We turn to the book of Psalms then and to Psalm 4. Turn to Psalm 4. And now we'll be looking at the last three verses but we'll read the whole psalm. Psalm 4 and we'll begin reading at the beginning. Psalm 4 then reads, To the chief musician, or Neginoth, a psalm of David. Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness. Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress. Have mercy upon me and hear my prayer. O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? How long will ye love vanity and seek after leasing or lies? Selah. but know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself. The Lord will hear when I call unto him. Stand in awe and sin not, commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still. Selah. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and put your trust in the Lord. There are many who say, who will show us any good? Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. I will both lay me down in peace and sleep, for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety. Amen. I wonder if you've ever had a sleepless night. Perhaps I'm thinking particularly of those nights where perhaps you were worried about something. Something was tossing over in your mind. Perhaps it was something that was going on in your life. Perhaps something that was going to happen the day after. Perhaps something that had happened in the wider country and you tossed and you turned at night and you couldn't sleep. and as you pondered what was going to happen and perhaps at such a night we might look at the final verse of Psalm 4 and wonder how David does it what does he say verse 8 there I will both lay me down in peace and sleep for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety perhaps we could wish that we were in David's position king of Israel security Wealth, prosperity, perhaps that's what we think the answer to it is. But actually, as we look at this psalm, we realise that this conclusion comes at a time of unrest. It seems that there were those who were seeking to undermine David's position. Look at verse 2. O ye sons of men, how long will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love vanity and seek after leasing. It seems that there were some in David's kingdom who were seeking to take the position that God had given David, the position as king, and they were undermining it, pouring scorn on it, seeking to challenge perhaps David's right to be king, turning his glory into shame. And because David was God's anointed king, In fact, God's provision for how they could be run as a society and how they could prosper, when they looked at other things, they were in fact seeking vanity, empty things. They were seeking leasing, lies, things that aren't true. This is the background to David's conclusion in verse 8. As we go through, we'd notice that David has some advice for these people who were seeking to undermine him. He reminds them, verse 3, that God has set apart the godly one for himself. That's David. And he writes up at the end of that verse that God will hear him. And what's the result? Verse 4, he says, you should stand in awe. The words, perhaps even stronger than that, it's like fear, tremble, and sin not when you're faced with this God. and the one you have sought to undermine. Commune with your own heart and then finally offer sacrifices of righteousness and put your trust in the Lord. David has advice for these people but I want us to look from verse 6 onwards this evening. From verse 6 to 8. We haven't got time to go into everything so let's just focus on the end here. This bit where David turns from addressing his enemies in verse 6 to once again address God. Up till then he's been saying, offer the sacrifices of righteousness. He's saying to his enemies. But then from verse 6, he begins again to address God. I want us to look at these three verses and seek to understand how in this situation David can come to verse 8 and say that even though all this is going on around him, he will lay down in peace and sleep. We'll look then at these three verses. First of all at the cry in verse 6. then the joy in verse 7 and then finally the sleep in verse 8 first of all then the cry verse 6 and we noted that this wasn't an easy time for David this was a time of unrest in his kingdom there were those who were dissatisfied with him but it seems that David's enemies weren't the only ones who were dissatisfied As God turns from addressing his enemies in verses 2 to 5, he comes to God, but he begins by acknowledging to God that there are those in his kingdom who are crying out in pain. They're crying out, who will show us any good? It's certainly a better response than those who are opposing him. At least these are acknowledging the Lord. In the later part, Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon us. But it's still a cry from difficulty. And David acknowledges to God that this has been happening. And this cry, who will show us any good, I think we can probably associate with that, can't we? We can empathize with that idea. Perhaps we look around at our society and we see every week almost some aspect of our Christian culture rolled back and we cry out, who will show us any good? Or perhaps it's not so corporate in your mind at the moment, maybe there's some particular thing in your life and you're crying out, who will show me some good? Who will show us any good? It seems that God is distant. Like in that psalm we just sang earlier, until the Lord casts us off forever, will he never hear us anymore? It seems that God isn't hearing them. They quote that old Aaronic blessing, or they use words referencing it anyway, in verse 6 there, don't they? Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon us. They're words that God had commanded his priests to say way back in number 626. In number 626 God commands that one of the things the priest will say is the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace. And by commanding his priests to say this God was saying that this would be true. When the priest said the Lord lift up his countenance upon him. It wasn't a wish, it was saying this will happen, this will be true. His face would shine upon them, meaning that he would look upon them in love, look upon them in favour, provide for them and the people are crying out, God you said this would be true. You said that you would lift up the light of your face on us and you're not. And if you won't do this, then who will show us good? There's no one left to whom we can turn. They felt like God had deserted them. Perhaps if we put it in human terms, we can understand perhaps something of what they're saying here. You'll probably remember that in Genesis chapter 31, Jacob has been working for Laban. Jacob's been working for Laban, and early on while Jacob was working for Laban, everything seemed to be going well for Laban, because the Lord blessed Jacob. And Laban got richer and richer. And whenever Laban looked at Jacob, his face was beaming. He saw him as like a sort of a money tree coming towards him, and his face would beam as he'd see Jacob coming through the door. But then, after a certain point, God changes this and he begins to provide for Jacob as opposed to Laban. You remember that bit with the livestock and Jacob says, well I will have everything that's speckled and what happens? All of the animals start to bring forth speckled offspring and then Laban realizes that while Jacob's working for him he's getting poorer and poorer and then Genesis 31 verse 2 puts it like this Behold it, that's Laban's face, was not toward him as before. Before, when Laban saw Jacob, he beamed. But now, when he sees him, he frowns maybe, or he avoids eye contact with him. Maybe you've had a relationship with somebody like that. Maybe you've known somebody. At one point, they're all smiles when you saw them. But then something's happened, and then you start to kind of notice they're avoiding you, and maybe not really looking at you when they're talking to you, and this kind of thing. and what the people here were crying out essentially saying is Lord it seems like you've done this to us at one point you seem like you favoured us but now it all seems gone will you not look on us again you're not looking on us in favour you seem to be like Laban as he frowned on Joseph that's what they're coming to him and saying everything's going wrong and won't you come in for us lift up the light of your face on us now we pray and I wonder do you feel like this perhaps in your own life perhaps you're going through such a time that you feel like God's deserted you or perhaps perhaps you don't feel like that in your own life Maybe you do, but perhaps you don't. But maybe you look at our society, at Britain, at the West, and you think, Lord, if I looked at the world, I wouldn't think you were running it. It seems like the devil's running it. Who will come in for us? Do you feel like that? And it's not always wrong to ask those questions. That's one of the reasons we sang Psalm 77 earlier. Sometimes we feel like that, we know it isn't true and hopefully we'll go on to see that in a moment, but we feel like that sometimes, don't we? And at that moment, these people here, they seem as far as anything from lying down in peace and sleeping. No, they're the ones who will lie down in worry, thinking, what will happen? Who will show us some good? What can we do in these circumstances? Lots to cry but it goes on from that because in verse 7 we have the joy because even though this is the situation and even though those around David are crying out in despair David himself doesn't have any doubts. Look at verse 7. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. Who are the they that he's talking about here? Who are the people whose corn and wine increased? Is it those who oppose David perhaps? Or perhaps it's those who are with him but are crying out, who will show us any good? Probably it's both groups. They had had joy in the past. They'd known what it seemed like when God was seen to be blessing them. There was that time of joy in the past when God did physically pour out his blessings on them. And they had enjoyed the good things that God had created. Corn and wine, good food and good drink. They'd enjoyed it. And there's nothing wrong with enjoying things like that. God had made these things. but it seems that at this moment David didn't have these things yet he can still say that he has more gladness in his heart than they did when everything seemed to be going well when everything seemed to be as good as it could be When David compares their joy then with his joy now, he says he's got even more joy now. That's quite something, isn't it? How can he say this? Well, on one level, perhaps it's some of the things he said earlier in the psalm. We didn't really have time to look at it this evening, but earlier on, we mentioned it briefly in the beginning, but he basically said to them earlier on, remember that the Lord has set apart him that's godly for himself. Remember that God hears me when I call upon him and tremble at that, stand in awe. He's basically telling them they can't win. They're opposing him, but they can't win because God is with him. Maybe it was partly that. No doubt it was. But there seems to be something more than that here. He has this joy. Why? Because God has put it in his heart. Verse 7, Thou hast put gladness in my heart. Now is that something that you know? Do you know what it is like to have a joy from God that goes beyond and above any earthly pleasure. Now this isn't saying that David never had any troubles. If you want proof of that, just turn over a page in your Bible to Psalm 6 verse 6. This is David speaking again. What does he say there? I am weary with my groaning. All the night I make my bed to swim. I water my couch with tears. No, he isn't saying that he goes around without a care in the world. But he's saying that through all these troubles, even at this time, when there are people against him, when the situation seems dire, that people are crying out, who will show us any good? He's saying that even in those times, throughout the pain, throughout the trouble, that God has put a joy in his heart, that he wouldn't swap for the greatest time of earthly prosperity in the past and that's the truth there is a joy to be had in God which does surpass all earthly things and that shouldn't surprise us because whenever we see anything good in this world it is good because it has come from the Creator who is all good It gives us joy because it comes from the one who is the joy giver. Everything that is love, everything that is good in creation is so because it is reflecting God who is love. And so when we turn whatever joy we have in earthly things and they are and it can be joy and it can be good because it comes from God. It's by definition good if it isn't misused. Whatever that is, that must pale into insignificance compared to the one from whom that comes. Compared to the one who is unsullied love. When we see love in this world, it's mawed by sin. It's mawed by the fall. But there is one who is all love, who is all joy. He's other things as well. He's wrath. He's righteousness. But he is love. He is joy. And I want to ask you this evening, where are you seeking your joy? Are you seeking it in the things that reflect the joy-giver? Or are you seeking it in the joy-giver? Because what David is telling us to, what he's witnessing to, is that whenever you seek things in this world, whenever you seek your joy, your pleasure in riches, in work, in holidays, in leisure, even in friends, even in family, if you're seeking your joy in that, you're gonna miss out on something. You're missing out on the one who gave it, the one who defined what joy was. And I would ask you this evening, I would beseech you this evening, to cast aside these earthly things They're good and I don't mean to say that we shouldn't enjoy them. I don't mean that. The Bible doesn't give that impression. But if you're seeking them and that's what your aim is on, cast them off. Listen to what David is saying. He's saying there's a joy from God which will surpass all these things. Earlier David had accused his enemies, hadn't he, of seeking vanity, seeking leasing, seeking lies. I wonder if we can be like them, more than maybe we think. We wouldn't dream of undermining God's appointed king. But maybe we undermined God's appointed king, the Lord Jesus, by actually not seeking him. By thinking other things are more important. That's what they were doing, essentially. They were seeking other things. But they were empty. They were vanity. You grasp them and they fall away. cast all other things aside. Taste and see that the Lord is good. I can't prove that to you. David can't prove that to you. We can speak about it but what David says is taste and see. Taste and see that the Lord is God. Cast your cares upon Him. Find your only purpose in Him and in the Son that God has sent. And listen to what David says here. Perhaps if we put it in more modern parlance. What he's basically saying is, think back to the happiest time you've ever had in your life. A birthday, maybe. Maybe a holiday. Maybe some special time when you were young. Whatever it was, just think back to the happiest moment in your life. What David is saying is, forget it. It pales to knowing God. The joy to be had in God is greater. Can we cast these things aside and seek our joy alone in the Lord? It's what David would have us do. But let's move on to the sleep. What's the result of all this? Well, finally, at this bedtime we spoke about earlier, this time when David is able to come and he's able to lie down in peace and sleep. One of the interesting things about the psalm is actually that you have this split. You've actually got two bedtimes in the psalm. If we'd had more time we could have maybe looked at them more. But in verse four, look at that. Stand in awe and sin not. Commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still. That's the first bedtime. So, the enemies of God's people, the enemies of David, David says, when you go to bed, you should stand in awe. Remember we said that word, it's a strong word, it's kind of like tremble, it's an emotive thing, it's fear. Stand in awe. Tremble before God. You won't sleep if you do that. That's the first bedtime, the bedtime of those who oppose God. But for David, that's not the case. Put that bedtime aside. No, for David, it's the contrast. It's the opposite. I will lay me down in peace and sleep. His enemies are raging. Earlier on in the psalm, he's advised them to be still on their beds and fear God. But they won't. Maybe one or two of them will. But they will carry on raging. There are those around him, even supposedly on his side, who are crying out, who will show us any good? And David, the king, is over all this. Responsible for all of this. But even while the winds and the tempests rage around David, he sleeps. We might wonder, how can he sleep at such a time? How can he lie down in peace at such a time as this? Maybe we look at this and we think, we maybe see something of our own situation in it, and we see the terrors of the world, the terrors of our own life, and we think, how can I lie down in peace? How can you lie down in peace, David, at this time? The answer David gives is simple. The end of verse 8. It's because thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety. The reason he can lie down in peace is because he believes that God makes him dwell in safety. In the joy that God has put in David's heart, he has found the ability to rest in absolute confidence upon God and upon his word, upon his promise. He has promised David that David will have a throne which will never end. He has promised David that he will be king and that his descendants will be king. David rests in that. Lord, this is your word. This is what you've said. You will only make me dwell in safety. I rest in that, he says. It doesn't apply to us in exactly the same way as it did to David, but for you and I. If we're Christians, God has promised that he will work out all things for our good. He has promised that we will be in heaven with him when we die. He has promised that he is coming again and he will reform this creation in the new heavens and the new earth and He will banish all darkness, all despair, all ears, all tears and we will rest with Him forever. If we're Christians we can look back on the fact that God has given His Son already that the one who was God who was over all things took upon him a human nature and he became a baby out of love for us, became helpless, was spat upon, was cursed. That's what we can look back on, that's what God has done for us but look at what he will do for us. This is the God who invites you to cast your curse upon him. what we are thinking about on Sunday evening, isn't it? Casting our cares upon him. But this is the God who invites us to do this. It doesn't just apply to David. In fact, it applies to us even more. David, in the Spirit, perhaps he did see something of it, but he could never have conceived of the wonder of what God was going to do, surely. in the incarnation, in the death of the Son of God in his human nature upon the cross. Can we not rest in this God, believing that when he says he will make us dwell in safety, he will make us dwell in safety. We do this in other situations, don't we? Imagine you're going for an operation. and perhaps naturally quite worried about it. And then the surgeon comes out and explains that this operation has been done hundreds of times before, thousands of times before. And he explains, perhaps, some of the risks, minimal risks. Not all operations are like this, but imagine a surgeon comes out and explains this is the situation. We'd be reassured by that, wouldn't we? You'd say, well, this person's an expert. I'm in safe hands. They've done it before. We're in the hands of an expert. Why can't we feel that way about God? If we put our life in the hands of a human expert, can we not put our life in the hands of one who is over all, above all? After all, before all, can we not put ourselves in this God's hands? And I know that that isn't easy. Sometimes we really, really fear losing something. Or we really, really so much desire something that we feel like we almost can't live if we don't have it. What if we simply said, if I have God, I have all things. What if we let go of those desires, our own wisdom, our own ideas about what would be good for the future, and we simply said, the Lord will make me dwell in safety. I'll leave it with Him, because He is all and in all, because He has promised all things to me. And I can trust Him because of what He's already done and what He's promised He will do. What if we could do that? What if we could just not keep those cares that are upon us? And when God comes to us and He says, cast your cares upon Me, what if we did that? What if we simply said, well, Lord, You're wise. You're good. You love me. And this thing that's weighing me down, I don't need to let it weigh me down. Because I know that in the millennia of new heavens and the new earth, I will look back and I will see the wisdom of what was done in this life. And I know that I don't need to worry about these things. What if we could do that? What if we could just cast them on the Lord who invites us to cast them upon Him? What if we could leave them to Him? What if we could do that in our life, as the Lord gave us opportunity to serve others? And instead of thinking, oh well, what if I give this away? What if I give this time, this money away? What if we thought, the Lord who has opened this opportunity is the Lord who closed the liddies. He's the Lord who knows every hair on our heads. He's the one who feeds the ravens. the one who brings the lion is food what if we were actually able to rest all these things upon God knowing that the God who has called you will provide for you and not only that but in the new heavens and the new earth all these things will be infinitely made up what if we could do that well I would suggest if we could do that if we did do that then we will be able to say with David I will both lay me down in peace and sleep for thou Lord only makest me to dwell in safety because though the world rages around us we have an anchor solid ground going to come to a close now we've looked at this cry. We can associate with that, I think. We can empathise with that cry. Who will show us any good? We've looked at the gladness, the joy that God puts in the hearts of those who seek Him. But as we, perhaps, later on this evening, we'll come to bed, won't we? Will we lay down in peace? Will we take those weights that are upon us, that we insist on keeping, and cast them on the Lord? Will we do that? Will we rest in hymn this evening? Well, let's sing hymn 80.