THEOSISAugustine of Hippo
He designates his bed as a place of repose. When someone takes time to rest, they should remember God; let them not succumb to relaxation and forget the Almighty. By recalling God during their moments of rest, they bring Him into their actions. He referred to dawn as the time for deeds, since each person begins their tasks with the break of day. What does he express? If I have not paid attention while resting, neither have I contemplated You at dawn. Can someone who neglects to think of God during their leisure truly engage with Him in their endeavors? However, one who remembers Him in rest will also meditate on Him in their activities, ensuring they do not falter. Hence, he continues, Because You have been my helper. Without God's assistance, our worthy deeds cannot come to fruition.
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It is crucial that we engage in righteous acts, which should be done as if in daylight, guided by the path shown through Christ. Those who commit wrongdoings do so in darkness, not at dawn; as the Apostle states, They that are drunken are drunken in the night; and they that sleep sleep in the night; let us, as believers, remain sober. He encourages us to lead honorable lives after the day has passed: As in the day, let us conduct ourselves honorably. You are all children of light and children of the day; we do not belong to the night or darkness. Who are the children of the night and the children of darkness? They are the ones who indulge in all forms of wickedness. They are so identified with the night that they dread their actions being exposed. Thus, no one acts in the daylight except one who does so in Christ. Those who remember Christ during their leisure reflect on Him in all their endeavors, and He becomes their aid in performing good works, preventing failure due to their frailty. I will find joy in the shelter of Your wings. I am filled with cheer in performing good deeds, for Your protective wings surround me. If You do not guard me, as a hen would, I may fall prey to the predator. Our Lord Himself lamented over Jerusalem, a city where He was crucified, saying, 'Jerusalem, oh Jerusalem, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks, but you were not willing.' We are small, thus we seek God's protection beneath His wings. What happens when we become great? It benefits us that even then He continues to shield us, so that, regardless of our growth, we remain as His chicks. For He is always greater, no matter how much we expand. No one should think, 'Let Him guard me until I am small,' as if one day we will grow to a size where we need not rely on Him. Without God's safeguarding, we are nothing. Let us always desire to be under His protection, and in that way, we will find the strength to be great while humbly remaining under His care. In the shelter of Your wings I shall rejoice.