Be Still and Know That I Am God
Come, behold the works of the LORD,
Who has made desolations in the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariot in the fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
Psalm 46:8–11 (NKJV)
A Vision of the Final Judgment
The psalmist gives us a vivid picture—a vision of things to come, namely, the final judgment. Although the outcome is peace, the process is judgment. Nations rage, kingdoms crumble, and the clash of weapons fills the air. War seems imminent.
Yet, in the midst of chaos, comes a divine command to God’s people:
“Be still, and know that I am God.”
It echoes another command spoken to a raging sea—the voice of the Lord Jesus Himself:
“Peace, be still!”
What a blessed hope we have in our sovereign Lord, who intervenes when the world around us is turbulent and confusing!
God’s Ultimate Purpose
The end of all things is not defined by man’s hopes or ambitions, but by God’s glory. His sure promise stands:
“I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.”
He repeats this in Psalm 57:11:
“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth.”
The application for us is clear—God is in complete control.
He has already seen our yesterdays and tomorrows. He is never worried, never unprepared.
When God’s purposes have ripened for the great harvest, our mighty fortress will intervene. In the meantime, do not faint, lose heart, or fear. The situation you face today is not out of control—it is in God’s control.
Ultimately, all things will work together for God’s glory and for our good (Romans 8:28). The best is yet to come.
Listening for the Voice of God
A.W. Tozer captures this beautifully in his book God Tells the Man Who Cares:
“So today we must listen until our inner ears hear the words of God.
When the Voice is heard, it will not be as the excited shouting of the nervous world;
rather, it will be the reassuring call of One of whom it was said,
‘He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets.’
It cannot be heard in the street, but it may be heard plainly enough in the heart.
And that is all that matters at last.”
Our Hope in the Coming Redemption
In His final prophetic message—the Olivet Discourse—our Lord Jesus Christ painted a picture much like the psalmist’s: a world in turmoil at the end of the age. Yet He added a word of encouragement:
“Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads,
because your redemption draws near.”
— Luke 21:28
May the Lord, by His grace, help us persevere to the end, even amidst the uproar around us. Let us be still and know that He is God.
