All right. Thank you for coming here this morning, giving up some sleep. I hope this will be a blessing of an equipping hour. I know that the study of the topic of sleep, biblically, has been a blessing for me.

I anticipate this will be a four-part series. This is part three of that series. The other two you can get online on our website or on YouTube. Today I want to continue our thinking about the topic of sleep and particularly how a Christian’s sleep should be different from that of a non-Christian.

Ask yourself: How ought your sleep be different from that of a Mormon, a Buddhist, an atheist, an agnostic, or your culturally (but not born again) Christian neighbor? Today, considering the topic of how sleep is a gift from God, I hope we will inform our view of sleep and be able to sleep differently than those who do not know God.

In the next few weeks, we will consider how sleep can be used as an opportunity to glorify God, but also how it can be an opportunity to sin. All of humanity must sleep. We are all capable of sinning in relation to our sleep. We can learn about good and poor sleep practices—“sleep hygiene”—from believer and non-believer alike. But only Christians are truly able to glorify the God who made sleep and made us to sleep, as we sleep.

We’re going to continue our review of the Bible’s teachings on the topic of sleep in order to first and most importantly understand what the One who created sleep says about sleep. If you were here for the first two sessions, I passed out a passage list that summarized all of the Bible’s verses on sleep. I’ve added more to my own study, so if you want that, just text or email me and I can send it to you.

Review of Part 1

In part one of our series, we learned that sleep is a small and very real act of faith. It’s a necessity for all of us, but it is also an opportunity to humbly and dependently trust God as we find ourselves unconscious, helpless, asleep. Sleep must be a nightly reminder that God is God and we are not. Every creature that God has made sleeps, and God never sleeps—He does not slumber. We spent a long time learning about that, that without sleep, we get sicker, weaker, die earlier. But God does not rest because He doesn’t need to. He made us to sleep, and He is the only one who does not sleep.

It ultimately doesn’t matter whether we want to sleep or not. No matter how hard you try to stay awake, you and I will grow weary. Sleep will win. We learned we can last longer without water than we can without sleep. And like it or not, we will ultimately be rendered unconscious, helpless, and vulnerable. God designed it this way. God will never grow weary; He will never faint.

From that, we learned the first point: Sleep should be a nightly humbling reminder that God is God and we are creatures. Every time in Scripture that God proclaims the fact that He does not sleep, it’s paired in the near context with instruction that His people ought to find their strength in Him through dependent, trusting faith.

We looked at Psalm 121:2–3: “My help comes from Yahweh, who made heaven and earth. He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. Yahweh is your keeper.” Based on this confidence, David proclaimed—while Absalom, his son, and his son’s army sought his life—“I lay down and slept; I woke again, for Yahweh sustained me.” (Psalm 3, Psalm 4).

That led to our second point: Sleep is a nightly demonstration of our need and God’s incomparable faithfulness, power, and strength. And third: Sleep is a nightly opportunity to humbly, dependently trust God.

Psalm 127: Sleep Is a Gift from God

We’re going to build on that foundation today and go to Psalm 127:1–2, where we finished last time and where we’ll start now. I’ll be reading out of the ESV, because there is an important translation difference at the end of verse 2, which the Septuagint supports. The ESV says:

“Unless Yahweh builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless Yahweh watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. 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.”

These verses clearly teach that there are only two types of activity that mankind can participate in: that which God accomplishes through us, and vain, worthless activity. There are no other alternatives. This is just as true now as it was thousands of years ago. The two classifications of what you do while you’re awake are (1) that which God does through us, and (2) vain, worthless, futile, inconsequential activity.

Those who think the security of their city depends ultimately on them are watching in vain. That kind of person will cut their night of sleep short, waking early and staying up late to ensure their needs are met by their own strength. They won’t think to ask God for provision or protection, or if they do, it’s an afterthought rather than the foundation of their hope. Much of the sleep that one engaging in this kind of labor does get will likely be spent worrying about what they cannot control.

Likewise, if you find your sleep plagued by anxiety—worrying about tomorrow, viewing sleep as an unpleasant interruption in all you have to do—it may be an indicator that you are working apart from the Lord, not relying on Him for both the strength to accomplish tasks and the wisdom to guide which tasks you ought to be about.

Psalm 127 does not say that the sleepless toil described won’t ever be “successful” by worldly measures. If you get up early, stay up late, and work weekends, you may make more money or accomplish more tasks. But when you accomplish more, what will it be? Ultimately, vanity. Ecclesiastes 2:22–23 says, “What has a man from all the toil and strivings of heart with which he toils under the sun? For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity.”

Ecclesiastes 8:16–17 says, “When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the business that is done on earth, how neither day nor night do one’s eyes see sleep, then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out.”

Back to Psalm 127: “It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil.” Work apart from God will always and only be ultimately in vain. In light of this, the most unexpected conclusion: “For He gives to His beloved sleep.” Sleep is a gift from God.

In one of the greatest contrasts between those who know and trust God and those who do not, we find their sleep is different. We spent the first two sessions learning of God’s incomprehensible, wise, loving, sovereign, omnipotent creating and sustaining power. Nothing in the universe exists or occurs apart from Him. Only those whom He has predestined for adoption as sons, those whom He has called according to His purpose—His beloved—can have the irrevocable promise that He works all things together for their good (Romans 8:28).

For that beloved one, sleep is sweet. This doesn’t necessarily mean Christians will always sleep more hours or have perfect sleep cycles—noisy neighbors, new babies, illness, back pain, or demanding tasks can disrupt our sleep. But only the Christian can receive sleep as a gift from God, expressing trust that He is working all things together for good while we sleep.

Solomon, who wrote Psalm 127, also wrote Proverbs 3:24. He speaks of the one who finds wisdom, rooted in trust and fear in Yahweh, describing that one’s sleep: “If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet… for Yahweh will be your confidence.”

God’s beloved can enjoy the gift of sweet sleep, resting comfortably because they know God is working all things together for good, and they know the One from whom this gift of sleep comes. Note in Psalm 127 that this gift of sleep is reserved in a special way for God’s beloved—those who fear Him, who trust Him.

The sleep of the one who trusts is sweet, knowing that even while we sleep, God is working. John Piper says it well: “God is working for us around the clock. He does not take days off. He does not sleep. In fact, He is so eager to work for us that He goes around looking for more work to do for people who will trust Him. ‘The eyes of Yahweh run to and fro throughout the whole earth to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward Him’ (2 Chronicles 16:9). God loves to show His tireless power and wisdom and goodness by working for people who trust Him.”

Jesus Himself is the clearest revelation of this truth: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28).

Examples from Scripture: King Asa and Hezekiah

Consider 2 Chronicles 16:7–9 in light of Psalm 127. This passage is toward the end of King Asa’s reign. He started well, trusting Yahweh, who saved him early on from armies that outnumbered his own three to one. That was evidence God does watch over His people. God attributed Asa’s success against the Ethiopians and Libyans to God’s own work. Asa led Israel well to trust Yahweh, destroyed idols, and God worked for him, bringing safety and protection to the nation. There was no war until the thirty-fifth year of his reign.

But now, King Basha of Israel decided to besiege Judah. Instead of praying and trusting Yahweh, Asa relied on his own might and relationships. He successfully bribed Ben-Hadad, king of Syria, to attack Israel’s northern flank, forcing Israel to retreat from the siege. It might seem like Asa did something wise—using resources to protect Judah. But he is not commended for this, because the problem was that he relied on his physical resources instead of relying on Yahweh.

Don’t misunderstand: The problem is not that Asa worked to protect Judah; the problem is that he did so apart from dependence on God. God had proven Himself clearly in protecting Asa against a million-man army of Ethiopia. So Asa should have said, “God, will you protect me now, just as you’ve protected me for these past thirty-five years?” Yet he went about it on his own.

We have even more evidence of God being for us than Asa did. We have Christ. So when you face a problem and your sleep is challenged, if you find yourself jumping right to your own solutions or to Google without praying and asking for God’s provision, reflect on these passages and see if you might be working in vain.

In 2 Chronicles 16:7–9, God says: “Because you relied on the king of Syria and did not rely on Yahweh your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you. Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge army with many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on Yahweh, He gave them into your hand. For the eyes of Yahweh run to and fro throughout the whole earth to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward Him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.” Asa’s self-dependence and anxiety-ridden labor proved to be in vain.

Compare that to King Hezekiah, a few generations later. His reign was characterized by dependence on Yahweh and repentance when he failed. When Jerusalem was surrounded by the Assyrian army under Sennacherib, the Rabshakeh mocked Hezekiah’s reliance on Yahweh. But Hezekiah’s response was not first to his own resources; it was prayer. He prayed in 2 Kings 19:15: “O Yahweh, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; You have made heaven and earth. So now, O Yahweh our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You, O Yahweh, are God alone.”

Then, while Hezekiah and the people were asleep, God worked. 2 Kings 19:35 says, “And that night, the angel of Yahweh went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when the people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies.”

God does not sleep, so we can receive the gift of sleep knowing that it is He who protects us. He’s awake all day and all night, looking for opportunities to work for His beloved who trust in Him, “for He gives to His beloved sleep.” In the NASB, it can also be translated, “He gives to His beloved even in their sleep.”

Again, this is not an encouragement to let our lives be dominated by sleep. If you’re in a battle, fight. If you’re a watchman, watch. If you have a house to build, build it. If you have work to do, do it. But do it in a way that doesn’t rely on yourself—rather, rely on God. The sweetness of your sleep will be a barometer of how well you do this.

Psalm 20:7 says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of Yahweh our God.” If our trust while we are awake is Yahweh, we will sleep well, because God works for us while we sleep. But if we trust ourselves—our proverbial chariots and horses—our labor will be in vain, and our sleep will be plagued with anxiety.

In my own life, especially in the midst of cancer struggles for me and my son, that verse—“some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of Yahweh”—has been precious. Facing a trial, we might be tempted to push it out of our minds instead of facing it head-on with trust in God. Let this verse correct us. There is nothing wrong with using resources—like having the best horses or chariots, or in our modern day, the best medical treatments. The difference is: in the end, if we win the battle, who gets the glory? Is our trust in Yahweh or in ourselves?

That difference might not change outward actions much, but it will radically affect the quality of your sleep. One person can sleep sweetly, trusting God is at work. The other’s sleep is plagued by, “It’s all on me. I can’t turn my brain off.”

The Physiology of Sleep

We’ve learned how sleep is a special gift given by God for His beloved—a confident rest from labor rooted in trusting the God who works for us while we are unconscious. For the non-believer, sleep just reflects exhaustion. But for the believer, it is also a real act of faith each night.

Yet sleep is also a gift of common grace. Even God’s enemies benefit from it. He is kind, giving sun, rain, food, and sleep. People receive these gifts but remain oblivious to their gracious source. As Christians, we must not take such gifts for granted. We ought to give God thanks for them—especially for the gift of sleep. Just as we don’t eat a meal without thanking Him, we shouldn’t lie down or wake up without thanking Him for sleep.

Charles Spurgeon eloquently preached on this passage, calling sleep “the best physician.” He noted that God “bestows it upon all,” not just the rich or noble. “The sleep of the laboring man is sweet.” Spurgeon observed that sleep is a precious gift, one we rarely appreciate until it’s taken away.

Modern science is just beginning to understand the depth of this. Imagine a drug that improves mood, refreshes energy, helps you live longer, wards off Alzheimer’s, improves memory, logical reasoning, creativity, motor skills, reflexes, and helps with weight management, heart health, and immune function—with no negative side effects. If it existed, we’d pay a fortune for it. Yet God freely gives sleep, and we receive it best when we humbly trust Him.

Sleep is so much more than mere unconsciousness. When we’re sleeping, our bodies are busy doing things that do not occur while we’re awake—mental and physical maintenance, memory consolidation, skill reinforcement, disease prevention. Often we mistakenly believe we can accomplish more by cutting sleep short. But God has designed this gift such that, if we neglect it, we suffer chronic performance impairments and illness. If you want to serve God better, maximize your effectiveness for Him, you must not neglect sleep.

One night of lost sleep affects you far more than missed exercise or a poor meal. Stack that up, night after night, and the negative consequences compound. So let’s resolve to embrace sleep as a gift—a nightly opportunity to trust God and receive the amazing physical benefits He designed.

The same God who provides for you while you work also designed you to need a certain amount of sleep each night, typically around eight hours for adults (more for children and teens, sometimes a bit less as we age). It’s not some unfortunate byproduct; it’s by design—an opportunity to rest and rely on Him while He works for us. If you find yourself constantly rising early and going to bed late, it likely indicates that the “bread” you’re eating is the bread of anxious toil, rather than that of steadfast trust in God.

Sleep is a good gift from a gracious God. Only Christians can work, knowing God is the One behind the scenes, ensuring that their labor is not in vain. Only Christians can fully receive the gift of sleep as it is intended for God’s beloved. Anxious toiling is ultimately powerless to provide for you or for your eternity. While we sleep, doing nothing, God works and renews our bodies, allowing us to work better the next day. We might end up far more productive in the 16 hours we are awake than if we tried to seize 18 hours each day in our own strength.

Many have asked for a bit more on the physiology of sleep. While we can administer drugs to sedate someone into unconsciousness, sedation is not genuine sleep. Under sedation, we lose most benefits that come with real sleep. During true sleep, our brains cycle through stages—non-REM and REM—and remarkable things happen. During non-REM, especially deep sleep, our brains perform maintenance, transferring memories from short-term to long-term storage, discarding unneeded data, and performing a “power wash” of waste products (the glymphatic system). Lack of this process correlates with dementia and Alzheimer’s.

During REM sleep, the brain creatively applies what it learned, reinforcing motor skills, practicing tasks—even though your body is effectively “paralyzed” so you don’t physically act out your dreams. This is why you can sometimes wake up and suddenly have the solution to a problem that stumped you the day before.

All of this points to God’s design. It is not simply lights-out unconsciousness. Sleep is a dynamic, essential process God built into our bodies. When you see all this, why would we ever neglect this gift?

Matthew Walker, a sleep scientist, summarizes that routinely sleeping less than six hours weakens your immune system, increases your risk of cancer, and appears to be a key lifestyle factor contributing to Alzheimer’s disease. Inadequate sleep disrupts blood sugar so profoundly you could be classified prediabetic, and it raises your likelihood of coronary artery disease. The shorter your sleep, the shorter your lifespan. The mental and physical impairments caused by one night’s bad sleep dwarf those caused by missing food or exercise.

Our need for sleep must not be a point of frustration or a necessary evil. It’s a good gift from a gracious God, used to humble us into dependence on Him.

Warnings, Laziness, and Conclusion

Please don’t take this important lesson not to neglect sleep as license to pursue as much sleep as possible at the expense of what you ought to do. As with so many good gifts—food, physical intimacy in marriage, money, power—sleep is prone to abuse. It’s possible to idolize a good gift and forget its Giver. It’s possible to be lazy. Sleep can be gluttonously abused.

We have multiple warnings in Proverbs about this. We’ll open next week with the ways we can misuse sleep. But I don’t want to end today without reading some of Solomon’s warnings:

Proverbs 6:9–11: “How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”

Proverbs 10:5: “He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.”

Proverbs 19:15: “Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.”

Proverbs 20:13: “Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.”

Proverbs 23:21: “For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.”

Proverbs 26:14: “As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed.”

Christians who fear God ought to work diligently. “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,” and “the hand of the diligent makes rich.” If you don’t have a house because you didn’t build one, or if you’re poor because you didn’t work, don’t blame God.

Sleep is not an excuse for laziness. It’s a sweet gift of God—a chance to rest from your God-given tasks. We have work to do. The Christian life should be marked by hard work while we’re awake and sweet rest while we sleep. Paul writes in Colossians 3:23–24 to Christian slaves, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” And to all Christians, Colossians 3:17: “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

Psalm 127 is not an encouragement toward idleness or laziness, but a reminder to trust God. While we work diligently as if unto the Lord, ultimately it’s God working behind the scenes to make it eternally valuable—something that will survive judgment and rebound to His glory forever. We’ll see that as we obey, it’s God who works in us, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). Only the Christian can have the Lord build the house when he builds, or have confidence that the Lord is doing the watching while he keeps watch.

So don’t be lazy. As John Piper puts it: “Don’t eat the bread of anxious toil, because no matter how hard you work to achieve anything, God has lifted off your back the final responsibility for its success. And God can accomplish more good for those who trust Him while they sleep than they can accomplish with anxious labor while awake. He gives sleep to His beloved.”

You’re dismissed.