Does God Own a Serta Mattress? Psalm 44:23 and Psalm 121:4

Question
God does not sleep or slumber (Psa. 121:4), but in Psalm 44:23 it appears as if the psalmist desires him to wake up?
Answer
Psalm 44:23 Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.

Psalm 121:4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

In Psalm 44, the psalmist is using the term "sleep" to refer to the fact that the Lord had deferred judgment. See the fuller context of Psalm 44:9-10 (cf. Psa. 78:65-66). The psalmist is calling on the Lord to fight for Israel.

Also of note, the normal call to God before battle was "arise" (see Psalm 3 and particularly verse 7). Psalm 7:6 states: "Arise, O LORD, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake, my God; decree justice."

God the Father does not need a bed (Isa. 40:28-31), and he is not like other gods, such as Baal (1 Kings 18:27).

Answer by Dr. Joseph R. Nally, Jr.

Dr. Joseph R. Nally, Jr., D.D., M.Div. is the Theological Editor at Third Millennium Ministries (Thirdmill).