Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

I would say that any sleeplessness that the psalmist had in mind would have been the result of a troubled mind, particularly with respect to a person's relationship with God as it pertains to eternity, but also including cares and concerns related to the economic or physical welfare or safety of persons (either the individual or those close to the individual).

Although a Christian's faith and ongoing study of the Bible should provide confidence and comfort (particularly with respect to eternity), and Christians should be encouraged to deal with troubles and worries through those means, that does not preclude the possibility, in an imperfect world where human and spiritual forces opposed to God are still active, of those concerns affecting the individual's ability to sleep or achieve peace of mind. Nor does it somehow imply that an individual who experiences such problems does not have true saving faith.

In addition, persistent sleeplessness can have organic or physical causes that God has equipped qualified humans to address through medical means, which would not be inconsistent with, or indicative of a denial of, God's care, any more than seeking treatment for an infectious disease would be.

February 04 2019 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Shirley H Supporter Wife, mother, veteran in the spiritual war we all face!

Psalm 127:2, NKJV reads "It is vain for you to rise up early & to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrow. For so God gives his beloved sleep."

God gives treasures to those who believe while they sleep. Jesus, the patriarchs, the prophets, King David and Israel were God's beloved. So are we who abide in faith today.

Genesis 2:21, God caused Adam to have a deep sleep. He received Eve!

Genesis 3:17 - 19, God tells Adam his disobedience has a price. (The bread of sorrow in the above verse).

Sleep in the bible can produce many things...
Genesis 28:11,12, dreams. Daniel 8:18, visions. Psalm 121:4 comfort, assurance about God. 

Matthew 1:20, An angel visited Joseph. You never know when you may have a visit!

Matthew 11:28, sleep can be rest from responsibility. 

1 Corinthians 15:51, sleep is Hope and Victory! 

Conversely sleep can be disturbed and cause insomnia. Tossing and turning until dawn. See Job 7:4.

Ecclesiastes 5:12, messages that are to be taken to heart, might come while you attempt to sleep.

Isaiah 28:12-26 describes rest that is not easy when you yield not to God!

Psalm, 51:3, an unconfessed sin can cause insomnia.

Psalm 55, restless King David was oppressed, and longed for sleep.

1 John 2:16, loving the world, more than God, can disrupt rest.

1John 1:8, self righteousness. Job suffered from this.

Revelation 3:20, Jesus said He stands at the door, He wants you to receive Him. Will you? 

Jesus knows about sleepless nights. Mark 14:32, He was grieved in His very Soul!

Luke 12:27, a lack of faith, do we trust Him?

Romans 3:9 - 18. It is written, we all are sinners. That alone is enough to cause unrest! 

Matthew 8:26, "Why are you so fearful, o you of little faith?"

C.S. Lewis said " No man knows how bad he is until he has tried to be good."

February 17 2019 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Sarah Christian Supporter

Occasional insomnia is common: 60% of people in a Sleep in America poll answered that they have difficulty sleeping at least 2 nights/week. The primary reason that occasional insomnia turns chronic is because of habits and thought patterns that perpetuate the sleepless nights. Worrying about not sleeping actually becomes what keeps people awake.

The emphasis in this verse needs to be on the word "gives." Sleep is an involuntary activity. Although we can be in a posture to allow sleep to happen, we cannot cause sleep to happen. We are intricately, amazingly designed in such a way that the activity that allows for the healing of our minds and bodies comes as an act of surrender.

October 07 2019 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Danny Hickman Supporter Believer in The Gospel Of Jesus Christ

I think the first part of the verse in this question reveals the context of the Psalmist's assertion about sleep. It says, "It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for He gives to His beloved sleep." (Psalm 127:2)

The implication here is that God provides for all our needs. He isn't suggesting that the people whom God loves will never suffer sleeplessness. We can eat dinner too late and end up tossing and turning half the night before we can settle down and get some sleep. An evil report (bad news) can also make us 'walk the floor.' (I believe Nehemiah had trouble sleeping when he received the news about the wall of Jerusalem being broken and the gates of the city being burned - Nehemiah 1:3,4.)

The Psalmist here is juxtaposing working all day to be able to eat, with how easy it can be to simply fall asleep. If we aren't careful, we can take this kind of talk to mean that there's really no good reason to work hard; that God will take care of everything if we just relax and take it easy. Is it vain of us to work diligently for our sustenance? No, of course not! 

This Psalm isn't about getting good restful sleep, building houses, or being a night watchman! It's about how vain all of our actions are when we exclude God from our plans. Falling asleep should be as easy as closing your eyes; but it isn't automatically that way! It can be just as hectic as "toiling for food to eat."

Solomon wrote this psalm. He came to the conclusion that: "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity." (Ecclesiastes 1:2) And so I'm not surprised that he would say 'it's vain to get up early and to stay up late.' If all of life is vanity, then there you are... all of life is self gratification...

I think he makes a solid point. I believe he made the same point in the whole book of Ecclesiastes. I don't think the book is proof that Solomon had become depressed the way it's been asserted by many scholars. Maybe he was; but writing the truth about how futile it is to "grasp for the wind" isn't sufficient evidence of it, in my opinion. 

I agree with his allegation that there are only two ways to live: to live a life of total submission to God, or to live a life of dedication to pleasing oneself and being never totally satisfied (vanity). It's like attempting to put the wind in a cage; and then to try to take it home.

In summary: Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. Psalm 127:1

And I will add, 'unless the Lord gives them sleep, they might as well watch television all night...'

13 days ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report