Hunkered Down Devotion

Psalm 4:8 (Voice)
8 Tonight I will sleep securely on a bed of peace
because I trust You, You alone, O Eternal One, will keep me safe.

I have never considered myself to be much of a fan of poetry.  Like certain kinds of art, it has always been one of those things that  I feel like I ‘should’ like, or at least appreciate, but I rarely do.

For that reason, I am not always drawn naturally towards the Psalms.  The Psalms are, from a literally perspective, poetry.  Poetry that was often, as was the case for Psalm 4, set to music.  Sometimes, however, even though poetry isn’t my thing, there is a line or a phrase that strikes me, that catches my ear, my mind, or my heart and grabs a hold.

Psalm 4:8 is one of those phrases.  ‘I will sleep securely on a bed of peace’.  I mean, even if I don’t know exactly what that means or what it looks like, sign me up now.   In this difficult time, full of unprecedented levels of uncertainty, could there be anything more appealing than a sound, secure sleep on a bed of peace?

The message here goes beyond the beauty of poetry, though.  The real wonder, the real beauty of this message is not in the turn of phrase, but in the truth that underlines and supports it.

Why is the Psalmist able to sleep soundly?  Because he trusts in God, and in God alone.  Who is responsible for making up the bed of Peace?  The prince of peace and the creator of the universe.

The underlying message in this beautiful line of poetry is that the only way to find peace, the only way to find real rest, security, and protection is by putting our faith and trust in God.

This doesn’t mean, of course, that the world will magically become benign or that there will only be happy days and smooth sailing.  What it means is that our lives and our days, when we have put our faith in God, are always in the hands of someone good enough to want what is best for us and great enough to ensure that we will always be cared for.

Sharing God’s Love,
Chip

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the beauty in the world and the truth you sometimes show us through that beauty.  Help us to trust in you as the only source of real peace and security.   Amen.