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

New Living Translation
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe.

English Standard Version
In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Berean Standard Bible
I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

King James Bible
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

New King James Version
I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

New American Standard Bible
In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, LORD, have me dwell in safety.

NASB 1995
In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O LORD, make me to dwell in safety.

NASB 1977
In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For Thou alone, O LORD, dost make me to dwell in safety.

Legacy Standard Bible
In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O Yahweh, make me to abide in safety.

Amplified Bible
In peace [and with a tranquil heart] I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety and confident trust.

Christian Standard Bible
I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, LORD, make me live in safety.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, LORD, make me live in safety.

American Standard Version
In peace will I both lay me down and sleep; For thou, Jehovah, alone makest me dwell in safety.

Contemporary English Version
I can lie down and sleep soundly because you, LORD, will keep me safe.

English Revised Version
In peace will I both lay me down and sleep: for thou, LORD, alone makest me dwell in safety.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I fall asleep in peace the moment I lie down because you alone, O LORD, enable me to live securely.

Good News Translation
When I lie down, I go to sleep in peace; you alone, O LORD, keep me perfectly safe.

International Standard Version
I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, LORD, enable me to live securely.

Majority Standard Bible
I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

NET Bible
I will lie down and sleep peacefully, for you, LORD, make me safe and secure.

New Heart English Bible
In peace I will both lay myself down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me live in safety.

Webster's Bible Translation
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep; for thou only, LORD, makest me dwell in safety.

World English Bible
In peace I will both lay myself down and sleep, for you alone, Yahweh, make me live in safety.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Together I lie down and sleep in peace, "" For You, O YHWH, alone, "" Cause me to dwell in confidence!

Young's Literal Translation
In peace together I lie down and sleep, For Thou, O Jehovah, alone, In confidence dost cause me to dwell!

Smith's Literal Translation
In peace together shall I lie down, and I shall sleep: for thou Jehovah alone wilt cause me to dwell confidently.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
In peace in the selfsame I will sleep, and I will rest: for thou, O Lord, singularly hast settled me in hope.

Catholic Public Domain Version
In peace itself, I will sleep and I will rest. For you, O Lord, have established me singularly in hope.

New American Bible
In peace I will lie down and fall asleep, for you alone, LORD, make me secure.

New Revised Standard Version
I will both lie down and sleep in peace; for you alone, O LORD, make me lie down in safety.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
in peace I will both lie down and sleep; for thou, O LORD, alone makest me dwell in safety.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And I shall lie down and sleep, because you, LORD JEHOVAH, make me dwell alone in stillness.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
In peace will I both lay me down and sleep; For Thou, LORD, makest me dwell alone in safety.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
I will both lie down in peace and sleep: for thou, Lord, only hast caused me to dwell securely.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Answer Me When I Call!
7You have filled my heart with more joy than when grain and new wine abound. 8I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Cross References
Philippians 4:7
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Proverbs 3:24
When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you rest, your sleep will be sweet.

Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.

Matthew 11:28-30
Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. / Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. / For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Psalm 127:2
In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for bread to eat—for He gives sleep to His beloved.

Numbers 6:24-26
‘May the LORD bless you and keep you; / may the LORD cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; / may the LORD lift up His countenance toward you and give you peace.’

1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

Psalm 91:1-2
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. / I will say to the LORD, “You are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Isaiah 32:17-18
The work of righteousness will be peace; the service of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever. / Then my people will dwell in a peaceful place, in safe and secure places of rest.

Romans 15:13
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 23:1-4
A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. / He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. / He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name. ...

Hebrews 13:5-6
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” / So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

Psalm 3:5
I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.

Jeremiah 31:25-26
for I will refresh the weary soul and replenish all who are weak.” / At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been most pleasant to me.


Treasury of Scripture

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for you, LORD, only make me dwell in safety.

I will

Psalm 3:5
I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.

Psalm 16:8
I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Job 11:18,19
And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety…

for

Leviticus 25:18,19
Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety…

Leviticus 26:5
And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.

Deuteronomy 12:10
But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety;

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Psalm 4
1. David prays for audience
2. He reproves and exhorts his enemies
6. Man's happiness is in God's favor














In peace
The Hebrew word for "peace" here is "shalom," which encompasses more than just the absence of conflict. It signifies completeness, wholeness, and well-being. In the context of ancient Israel, "shalom" was a state of harmony with God, others, and oneself. This peace is a divine gift, reflecting a life aligned with God's will. The psalmist's use of "shalom" suggests a deep, abiding tranquility that comes from trust in God, transcending external circumstances.

I will lie down and sleep
The act of lying down and sleeping signifies trust and security. In the ancient Near Eastern context, night was often associated with danger and vulnerability. Yet, the psalmist expresses confidence in God's protection. The Hebrew verb "shakab" (to lie down) implies a deliberate act of resting, while "yashen" (to sleep) indicates a state of restfulness. Together, they portray a profound sense of safety under God's watchful care, encouraging believers to relinquish their anxieties to Him.

for You alone, O LORD
The phrase emphasizes the exclusivity of God's role as the source of security. "LORD" here is the translation of "Yahweh," the covenant name of God, highlighting His personal relationship with His people. The psalmist acknowledges that true peace and safety come solely from Yahweh, not from human efforts or other deities. This declaration of faith underscores the monotheistic belief central to Israel's identity and serves as a reminder of God's unique and sovereign power.

make me dwell in safety
The Hebrew word "betach" (safety) conveys a sense of confidence and assurance. To "dwell" (from the verb "yashab") implies a settled, enduring presence. The psalmist trusts that God provides a secure dwelling place, both physically and spiritually. This assurance of safety is not merely situational but is rooted in the eternal character of God. Historically, this reflects the Israelites' understanding of God's protection over their nation, and spiritually, it invites believers to find refuge in God's unchanging nature.

(8) Both.--Better, and at once. So the LXX. and Vulg.: "At the very moment." (Comp. Isaiah 42:14.) This, too, is the meaning of "withal," used to render the same Hebrew word in Psalm 141:10.

Thou, Lord, only.--The authority of all the ancient Versions, including the LXX. and Vulg., is for taking the adverb with the predicate, not with the subject as in the Authorised Version: "Thou, Jehovah, makest me to dwell alone in safety." We see from Jeremiah 49:31, Micah 7:14, that isolation from other nations was, in the Hebrew view, a guarantee against danger. This certainly favours the view that the poem is national rather than individual.

For the concluding verses of the psalm Luther had a great affection, and desired Ludvig Teuffel to set them as the words of a requiem for him.

Verse 8. - I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep (comp. Psalm 3:5). His confidence in God enables David to lay himself down calmly and tranquilly to sleep, whatever dangers threaten him. He seeks his couch, and at once (יחדּו) slumber visits him. No anxious thoughts keep him tossing on his bed for hours. For thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety. David has a satisfaction in thinking that it is God only who watches over him. All other help would be vain, superfluous. God alone brought Israel through the wilderness (Deuteronomy 32:12); God alone established Israel in Canaan (Psalm 44:2, 3). David feels that he needs no second helper and protector.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
I will
יַחְדָּו֮ (yaḥ·dāw)
Adverb
Strong's 3162: A unit, unitedly

lie down
אֶשְׁכְּבָ֪ה (’eš·kə·ḇāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular
Strong's 7901: To lie down

and sleep
וְאִ֫ישָׁ֥ן (wə·’î·šān)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular
Strong's 3462: To be slack, languid, sleep, to grow old, stale, inveterate

in peace,
בְּשָׁל֣וֹם (bə·šā·lō·wm)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7965: Safe, well, happy, friendly, welfare, health, prosperity, peace

for
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

You
אַתָּ֣ה (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

alone,
לְבָדָ֑ד (lə·ḇā·ḏāḏ)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 910: Isolation, separation

O LORD,
יְהוָ֣ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

make me dwell
תּוֹשִׁיבֵֽנִי׃ (tō·wō·šî·ḇê·nî)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | first person common singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

in safety.
לָ֝בֶ֗טַח (lā·ḇe·ṭaḥ)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 983: A place of refuge, safety, safely


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OT Poetry: Psalm 4:8 In peace I will both lay myself (Psalm Ps Psa.)
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