Devotional Bible Study: What It Means To Be Still And Know God | Psalm 46:10.
- Karen O'Reilly
- Jun 17, 2021
- 7 min read
Updated: Jun 7, 2024
Welcome to Day 12. for one of our short powerful devotions from the 31 Bible Verses About Practicing The Presence Of God. This short devotional is based on Psalm 46:10.
Read Psalm 46:10.
Psalm 46:10 begins the portion of scriptures about resting in God from our Practicing The Presence Of God bible reading plan. In our short bible study, I will unpack for you the scripture treasure to be found in this verse. When you understand the meaning behind Psalm 46:10, it will make it all the more meaningful in your life and it will encourage you to totally trust God, to let go of all those burdens that weigh you down, and fill you with a strong desire to practice God's presence!
Psalm 46, an 11-verse song dedicated to Zion, God's holy city where His people dwell with Him, emphasizes the security found in God. Throughout the psalm, we gain insight into the characteristics and attributes of God. He is our refuge, a source of strength, present with us, and a great help to the weak. God's sovereignty reigns above all, and His mere voice can cause the earth to tremble.
It is mostly written in the third person, but in verse 10 it changes and God speaks directly.
Read the whole Psalm HERE.
This Psalm was written during a time when foreign armies had surrounded the holy city of Jerusalem. They had threatened the future of the people of God. But God dramatically intervened and His people were victorious.
After this triumph, God calls upon them to know—now more than ever—that He will be exalted over all the nations of the earth. Hold that thought as we discuss what other translations of the Bible say about Psalm 46:10.
"Stop striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth.” NSAB.
“Stop fighting, and know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.” CSB
Be Still And Know That I Am God in Hebrew
The command to be still comes from the Hebrew word, 'raphah' which means to be weak, to let go, to release which might be better translated as cause yourselves 'to let go' or 'let yourselves become weak'. It is a command from God to surrender all that concerns us in order to know that God is in control.
Join me below for a short devotional about doing what God commands us, to "cease striving and know that I am God". And join me for prayer at the end of this post.
Short Devotional: Be Still And Know That He Is God
What is going on in your life right now?
Are you content or do you have heavy burdens weighing you down?
I seem to have seasons of stress and seasons of calm in my life at various times but I have found God is my anchor through them. I love Psalm 46:10 and I love it all the more now that I understand that God was speaking to the Israelites just after they had won a mighty battle against an enemy that had them surrounded.
Did you notice in our short bible study, that God had commanded them to "cease striving", to stop "fighting" in their own strength, and to trust Him with their battles?
How To Be Still
How can you be still and rest in God when battles rage around you and you feel out of control?
You may have done all that you can to fix a troubling situation and still, it rages. You may have prayed, fasted, and tried to do all the things you know to do to change a situation, and yet you are still waiting for a good outcome. What can you do now?
Rest In God
You can only rest in God and that will strengthen your faith muscle. Seek God's presence and rest in the knowledge that He is God Almighty, the Sovereign God.
Cease Striving
Let go and relax. Trust that God is working behind the scenes and be expectant of change.
Worship God
Engage in heartfelt worship of God. Don't miss the opportunity to gather with a church community on Sundays for corporate worship, which will uplift your heart and soul alongside fellow believers. Remember, worship doesn't end at the church doors. Embrace moments of personal worship at home, singing with all your heart to favorite worship songs found on platforms like Youtube, and even dancing if you feel inclined.
In these private moments of worship, you will discover the burdens of life fading away as your focus shifts to Jesus. Fix your eyes on Him, and you will be reminded of the Sovereign King who holds all authority over the earth and faithfully works on your behalf. Let worship be your gateway to finding strength, comfort, and encouragement in God's presence.
Pray
Continue praising and worshipping God in prayer. Pray without ceasing and with great expectation that God hears your prayers and is working on your behalf. Did you know that God holds our prayers in high regard and that our prayers are stored in golden bowls in Heaven?
Remember
Remind yourself of what God says in the Bible about trials and tribulations and how He is faithful and intervenes on behalf of His people.
Also, recall times from the past when God has already intervened on your behalf. That is one awesome reason to keep a prayer journal (see the one below that I have designed to go along with our study on Practicing The Presence of God). You can record prayers that are weighing on your heart and when they are answered, come back to your recorded prayer and write the date of your answered prayer.
Gratitude
When you give thanks to God in all circumstances, it changes your perspective and it provides more room in your life for God to work in.
Be Expectant
Be watchful and expectant of seeing God working on your behalf. Even when you are being still in God's presence, He is working. Even though you might not see that God is working, trust that He is. God has a plan, a good one. It may not look like what we think it should but we have this promise, "And we know that God causes everything to work together[a] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28.
Practice God's Presence
Spend some time today unpacking what God is saying to you about resting in His presence and about ceasing to strive.
Dive deeper into our 31-day journey of discovering what God reveals about living in His presence with our printable devotional journal!
I've crafted a 31-Day Bible Study printable, featuring 31 powerful scriptures on Practicing The Presence Of God. This printable includes a guided prayer journal, an insightful workbook, and thought-provoking discussion questions designed to deepen your connection with each verse and uncover God's personal message to you.
Don't miss out on this transformative experience! (There is a sample in our Resource Library, so you can try before you buy❤️)
What is God saying to you through this verse?
What burdens do you need to surrender to God and trust Him with?
Write out your prayer request.
What are you grateful for today? Count your blessings!
Write out the scripture verse, it helps you to memorize the scripture and store up God's truth in your heart. Then in the last section of the prayer journal, there is space to record what God is speaking to you through our bible verse today, Psalm 46:10.
Scripture Prayer
We are called to pray without ceasing. That means we can talk with God at any time and in any place. This is a great way to practice the presence of God. Praying scripture is a powerful way to pray so join me in praying Psalm 46:10.
Father, how awesome You are! You are Sovereign and You have a good plan and a purpose for my life. You are my strength and fortress. Only You can cause good to come out of awful circumstances. Remind me in Your word of all the promises that You have said are mine. Thank you that as a believer, I can be still and know that you are God! Forgive me for the times I rush on and try to find the solution to my problems in my own strength, instead of surrendering them all to you and resting in Your presence. Amen.
Related Resources:
1. You will find Practicing The Presence Of God: 31 Presence Of God Scriptures HERE. It will have the list of 31 Bible verses that we are using for 31 days that our short powerful daily devotionals are based on.
2. Do you long for resources to help you grow in faith and know God's hope, peace and strength for your busy life every day? The lifetime access Devotional Bible study bundle is perfect for you (includes current and all our future resources too!)
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xx Karen
