Be Still
A reflection on Psalm 46
I remember a season in my life when I was a mother of three very active little boys. My best friend commented that they were like bear cubs, tumbling and tussling constantly. One would do headers over the couch for fun, in which we would say, “The couch is not a jungle gym.” Many times when we were in orderly places like doctor’s offices, church, and any place we had to wait, I would whisper, “Be still.” Of course, those words were futile. They were never still…unless they had something in front of them to focus their attention.
That memory comes to mind when I hear God’s words in Psalm 46. The psalmist describes a world that seems to be falling apart—creation itself trembling, nations in an uproar, chaos pressing in. A world in constant motion. And in the middle of it all comes the invitation: “Come, behold the works of the Lord” (v.8). The psalmist sees what is so easy for us to miss: God’s presence in the midst of chaos.
We can’t really “behold the works of the Lord,” if we don’t slow down long enough to observe them. That is when God sings along with the psalmist to “Be still” (v.10). When we’re constantly moving we get swept up in distraction, we give in to the noise – whether it’s through doom scrolling or frenzied activity. We focus more on the doing and less on the being. We’re caught up in “our” doing instead of God’s doing. Then, we are left feeling alone and overwhelmed.
Before we accept the psalmist’s invitation to observe the works of God, we have to listen to God’s words first. The words may seem as futile as when I said them. Just as most little boys are not wired to be still, stillness does not come naturally to us. We are designed to move, to act, to fix. We are created to react to our ever-changing environment. We are constantly evolving and growing, so it may seem unnatural to stop and do nothing. Yet God calls us to pause, to go against our instincts, and to make room for the divine’s presence.
When we don’t stop, our focus narrows to our own efforts. We try to control outcomes, correct mistakes, or fix what feels broken. But when we do stop—even for a moment—we notice what God is already doing. In the stillness, we remember God’s past faithfulness. We see God’s handiwork all around us. And from that place of being with God, we begin to discern what belongs to us, and what belongs to God alone. It’s not until we pause and rest in God’s presence that we focus our attention on where God has already been at work. Then, it becomes clear what is ours to do and what is God’s.
No matter how much we want to hold the world together, our efforts are fruitless without God’s presence. The invitation is simple yet profound: “Come, behold the works of the Lord” (v.8). But in order to do that, we must “Be still, and know that I am God” (v.10). When we pause long enough to see and to be, we discover what we most need: the assurance that we are not alone. God is here. God is present in the chaos. And God is already at work.
Reflection Questions:
1. What does it mean to you to be still? Is it hard for you to be still?
2. What’s the difference in “being” and “doing”?
3. How or when can you “be still” and rest in God’s presence?
4. Do you know what is yours to do and what is God’s?
Pray: Slow us down, O God, and still our hearts to be in your presence.
Action: Make time to “be still” this week (for at least 5 minutes, if not longer) and observe God’s handiwork all around you.