I will lie down and sleep in peace

Audio

Instrumental Audio

Lyrics

I will lie down and sleep in peace
Sleep in peace
Sleep in peace
I’ll sleep so well for you alone
Oh Lord, keep my life so safe and sound

Mike Burn
© 2020 Rising Generation Music

Lyric Video

Story behind the song

This song is based on a Bible verse from Psalm 4:8 that has been used for hundreds of songs already, but Psalm 4 is a personal favourite of mine, and so I wanted to include the verse in a song on this album. It’s a different song in that it is sung in the first person, in contrast to the majority on the album that are sung to a child. I do like the idea that as a child hears this song being sung to them, once they are able to understand it as they grow, they can then make it their own.

Here in the UK, in common with much of Europe (and increasingly, parts of the US also, where Sue and I lived for a few years) the Bible is not known nearly as widely as in decades and centuries gone by. As a way of getting verses familiar to people who may never pick up (or download) a Bible, songs are a valuable way of passing on the words of scripture. Or, as Psalm 145 puts it, “One generation will commend your works to the next”

I hope that for anyone who struggles with sleep from time to time, or all the time, will be able to take some comfort and encouragement from this verse from the Psalms – we can sleep in peace, knowing that God watches over us.

The instrumental features more great flugelhorn from Tim Boniface – don’t forget to check out his own excellent Christmas album

Instrumental Video