BE STILL AND KNOW

Psalm 46....1God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah 4There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 6Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 7The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah 8Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth. 9He 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. 11The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

I have read how this wonderful psalm was such a great comfort to Martin Luther, who used it as the basis of his great hymn: “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.” As I look at it, I can see how it can be just as precious to us today if we’ll look carefully at what the psalmist through the inspiration of God tells us.

First of all he calls God, “an ever-present help in trouble.” The Hebrew word translated as “trouble” literally means “a tight space.” How often have we been in a tight space, where we’re pressed on every side...where our options are limited,…our freedom is restricted .... or maybe our progress toward a goal is stopped? It could be that there are uncontrollable circumstances, or terrible oppositions facing us.

But, verse 2 says: “Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,” What he is saying is that because God is my help.... I will not fear when the foundations of the world are shaken. He says that when we face circumstances over which we have no control...God is our refuge! He is my divine strategy when I need help. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God.: We must be still!

God’s strategy is completely counter to everything we know in our culture. Think about the pace of family life... especially if you have kids…running to gymnastics; running to school; football practice;… hopefully, dropping them off for church activities;… picking them up; going here; going there. Then of course there is work. You plan out your day; take a stack of stuff home to work on tomorrow; then tomorrow will be full of activity after activity; appointment after appointment; phone call after phone call; all in and endless blur till next Sunday. And then, there is the church schedule. You probably think we pastors sit around...dreaming up stuff for you to do; dreaming up programs for you to be involved in; dreaming up meetings for you to attend; dreaming up committees to form. And, when you put it all together, it goes completely against Psalm 46:10, which tells us....Be still, and know that I am God.  How,…in the chaos of our lives…do we be still?

I wonder what would happen if you put our calendar under the Holy Spirit’s control...He will always reserve time to “be still” with Christ. Release our cares into God’s hands. Only He can solve the insolvable! Only He can storm the impenetrable! Only He can change the unmerciful! Only He can bring sunshine out of storms. He can protect you on the outside (He is our refuge), and strengthen you on the inside (God is our strength). No wonder Martin Luther was inspired to write:

A Mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing;
Our helper he amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
doth seek to work us woe,
His craft and pow’r are great,
and armed with cruel hat,
on earth is not his equal.


Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right Man on our side,
the Man of God’s own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He....
Lord Sabaoth His name,
from age to age the same...
and He must win the battle.


And tho this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph thru us.
The prince of darkness grim...
we tremble not for Him;
His rage we can endure;
for lo! his doom is sure...
One little word shall fell him.


That word above all earthly pow’rs..
no thanks to them abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours
thru Him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill;
God’s truth abideth still...
His kingdom is forever.