Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

"He says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.""
(Psalm 46:10 (NIV))

I have been seeing this passage now starting with words that appear to have been recently added. The same translations have gone from "Be still" to "He says, ""Be still"".

Perhaps this has been done after a new translation team reread the original and came to the conclusion that the original Hebrew was more expressive than what had been originally translated.

No matter the reasoning behind these additional words, I have reflected on them and have gone back and forth on the idea of "adding to or taking away." What follows is some of my thought process.

Many have understood the original to be a command. They come across as strict and unyielding. They come across more like something that has to be checked off in order to fulfill your obligation in faith. The recently added words appear to soften the command by giving God a softer tone, a tone more in line with how we know Him as Abba, Father. It still means that we are to be still in His presence, but more out of reverence, respect and love than a forced obligation.

Sadly, too many people think of church and studying His Word as an obligation. They think that if they check off those boxes, then they are doing what is required.

What is required?

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
     And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
     and to walk humbly with your God.
(Micah 6:8 (NIV))

How can we love mercy and walk in humility if we see these attributes as a forced obligation? How can we truly be still in His presence if our understanding of this is a forced obedience, when it could be understood as an act of love and reverence?

If you have accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, you have accepted the greatest love ever given. If someone loves you with such great a love, do you sit in their presence out of fear, trembling and obedience, or do you sit in their presence and return the love?

I may be reading more into the introduction of these two words into the updated translations, but at the same time, it has made me stop to reflect on how we are to respond when we are still in His presence.

What is your response?

Copyright 1998 - 2026 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
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