“我必安然躺下睡觉，因为独有你耶和华使我安然居住。” - 诗 4:8

有时我们简直难以入睡。这可能是因为你为明天早上的旅程感到兴奋，或者正在为你儿子的吸毒成瘾担忧，也可能是害怕你乘坐的那艘船会在大风浪中沉没。无论是什么原因，你眼睁睁凝视着黑暗，无论如何，夜不能寐，你现在该怎么办呢？

诗篇4篇以这句话作结：“我必安然躺下睡觉，因为独有你耶和华使我安然居住。”这节经文适用于某天晚上加利利海上一个扣人心弦的场景；当时，有一艘小船遇到了大风浪，耶稣却在船上睡着了。小船在风浪中摇摆起伏，海水涌进船舱，小船即将面临沉没的危险。门徒们害怕得心惊胆战，他们中间的渔夫晓得这场大风浪真的很危险。

然而耶稣此刻却在睡觉，衪深信衪的父必定会保守众人平安。当衪枕着枕头睡觉时，我想像耶稣会以信靠的心祷告说：“我必安然躺下睡觉，因为独有你耶和华使我安然居住。”

当你辗转反侧难以入睡时，想想诗篇4篇吧。你可以与耶稣一起用这节经文祷告，低声重复这句话，这样做就是在邀请衪与你同在。愿你睡得香甜。

祷告

主耶稣，当我睡觉时，求你帮助我把我的焦虑、担忧、和恐惧都交托给你，深信你会看顾一切。阿们。

马可福音 4:35-38

35当那天晚上，耶稣对门徒说：“我们渡到那边去吧。”
36门徒离开众人，耶稣仍在船上，他们就把他一同带去；也有别的船和他同行。
37忽然起了暴风，波浪打入船内，甚至船要满了水。
38耶稣在船尾上枕着枕头睡觉。门徒叫醒了他，说：“夫子！我们丧命，你不顾吗？”

A Peaceful Sleep

"In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety." - Psalm 4:8

Sometimes it's just about impossible to fall asleep. You could be excited because you are planning to leave for a trip in the morning. You could be worried about your son's opioid addiction. Or you could be terrified by a storm that threatens to sink your boat. Whatever the reason, you can't sleep. Your eyes are wide open, and you're staring into the dark. Now what?

Psalm 4 ends this way: "In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety." That verse connects with a gripping scene one night on the Sea of Galilee. There, on a small boat in the midst of a raging storm, Jesus is fast asleep. The boat rises and falls on the swells, taking on water, threatening to sink. The disciples' hearts are racing with fear. The fishermen among them know how dangerous the storm is.

But Jesus sleeps. He has no doubt that his Father will keep them all safe. As he lays down his head on a cushion, I imagine Jesus saying a trusting prayer: "In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety."

When you have a hard time falling asleep, remember Psalm 4. Pray those words with Jesus. Repeat them softly. As you do, welcome his presence. And may you sleep.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, when it's time to sleep, help me to turn my anxieties, worries, and fears over to you, trusting you to look after everything. Amen.