Psalm 46 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 46 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Verse 2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
Verse 3though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah
Verse 4There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
Verse 5God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns.
Verse 6The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
Verse 7The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
Verse 8Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
Verse 9He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
Verse 10"Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth."
Verse 11The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
Devotion
Change and turmoil can roar around and within us – threatening to consume our thoughts, flood our emotions and ravage our lives. We wrestle with chaos, confusion, and conflict. However, in the midst of our struggle, the God of Jacob calls us to become more present to the fullness of God’s presence.
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Richard Rohr, in his book Everything Belongs, uses the above prayer to try to draw himself and others into a more contemplative frame of mind. The Lord of hosts is with us. Let go of fears, despair, anxiety and calculations. The God of Jacob is our refuge. Receive the abundance and security given simply by God.
Prayer
In the midst of our wrestling, O God of Jacob, grant us a mysterious peace that comes through your presence and help. Amen.
Rohr, Richard. Everything Belongs. (New York: Crossroad Publishing Company, 2003), p. 62.