During 2025, Peachtree Church is focusing on the Book of Psalms with a series called Dwell, through which we seek to deepen our conversation with God and open ourselves to hearing his response. The practice of praying three times each day will unite the voices of our hearts and souls as we seek the day when we will see the full realization of the Kingdom of God, promised in Revelation 21:3: “…Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”
We will email devotionals twice weekly with Monday’s providing an overview of the Psalm as a whole, and Wednesday’s focused on that week’s Daily Dwell.
“In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat, for He grants sleep to those He loves.”
Psalm 127:2
Devotional
If verse 1 reminds us that our labor is nothing without God, verse 2 drills into the problem: the restless striving that keeps us working long hours, chasing security, and losing peace.
Solomon names a universal temptation: to measure our worth by what we produce and how tirelessly we work. It’s the trap of believing that if we just work a little harder, wake up a little earlier, stay up a little later, then life will finally feel secure. But this verse calls that belief “vain.” Not unimportant, but empty.
God is not anti-work; He created us for meaningful labor. But He is against work that leaves us depleted because it’s built on fear instead of faith. The image here is almost tender: God gives sleep to those He loves. Rest is not laziness; it is a gift, a reminder that the world turns because of His sustaining power, not ours.
In a culture that praises the grind and glorifies exhaustion, Psalm 127:2 stands as a quiet rebellion. We are invited to rest—to lay down our tools, our spreadsheets, our to-do lists, and trust that God is holding what we cannot. Sleep becomes an act of worship, a declaration that our security comes from Him alone.
Maybe for you, “sleep” means literal rest. Maybe it means the mental stillness you’ve been craving. Maybe it means releasing the outcome of a situation you’ve been gripping too tightly. However it looks, this verse reminds us that rest is not something we earn after we’ve done enough; it’s something we receive because we are loved.
For Reflection
- What fears keep you from resting fully in God’s care?
- In what ways can you make space this week to receive God’s gift of rest?
Prayer
Gracious Lord, You alone are worthy of our praise You know how hard it is for us to stop. You see the late nights and early mornings we spend trying to secure what You have already promised. Forgive us for trusting in ourselves and teach us to trust in You alone. Quiet our minds and help us receive Your gift of peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Devotionals