In July, I started studying the book of Psalms. I have found that they inspire great confidence in God. I have found this to be especially true of Psalm 46.
In Psalm 46 two verses have received much attention in Christian churches. The first is "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble," and "Be still and know that I am God."
Both are great verses that help believers internalize important facts about God; however, when the verses are read within the entire context of the Psalm, they really inspire confidence.
"God is our refuge and strength ..." the Psalm begins. It then goes on to describe God's adequacy as a helper during the midst of a cataclysmic catastrophe similar to what the characters in a disaster movie like "2012" would suffer. "Therefore, we will not fear ..." when the earth literally collapses beneath us; when Judgment Day comes or, when our own personal worlds fall apart. This Psalm alludes to all of those scenarios.
Psalm 46 also gives us a shocking view of God, in light of the focus we moderns place on God’s loving nature. In Psalm 46, the earth melts at the sound of his voice. This is meant to be symbolic - all trouble fades away when God comes on the scene. The psalmist seems to be extremely confident of this - so much so that he or she quotes God as saying, "Be still, and know that I am God.” The term “be still” does not mean that we quit moving and sit quietly. It simply means, "Trust me. Don't fear what you see going on around you, no matter what it is.” It means “… still your fears, your concerns, your worries … “ … and know that I am God.” What fear do you need to turn over to God this week?
