A psalm for sleep

Some nights the body is exhausted and the mind will not switch off. A review of the day, a bill to pay, a conversation that did not end.

Psalm 4 begins with a plea for an answer and ends with someone lying down in peace. In the middle, the psalmist speaks to those who are listening, not to God: “Tremble, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.”

The instruction is strange and useful. Speak in your own heart, on your own bed, and be silent. It is not about settling the matter of the night, it is about stopping the rehearsal of the argument.

A way to read before sleeping

Read the whole psalm, slowly, once. Without interpreting.

Then read only verse 8: “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

Repeat it three times. The third repetition is usually the one that sticks.

If the subject comes back, write in one line what you would do about it tomorrow. One line, on paper or on the phone. The brain usually accepts a postponement that is written down.

In Bibliou you choose the evening time and type “psalm for sleep”. The message arrives with verse 8 and the line ready to copy.