Be still!
By Elizabeth Prata
Psalm 46:10 which in many translations such as the ESV, says
“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth.”
All the NASBs say-
“Stop striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth.”
‘Be still’ is one of the more well-known verses. It’s used and overused everywhere. It has sparked devotionals, it’s on totes, tee shirts, bookmarks. It’s a merchandisable verse, for sure. See some of the subtitles on these products. They are all along the same lines:
Be Still 365-Day Devotional to Quiet Your Heart
Be Still: 90 Devotions for the Hopeful Heart (A 90-Day Devotional to Rest in God’s Presence) – The Perfect Gift for Christian Women
BE STILL: A 30-Day Guided Journal for Slowing Down, Grounding & Coming Home to Yourself
Be still: Be Still Renewing Peace & Reclaiming Joy
It stands to reason that being still means ceasing from movement. But do we really have to stop moving in order to commune with God? Stripping away the clutter and noise to settle in when we read the Bible is always a good idea…but does ‘Be still and know that I am God’ really mean what we think it means?
And then there was this 2006 little beaut of a DVD:
Blurb: “Be Still is an extraordinary film that demonstrates contemplative reflection as a vital part of our everyday lives and as a remedy for the ills of the frenzied, fast-paced modern world.”
Contemplative reflection is the remedy for the ills of the world? I thought Jesus was the remedy for the ills of the world.
‘Be still’ doesn’t mean what we think it means.
It does not mean stop moving and wait to hear God, though slowing down to blot out distractions is always a good idea. No, it actually means stop striving- in your own strength- and wait for God. The point of the Psalm in context is to cease working out our problems in our own strength and cease striving. It means to watch the Lord. Observe His works. Surrender to Him.
“Be still, and know that I am God” is not a call to a contemplative life. It is a call to total surrender.” HB Charles, Psalms of Trust
Barnes’ Notes- It is also employed in the sense of not making an effort; not putting forth exertion; and then would express the idea of leaving matters with God, or of being without anxiety about the issue. Compare Exodus 14:13, “Stand still, and see the salvation of God.” In this place the word seems to be used as meaning that there was to be no anxiety; that there was to be a calm, confiding, trustful state of mind in view of the displays of the divine presence and power.
Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary says- Let his own people be still; let them be calm and sedate, and tremble no more, but know, to their comfort, that the Lord is God, he is God alone, and will be exalted above the heathen; let him alone to maintain his honour, to fulfil his own counsels and to support his own interest in the world. Though we be depressed, yet let us not be dejected, for we are sure that God will be exalted, and that may satisfy us; he will work for his great name. Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 810). Hendrickson.
Be still, yes, by attending to the spiritual disciplines with focus. But…surrender. Cease striving and trust Him. Know He is God.
