The phrase “be still” appears numerous times throughout scripture. Perhaps the most well-known is Psalm 46, where the psalmist reflects on the might and majesty of the Lord our God, who is our refuge and strength and who fights our battles, for we belong to him. As the Lord God says to his people,
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
The original Hebrew used in this verse for still is rapa, meaning to hang limp, to sink, to be feeble or weak, or to be lazy or falter. What God is saying here to his people is that we can rest in all our human frailty, for he doesn’t need us to achieve success. He is the “Great I Am,” and he will prevail. We can rest easy knowing God has all the problems of the world under his control. Another verse urging “be still” comes in Psalm 37:7, where the psalmist urges us,
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”
Here, the original Hebrew is damam, meaning to stand still, to be silent and quiet, to rest, or to cease. The implication here is we can settle down, stop fussing, and simply wait patiently for God to act.
Another “be still” comes in Exodus 14:14, when the Israelites are desperately afraid of the Egyptians chasing after them. Stand firm, Moses says here, explaining, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” This original Hebrew word for “be still” is hares, meaning to be quiet or silent, to become deaf, or to make no move. Freeze, Moses is saying. Don’t say or do anything. God is leading this battle.
In the New Testament, we also find “be still.” For instance, in Mark 4:39 when the disciples are terrified after a storm arises on the lake, Jesus commands the wind and waves, “‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” This “be still” in the original Greek is phimoo, meaning to muzzle or to silence, to quiet or to be quiet.
Whether stillness means immovability or weakness or literal silence with the absence of words, it’s a powerful concept implying ultimate, complete surrender. Instead of rushing to and fro of our own accord, we are still, silent, waiting on the Lord, utterly depending in faith upon his love and care. Being still was important for the early Israelites and Christians to practice, and it is important for us today. Here, let’s take a look at ten ways to “be still” and surrender to the Lord in our daily lives.
Photo Credit: Unsplash/Ben White
