Be Still!

“Be still, and know that I am God.” —Psalm 46:10 ESV

When we read the verse above, we tend to think of it as a peaceful, calming, reassuring word of comfort for hassled, harried moments— and it is. But as I’ve studied Psalm 46, I’ve come to realize it’s a lot more than that.

I believe this phrase (in this context) is actually a command to those who have been resisting God and threatening His people. Remember, this psalm was written because of an attempted attack on Jerusalem. God has been giving His people reasons to have courage and faith.

Now, God has a word to speak to those who oppose Him. He wants His enemies to acknowledge that He is the God of the universe; they are not. They need to give in and surrender.

However, God doesn’t just speak this message to the enemy; He speaks those words to us, too, because unbelief and resistance are often lodged in our hearts. So God says to us, “Stop fighting, doubting, and wrestling about who is in charge. Be still, and know that I am God.”

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“A Mighty Fortress is Our God (Psalm 46),” Revive Our Hearts series

Scripture taken from The ESV