The text before us shows two things that can indirectly rob people of sleep. The first is idleness. Long flights are usually a stress to me. When any flight is to last in excess of five hours non-stop I have to specially prepare my mind for it. Over time I found something that helps me cope. The night or day preceding any such flight, I make sure that I literally work myself to exhaustion. No sooner than I settle in the plane that I sleep off. So I just sleep the hours away. Our text discusses sleep from two angles. Firstly, he introduces us to the laboring man. His sleep is always sweet. Having sapped himself of energy during the day, his body naturally shuts down for rest at night. This gives us additional value of work. A good day’s work is a recipe for a good night rest.

Those who have committed themselves and what they have to God and His cause can still enjoy rest despite their great fortune.

The second cause of insomnia is undue worry over wealth. When people are unduly concerned about how to succeed or make money, they may lose their sleep. Even after people have succeeded, the concern of not losing their fortune can rob them of sleep. This does not have to be a rule of thumb. Those who have committed themselves and what they have to God and His cause can still enjoy rest despite their great fortune. When the Bible speaks of the abundance of the rich not allowing them to sleep, I believe it is strictly those who have money without God. What we know to be true is that God’s blessing makes one rich without adding sorrow with it. God will not give you wealth with one hand and rob you of sleep with another hand.