Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
This scripture is one of the more commonly misapplied and twisted scriptures. It is pulled out of context from everyday believers innocently trying to offer sage advice to a fellow Christian. However, it’s more commonly pulled out of context by those who are into false teachings like “Soaking Prayers” and “Contemplative Prayer”, like Richard Foster. Both of these practices are neither based on biblical means of prayer, but rather founded on mysticism.
So what is this verse actually talking about? Is God really telling us to be still and wait on Him? Is this verse for us today? Well to answer these questions we must understand the context of Psalm 46:10. Most of the time when scriptures are ripped out of context it’s because people have not taken the time to understand the full meaning in the verse in question. So let’s set up the context, so we can grasp and understand what, or who this verse is addressing. To do this we need to go back to Psalm 46:4 which reads, “There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God.” What city are we talking about? Well, of course, it would be Jerusalem. This scripture is talking about Jerusalem, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most high. As we can already see, this verse is addressed to a particular location and not to everyone who reads it.
To further grasp the context of Psalm 46:10 we need to look at verse 7 which states the following, “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” If we also look at verse 11, the verse right after 10 we see this, “The lord of hosts is with us; the god of Jacob is our refuge.” As we can see from these verses, the theme is a proclamation of comfort to Israel, not us! Along with this proclamation these verses are also a warning to the enemies of Israel.
So theme of Psalm 46, is a proclamation of comfort to Israel, God is their refuge. He will defend them. He is going to protect them. But it is also a warning to Israel’s enemies. Psalm 46: 10 is a proclamation that God is in control; God is sovereign. In the simplest terms Psalm 46:10 is not about us and it is not meant for us today. Which the verse holds truth just as every word of God’s Holy written Word does, its truth is within the context of to whom it was written to.
So what is this verse actually talking about? Is God really telling us to be still and wait on Him? Is this verse for us today? Well to answer these questions we must understand the context of Psalm 46:10. Most of the time when scriptures are ripped out of context it’s because people have not taken the time to understand the full meaning in the verse in question. So let’s set up the context, so we can grasp and understand what, or who this verse is addressing. To do this we need to go back to Psalm 46:4 which reads, “There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God.” What city are we talking about? Well, of course, it would be Jerusalem. This scripture is talking about Jerusalem, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most high. As we can already see, this verse is addressed to a particular location and not to everyone who reads it.
To further grasp the context of Psalm 46:10 we need to look at verse 7 which states the following, “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” If we also look at verse 11, the verse right after 10 we see this, “The lord of hosts is with us; the god of Jacob is our refuge.” As we can see from these verses, the theme is a proclamation of comfort to Israel, not us! Along with this proclamation these verses are also a warning to the enemies of Israel.
So theme of Psalm 46, is a proclamation of comfort to Israel, God is their refuge. He will defend them. He is going to protect them. But it is also a warning to Israel’s enemies. Psalm 46: 10 is a proclamation that God is in control; God is sovereign. In the simplest terms Psalm 46:10 is not about us and it is not meant for us today. Which the verse holds truth just as every word of God’s Holy written Word does, its truth is within the context of to whom it was written to.
