Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. – Psalm 46:10, KJV

Psalm 46 contains a lot of trouble. Distress (verses 1 and 6), catastrophe (verses 2-3), anger (verse 6), governmental upheaval (verse 6), and war (verse 9) are all mentioned, and surrounded by such trauma it wouldn’t be surprising if the lesson of Psalm 46 was “Be worried! Be very, very worried!” But the lesson of Psalm 46 isn’t “be worried.” It is “relax, for God has things under control.”

Psalm 46:10 teaches us to “be still.” The word “still” is the Hebrew word “raphah” (pronounced raw-faw’), which has as one of its meanings “to relax.” In the midst of our storms – in the midst of life’s frenzies – we aren’t to run around raging and fretting like the heathen do who have no hope. Instead, we are to stop, take account of the fact that God is ruler of His creation, and trust in the reality that He will work all things together for good to them that love Him and are called according to His purpose. As John Gill puts it, we:

should not be fearful, nor fretful and impatient, or restless and tumultuous; but be quiet and easy, resigned to the will of God, and live in an assured expectation of the appearance of divine Providence in their layout. And “know”; own and acknowledge that he is God, a sovereign Being that does whatsoever he pleases; that he is unchangeable in his nature, purposes, promises, and covenant; that he is omnipotent, able to help them and deliver them at the last extremity; that he is omniscient, knows their persons, cases, and troubles, and how and where to hide them till the storm is over; that he is the all wise God, and does all things after the counsel of his own will, and makes all things work together for good to them; and that he is faithful to his word and promise, and will not suffer them to be overpressed and bore down with troubles.

While we wait for God to deliver us from trouble, we should relax. While we wait for God to ease the sting of betrayal, we should relax. While we wait for God to deal with those who would attack us personally, we should relax. While we wait for God to show us our next mission for Him, we should relax. While we wait for Him to direct the next step along the path He has shown us to take, we need to be still, wait patiently, and serve diligently where He has placed us today. Only by learning the art of divine relaxation will we be able to enjoy life despite our circumstances; otherwise, our circumstances will send us on an emotional roller coaster that will drive us nuts!