a people that shall dwell alone, and not be reckoned among the nations, and therefore may set them all at defiance, till they foolishly mingle themselves among them, NUMB 23:9. Numbers 23:9 (KJV) Israel shall then dwell in safety alone, DEUT 33:28. Deuteronomy 33:28 (KJV) The more we dwell alone, the more safe we dwell. But our translation refers it to God; Thou alone makest me to dwell safely. It is done by thee only! God in protecting his people needs not any assistance, though he sometimes makes use of instruments: The earth helped the woman, yet he can do it without them; and when all other refuges fail, his own arm works salvation; no the Lord