Bible Strands
Psalms 132:4
I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids,
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist speaks in the first person, declaring a personal vow of relentless vigilance. This declaration bridges the refusal to enter bed in verse 3 with the stated goal of securing a dwelling for God in verse 5.
The words — The Hebrew phrase אִם־ אֶתֵּן שְׁנָת ('im-'eten shenat) literally renders "if I will give sleep." This conditional construction frames the vow as a stipulation that rest will be withheld only until a specific condition is met.
The thread — The motif of denying sleep appears in Proverbs 6:4 and Genesis 24:33, where urgent tasks demand uninterrupted focus. Ruth 3:18 also echoes the theme of pressing forward until a matter is resolved.
Why it lands — The text demands immediate, undivided action toward a sacred objective. It asks the reader to prioritize a specific calling over physical rest until that calling is fulfilled.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids,
Cross-references
- Proverbs 6:4 Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.
- Ruth 3:18 “Wait, my daughter,” said Naomi, “until you find out how things go, for he will not rest unless he has resolved the matter today.”
- Genesis 24:33 Then a meal was set before the man, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I came to say.” So Laban said, “Please speak.”