The Theology of Sleep | Psalm 127
How many of you have trouble sleeping? Neuroscientists and medical doctors say that sleep is one of the best things you can do for your health: can boost your immune system, prevent weight gain, strengthen your heart, create a better mood, improve memory, increase your exercise performance, and help your relationships. This message is not all about how to get a good night sleep according to a medical doctor and is not telling you that you have some spiritual problems because you can’t sleep at night. But this message is about what it means to trust God in the midst of the ordinary challenges and opportunities of life so that we can get a good night’s sleep. The reality is that there is a spiritual component to sleep.
Psalm 127 is one of the Songs of Ascent that were sung by the Israelites as they ascended in their pilgrimage to Jerusalem for worship at the annual feasts. This was their playlist that helped focus their minds and hearts on the Lord to prepare them for worship. Psalm 127 teaches us that human effort is useless apart from God whether it is building a house, protecting a city, or raising children. God gives us sleep as a gift to point us to that reality and this song is a lullaby that helps God’s people get a good night’s sleep. God will give us the sleep we need when we trust in His sovereign work over us and special love for us.