We spend roughly one-third of our lives sleeping, based on a common eight-hour-a-night standard. Children require far more sleep, and surely most adults get less than eight hours, but sleep is a fundamental need of every man and woman. 

Going without sleep is like going without food or water. After a certain amount of time, it becomes deadly. 

As people made in the image of God, he has designed us as people who require sleep. God himself rested on the seventh day of Creation. Sleep is part of our mental, emotional, and physical health. 

Certainly, since this has been by God’s design, the Bible has much to say about sleep. And like food and water, the passages cover the physical, emotional, and spiritual metaphorical aspects of sleep. What does the Bible say about sleep? 

Rest and Renewal

The Bible underscores the physical and emotional restorative aspect of sleep, recognizing its importance in maintaining overall well-being and resilience. Throughout the scriptures, we find several references and narratives that emphasize the restorative power of sleep.

From the very beginning, in the creation narrative, God established a pattern of work and rest. In Genesis 2:2-3, we read that “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so, on the seventh day he rested from all his work.” This divine example sets the foundation for the importance of rest in human life.

The Bible repeatedly acknowledges God as the provider of rest. In Psalm 23:2, the famous passage says, “He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters.” 

This imagery portrays God as a shepherd who leads His sheep to places of rest and tranquility, ensuring their physical and emotional well-being.

The Bible often portrays sleep as a divine gift, a source of physical and emotional restoration. Psalm 127:2 states, “It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.” 

Here, sleep is characterized as a precious blessing, a time when God bestows rest upon His beloved.

In the context of physical healing, sleep is seen as a critical component of recovery. Proverbs 3:24-26 states, 

When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught. 

Sleep, characterized by peace and trust in God, contributes to emotional and physical restoration.

Sleep also plays a vital role in emotional well-being. In the midst of challenging circumstances or emotional turmoil, restful sleep can offer solace and healing. 

Psalm 4:8 says, “In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” This verse highlights the emotional peace and security that sleep can bring, particularly when one places their trust in God.

Trust in God’s Peace

The Bible often employs sleep as a metaphor to convey the idea of trusting in God. This metaphorical usage underscores the notion that just as individuals find physical rest and security in sleep, they can also find spiritual peace and trust in God. 

“I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.” This verse from Psalm 3:5 encapsulates the theme of trust in God during times of adversity. 

The psalmist’s ability to sleep peacefully, even in the face of dangers and enemies, illustrates unwavering trust in God’s protection. 

Psalm 4:8 emphasizes the connection between peace, sleep, and trust in God. “In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” 

Trusting in the Lord allows one to lie down in safety and experience peaceful rest. It highlights the idea that when we trust God, we can find emotional and spiritual rest.

Isaiah 26:3 highlights the link between trust in God and perfect peace. “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you.” 

Trusting in the Lord is depicted as a way to maintain a peaceful mind, akin to the tranquility experienced in sleep. The metaphor of God as an everlasting rock signifies stability and security.

In a famous gospel story, Jesus was asleep during a deadly storm. From Matthew 8:24-26: “And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, ‘Save us, Lord; we are perishing.’ And he said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?’ Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.”

These were extremely experienced fishermen and sailors. Their diagnosis of a deadly storm was legitimate, and they were angry at Jesus like he didn’t care. 

Yet Jesus’ peaceful sleep in the middle of a raging storm serves as a metaphor for living by faith, even during trying circumstances. 

Christ rebukes the disciples for their fear, and he more than implies their trust in God should have been strong enough to allow them to rest peacefully in the face of danger. 

Spiritual Indifference

The Bible uses sleep as a metaphor for spiritual indifference or lethargy to convey the idea of spiritual complacency, apathy, or neglect. This metaphor underscores the importance of remaining spiritually vigilant and active rather than becoming spiritually dormant. 

In Proverbs 6:9-10, sleep represents laziness and spiritual indifference. “How long will you lie there, o sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest.” 

The “sluggard” is metaphorically asleep, failing to engage in productive or spiritually meaningful activities. The passage emphasizes the need for spiritual diligence and proactive engagement in one’s faith.

In Romans 13:11-12, the Apostle Paul writes to the church in Rome, and here sleep signifies spiritual unawareness or indifference. 

Believers are encouraged to “wake from sleep” and be spiritually alert, recognizing that the time for salvation and spiritual awakening is near. It emphasizes the urgency of active faith and discipleship.

Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 

Again, in as well as Say Yes: How God-Sized Dreams Take Flight.

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Related links:
5 Ways Sleep Adds to Our Spiritual Lives
9 Bedtime Prayers to Help You Sleep Peacefully