Not in Pain, but in Plain rest.
Vrse 2 [It is] vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: [for] so he giveth his beloved sleep.
This is where the word 'vain' appears again. Vain X3= Surely there's triple emphasis. And now i'm seeing that i'm doing some/all of these vain stuff stated in this vrse. Its Vain for you to rise up early, clearly not talking about you slothfully sleeping long hours. The statement behind that statement are why are you rising up early for? Worship the Lord? Righteous men in the Scripture- Moses, Joshua, Abraham, for instance- got up early, but they were not racing frantically to catch the six o'clock train. When they got up in the morning they worshipped. To sit up late: Is it building up the Kingdom of God or burning the midnight oil or what meaningful stuff are we involved in sitting up late? To eat the bread of sorrows? The word bread is used figuratively in such expressions as "bread of sorrows" (Ps. 127:2), "bread of tears" (80:5), i.e., sorrow and tears are like one's daily bread, they form so great a part in life.
One translation of Psalm 127:2 reads, "He gives to His beloved even in his sleep" (NASB). I believe there's something wonderfully significant in this verse- something easily missed unless we understand that Israel's day began in the evening, not in the morning as it does for us. Israel's sequence of evening and morning is significant, I believe, because it pictures the attitude we should embrace in all our efforts. It's useless to drive ourselves in anxious frenzy, "to rise up early, to sit up late" (127:2), as if success depended solely on our efforts. Our days should begin by resting in God's infinite ability.We must work hard and be faithful in all we do, but we must also realize that everything depends on God. When we begin our work, we join God in what He is already doing.
For so he giveth his beloved sleep. What does 'For so' mean- It means Because of, or having to know its vain to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat bread of sorrows. 'For so he giveth' meaning- For so God in His wisdom knowing that its vain to go through those things, 'he giveth' meaning He provides. Its like God saying "I know all the pain you are going through! Why do you keep yourself so busy? My love, dont go through with it any longer. So trust in me and i'll give you rest!"
And 'his Beloved' sounds like people who are the chosen ones. You wont say my beloved to every other people! Those people who puts their faith in Him, for they whom He have chosen. That is why he uses the word, "beloved," which was Solomon's original name, Jedidiah ("the beloved one"). The king is saying that the best gifts he received in life were those he got while he slept, not those he toiled and labored for. Solomon acquired wisdom as he slept. Fulfillment comes when we get life's greatest assets as a gift.
In verse one and two has an Instructional element combined with an Invitational touch to it. Instructions that leads you away from Frustration and invites you to fulfillment. Whereby there's a sense of renewed hope, and re-energized.So the great gifts of God come to us while we sleep. That is why the ultimate expression of trust in the psalms is sleeping.When we sleep we cease our labors, both of deed and of mind completely, and enter that quiet state when we can receive what the Lord wants to give to us.
Christ never asks of us such busy labor That leaves no time for resting at His feet;The waiting attitude of expectation He often counts a service most complete. -Anon.
Do thy duty, that is best; leave unto the Lord the rest. -Longfellow
