I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.
Parallel translations
- WEB I laid myself down and slept. I awakened; for Yahweh sustains me.
- KJV I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.
- NKJV I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.
- NASB I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustains me.
- NLT I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David can lie down, sleep, and wake again because the Lord sustains him. Trust in God brings peace even in danger.
Overview
Surrounded by enemies, David sleeps soundly and wakes safely, evidence of God's sustaining care. Restful sleep amid threat is a quiet act of faith, entrusting one's life to God through the night. Some Christians have also seen here a hint of resurrection hope, for the God who sustains through sleep raises His people to new life in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Ps 4:8I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
- Prov 3:24When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you rest, your sleep will be sweet.
- Isa 26:3You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.
- Lev 26:6And I will give peace to the land, and you will lie down with nothing to fear. I will rid the land of dangerous animals, and no sword will pass through your land.
- Job 11:18–19You will be secure, because there is hope, and you will look around and lie down in safety.
- Ps 127:2In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for bread to eat—for He gives sleep to His beloved.
- Prov 18:10The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
- Prov 14:26He who fears the LORD is secure in confidence, and his children shall have a place of refuge.
- Ps 66:9He preserves our lives and keeps our feet from slipping.
- Acts 12:6On the night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, with sentries standing guard at the entrance to the prison.
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 3:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.