Be Still, and Know that I am God

What reassuring words! In a world filled with turmoil and unpredictability, we can rest assured that God is not on vacation, unaware somehow of what is going on. We look around and the world doesn’t look at peace at all. But, Scripture says:

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

I love this verse. Be still. Cease striving. Don’t get all worked up into a lather. Look at the context of this verse:

Psalm 46:1 For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth. A song. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah 8 Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. 10 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” 11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Clearly, a world in trouble is present but we are not to fear it. God is our refuge. He is our strength. He is our help. How encouraging!

Look at the troubles listed in the psalm. The earth gives way, mountains are falling into the sea, waters churn in the hurricane winds, and volcanoes are erupting. There is a world of trouble.

But, there is a peaceful river of life. We know from where it flows which explains why the city of God is glad. God still dwells in His holy place. God is within the city of His faithful people and this city will not fall. The darkness surrounds the land, but God will be her help at daybreak.

Do we see that our help cannot come from within us?

We cannot save ourselves.

Government of the people cannot save us.

It’s frustrating sometimes to acknowledge—what God has already told us–that apart from God we can do nothing. In the midst of seeing our own inability, we are positioned perfectly to see that God is all the help we need to save us from the midst of even the most difficult circumstances. He is our fortress. The LORD Almighty is with us.

Are you among God’s faithful people? Then He’s with you and with me and with all the faithful people who look to Him in times of trouble.

What is the encouragement we get? He invites us to come and see the works of the LORD.

Headlines today may read, “Hallelujah!, Hallelujah!” for the nation, but they are gravely misplaced. Only God deserves our praises. And God will not remain silent forever. The nations churn and rise, but ultimately God brings the nations and the kingdoms to naught. He allows them to rise up… in order to cast them down… and in doing so, He demonstrates His mighty power. He takes the warring factions filled with their loud boasts and they are silenced in light of His glory. He takes the most powerful instruments of their striving and breaks them.

History is replete with the rise and fall of nations. Truly, will America somehow be different? I doubt it. The Egyptians enslaved the Jews before deliverance. The Assyrians hauled off the Israelites and Judah was taken captive by Babylon. Did that stop God? No! God was raising up and casting down then. Today is no different.

Psalm 33:10 The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. 11 But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

God has spoken and someday we will see the truth of this. Praise be to God alone. Hallelujah!