Proverbs 3:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

NIV: When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

NASB: When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

CSB: When you lie down, you will not be afraid; you will lie down, and your sleep will be pleasant.

NLT: You can go to bed without fear; you will lie down and sleep soundly.

KJV: When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

NKJV: When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.

This promise comes in the same context as prior verses: a generally true statement of the benefits of obeying God. Obedience to the Lord is not a magical spell that prevents us from all negative things (Proverbs 3:25; John 16:1–4). However, those who follow God's Word and submit to His will don't put themselves under the same risks as those who are rebellious or depraved. Earlier verses pointed out that following the path which godly wisdom lays out will keep us from stumbling (Proverbs 3:23).

In that same sense, this verse tells us not to fear when we lie down to sleep. Even in the ancient day, fears and anxieties were a major disruption to one's sleep. Living wisely causes us to sleep soundly, because we know the Lord watches over us at night as well as during the day. David explains in Psalm 4:8, "In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety." Also, when we honor the Lord and have a clear conscience, we aren't going to be kept awake fearing for the consequences of our actions.

Sleep comes more peacefully if we treasure the Lord's promise to be with us always (Matthew 28:20). When Herod arrested and imprisoned the apostle Peter with the likely intent to execute him the following day, Peter slept soundly. The fact that his execution was planned and guards were stationed around him did not interrupt his sleep (Acts 12:1–12). It is possible he recalled Jesus' prediction that he would die as an old man (John 21:18), and reasoned, "I am not old yet, so I have nothing to worry about. Herod cannot take my life tomorrow." Or perhaps he simply trusted that God would be with him regardless of the circumstances so there was no reason to fear. Wisdom teaches us to rely on the Lord's promises and get a good night's sleep.

Proverbs 3:13–26 extols the virtue of wisdom. Solomon began this discussion in chapter 1, and explained in chapter 2 that the Lord gives wisdom to the upright. Now he describes as blessed the person who finds wisdom, and explains its benefits and applications. Wisdom, as used in this book, refers to the ability to apply godly knowledge. While not a guarantee someone will act accordingly, having a grasp of God's intent for our lives is immensely valuable.

This chapter of Proverbs is addressed to Solomon's son. The term, ''my son'' occurs 15 times in chapters 1—7. The words may apply to one of Solomon's students in his court or to one of his biological sons. The application of wisdom in Proverbs 3 shows the benefits of trusting in the Lord with one's whole heart. Solomon credits obedience to and trust in God for longevity, success, guidance, health, reward that exceeds monetary wealth, enjoyment, peace, security, confidence, excellent human relationships, the Lord's blessing and favor, and honor. As with all ''proverbs,'' biblical or otherwise, their purpose is to impart general wisdom, not absolute prophecy. Like the original audience, modern readers are not expected to see these guidelines as absolute guarantees for any one person.

This passage lies in the second section of the book, found in chapters 1—9. The author, King Solomon, reigned over Israel from 971 to 931 BC. The first section of Proverbs, the preface, is found in Proverbs 1:1–7. The third section, chapters 10—22, were also written by Solomon. These proverbs were likely written by Solomon in his middle years, whereas he probably wrote Song of Songs in his early adulthood, and Ecclesiastes near the end of his life. As in the first two chapters, wisdom is stressed in Proverbs 3.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.