TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 46:6–11. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
These verses give glory to God both as King of nations and as King of saints.
I.As King of nations, ruling the world by his power and providence, and overruling all the affairs of the children of men to his own glory; he does according to his will among the inhabitants of the earth, and none may say, What doest thou?
1.He checks the rage and breaks the power of the nations that oppose him and his interests in the world (Psa 46:6): The heathen raged at David's coming to the throne, and at the setting up of the kingdom of the Son of David; compare Psa 2:1, Psa 2:2. The kingdoms were moved with indignation, and rose in a tumultuous furious manner to oppose it; but God uttered his voice, spoke to them in his wrath, and they were moved in another sense, they were struck into confusion and consternation, put into disorder, and all their measures broken; the earth itself melted under them, so that they found no firm footing; their earthly hearts failed them for fear, and dissolved like snow before the sun. Such a melting of the spirits of the enemies is described, Jdg 5:4, Jdg 5:5; and see Luk 21:25, Luk 21:26.
2.When he pleases to draw his sword, and give it commission, he can make great havoc among the nations and lay all waste (Psa 46:8): Come, behold the works of the Lord; they are to be observed (Psa 66:5), and to be sought out, Psa 111:2. All the operations of Providence must be considered as the works of the Lord, and his attributes and purposes must be taken notice of in them. Particularly take notice of the desolations he has made in the earth, among the enemies of his church, who thought to lay the land of Israel desolate. The destruction they designed to bring upon the church has been turned upon themselves. War is a tragedy which commonly destroys the stage it is acted on; David carried the war into the enemies' country; and O what desolations did it make there! Cities were burnt, countries laid waste, and armies of men cut off and laid in heaps upon heaps. Come and see the effects of desolating judgments, and stand in awe of God; say, How terrible art thou in thy works! Psa 66:3. Let all that oppose him see this with terror, and expect the same cup of trembling to be put into their hands; let all that fear him and trust in him see it with pleasure, and not be afraid of the most formidable powers armed against the church. Let them gird themselves, but they shall be broken to pieces.
3.When he pleases to sheathe his sword, he puts an end to the wars of the nations and crowns them with peace, Psa 46:9. War and peace depend on his word and will, as much as storms and calms at sea do, Psa 107:25, Psa 107:29. He makes wars to cease unto the end of the earth, sometimes in pity to the nations, that they may have a breathing-time, when, by long wars with each other, they have run themselves out of breadth. Both sides perhaps are weary of the war, and willing to let it fall; expedients are found out for accommodation; martial princes are removed, and peace-makers set in their room; and then the bow is broken by consent, the spear cut asunder and turned into a pruning-hook, the sword beaten into a ploughshare, and the chariots of war are burned, there being no more occasion for them; or, rather, it may be meant of what he does, at other times, in favour of his own people. He makes those wars to cease that were waged against them and designed for their ruin. He breaks the enemies' bow that was drawn against them. No weapon formed against Zion shall prosper, Isa 54:17. The total destruction of Gog and Magog is prophetically described by the burning of their weapons of war (Eze 39:9, Eze 39:10), which intimates likewise the church's perfect security and assurance of lasting peace, which made it needless to lay up those weapons of war for their own service. The bringing of a long war to a good issue is a work of the Lord, which we ought to behold with wonder and thankfulness.
II.As King of saints, and as such we must own that great and marvellous are his works, Rev 15:3. He does and will do great things,
1.For his own glory (Psa 46:10): Be still, and know that I am God.
(1.)Let his enemies be still, and threaten no more, but know it, to their terror, that he is God, one infinitely above them, and that will certainly be too hard for them; let them rage no more, for it is all in vain: he that sits in heaven, laughs at them; and, in spite of all their impotent malice against his name and honour, he will be exalted among the heathen and not merely among his own people, he will be exalted in the earth and not merely in the church. Men will set up themselves, will have their own way and do their own will; but let them know that God will be exalted, he will have his way will do his own will, will glorify his own name, and wherein they deal proudly he will be above them, and make them know that he is so.
(2.)Let his own people be still; let them be calm and sedate, and tremble no more, but know, to their comfort, that the Lord is God, he is God alone, and will be exalted above the heathen; let him alone to maintain his honour, to fulfil his own counsels and to support his own interest in the world. Though we be depressed, yet let us not be dejected, for we are sure that God will be exalted, and that may satisfy us; he will work for his great name, and then no matter what becomes of our little names. When we pray, Father, glorify thy name, we ought to exercise faith upon the answer given to that prayer when Christ himself prayed it, I have both glorified it and I will glorify it yet again. Amen, Lord, so be it.
2.For his people's safety and protection. He triumphs in the former: I will be exalted; they triumph in this, Psa 46:7 and again Psa 46:11. It is the burden of the song, "The Lord of hosts is with us; he is on our side, he takes our part, is present with us and president over us; the God of Jacob is our refuge, to whom we may flee, and in whom we may confide and be sure of safety." Let all believers triumph in this.
(1.)They have the presence of a God of power, of all power: The Lord of hosts is with us. God is the Lord of hosts, for he has all the creatures which are called the hosts of heaven and earth at his beck and command, and he makes what use he pleases of them, as the instruments either of his justice or of his mercy. This sovereign Lord is with us, sides with us, acts with us, and has promised he will never leave us. Hosts may be against us, but we need not fear them if the Lord of hosts be with us.
(2.)They are under the protection of a God in covenant, who not only is able to help them, but is engaged in honour and faithfulness to help them. He is the God of Jacob, not only Jacob the person, but Jacob the people; nay, and of all praying people, the spiritual seed of wrestling Jacob; and he is our refuge, by whom we are sheltered and in whom we are satisfied, who by his providence secures our welfare when without are fightings, and who by his grace quiets our minds, and establishes them, when within are fears. The Lord of hosts, the God of Jacob, has been, is, and will be with us - has been, is and will be our refuge: the original includes all; and well may Selah be added to it. Mark this, and take the comfort of it, and say, If God be for us, who can be against us?
Historical interpretation
Five Centuries of Reception
4 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
It is not possible to know him if one has not become still and purified one’s mind.
What then follows? "Be still." To what purpose? "And see that I am God" [Psalm 46:10]. That is, Not ye, but I am God. I created, I create anew; I formed, I form anew; I made, I make anew. If you could not make yourself, how can you make yourself anew? This sees not the contentious tumult of man's soul; to which contentious tumult is it said, "Be still." That is, restrain your souls from contradiction. Do not argue, and, as it were, arm against God. Else yet live your arms, not yet burned up with fire. But if they are burned, "Be still;" because you have not wherewith to fight. But if you be still in yourselves, and from Me seek all, who before presumed on yourselves, then shall you "see that I am God." "I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." Just before I said, by the name of earth is signified the nation of the Jews, by the name of sea the other nations. The mountains were carried into the heart of the sea; the nations are troubled, the kingdoms are bowed; the Most High gave His Voice, and the earth was moved.
Poemen said, ‘Whatever hardship comes upon you, it can be overcome by silence.’
When the labors and hardships of this age come to an end, and our debts, [that is] all our faults, have been forgiven, the entire people of the elect will rejoice eternally in the sole contemplation of the divine vision, and that most longed-for command of our Lord and Savior will be fulfilled: “Be still and see that I am God.”
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Summary
Psalms 46:10 is a profound divine command issued amidst global upheaval, calling all humanity, and particularly the believer, to cease their striving and anxieties, and instead recognize the absolute sovereignty, power, and presence of God. It declares God's unwavering purpose to be universally acknowledged and glorified across all nations and throughout the entire earth, regardless of present chaos, assuring His ultimate triumph and supreme rule.
Context
Literary Context
Psalms 46 is a "Song of the Sons of Korah," a powerful hymn of confidence and trust in God as an unshakeable refuge and strength, even when the world seems to be collapsing around them. The psalm opens by declaring God as "our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" in Psalm 46:1. The preceding verses vividly describe cosmic and national turmoil: "Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof" as depicted in Psalm 46:2-3. The psalm then shifts to God's intervention, silencing the nations and breaking weapons of war, a theme powerfully expressed in Psalm 46:8-9. Within this context of divine intervention and ultimate victory, verse 10 stands as God's direct, authoritative declaration, a divine imperative to humanity to respond to His supreme power and ultimate triumph.
Historical & Cultural Context
While the specific historical occasion for Psalm 46 is not explicitly stated, its themes resonate deeply with periods of national distress and divine deliverance in ancient Israel. Many scholars connect its powerful message to events like Sennacherib's siege of Jerusalem during King Hezekiah's reign (2 Kings 18-19), where God miraculously intervened to save His people from an overwhelming Assyrian army. In the ancient Near East, nations constantly warred, and their gods were often seen as limited to their specific territories or peoples. Against this backdrop, Psalm 46:10 powerfully asserts the unique, universal sovereignty of Yahweh, the God of Israel, over all nations ("heathen") and the entire earth. It challenges the prevailing polytheistic worldview by declaring one supreme God who will be exalted globally, not just locally, demonstrating His unmatched power and dominion over all earthly powers and deities.
Key Themes
Psalms 46:10 encapsulates several major theological and narrative themes present throughout the psalm and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores God's absolute sovereignty and omnipotence over all creation and human affairs, even amidst the most chaotic circumstances, as echoed in Psalm 46:6. Secondly, it highlights the theme of divine rest and cessation of human striving, commanding a posture of trust rather than panicked activity. This aligns with the psalm's opening declaration of God as a "refuge" and "strength" in Psalm 46:1. Thirdly, it speaks to God's ultimate and universal exaltation, a future reality where His glory and dominion will be recognized by all peoples on earth. This eschatological vision of God's global reign is a recurring motif in prophetic literature, such as the glorious vision of God's mountain being established above all others in Isaiah 2:2-4.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This imperative verb (H7503) carries a rich semantic range, meaning "to slacken, let go, cease striving, sink down, relax, abandon, or let alone." It is far more profound than simply being quiet; it is a command to cease agitated human effort, to relinquish control, and to surrender one's anxious striving in the face of overwhelming circumstances. It implies a deliberate cessation of self-reliance and a posture of trust, a letting go of one's own perceived control.
The Hebrew verb (H3045) for "know" signifies an intimate, experiential, and personal knowledge, not merely intellectual assent or head knowledge. It implies a relationship of recognition, acknowledgment, and deep understanding that comes through encounter and experience. To "know that I am God" is to experientially recognize His divine nature, His power, His sovereignty, and His faithfulness, leading to profound trust and reliance that transforms one's perspective and actions.
The verb (H7311) means "to be high, lifted up, elevated, magnified, or glorified." In this context, it speaks of God's supreme authority and ultimate recognition. It is a declaration of His future universal dominion and the acknowledgment of His rightful place as the sovereign ruler over all nations and the entire earth, signifying His ultimate triumph over all opposition and His rightful place of supreme honor.
Verse Breakdown
"Be still,"
This initial command is a divine imperative, instructing humanity to cease their frantic activity, worry, and self-reliant efforts. It's an invitation to quiet the soul, to release the grip of control, and to adopt a posture of spiritual rest and dependence on God amidst chaos and perceived threats.
"and know that I [am] God:"
Following the call to stillness, this clause demands an experiential and intimate recognition of Yahweh's divine identity, ultimate power, and unwavering sovereignty. It implies a deep, personal understanding and acknowledgment of who God is, leading to profound trust and reliance on His character and promises, rather than on human strength or strategies.
"I will be exalted among the heathen,"
God declares His sovereign intent to be recognized, honored, and glorified by all nations, even those who currently do not acknowledge Him or actively oppose Him. This speaks to His universal dominion and the future fulfillment of His redemptive plan for all peoples, transcending cultural and national boundaries.
"I will be exalted in the earth."
This final declaration reiterates and expands upon the previous statement, emphasizing the comprehensive and ultimate scope of God's future glory and supreme rule. It signifies that His authority and majesty will be acknowledged and celebrated across the entire globe, over all creation, establishing His uncontested reign over every aspect of existence.
Literary Devices
Psalms 46:10 employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound message. The predominant device is the Imperative Mood, seen in "Be still" and "know," which functions as a direct, authoritative command from God, highlighting His supreme authority and the non-negotiable nature of His directive. The verse also utilizes Parallelism, specifically Synonymous Parallelism and a form of Climactic Parallelism, in the repeated declaration "I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." This repetition not only reinforces the message but also expands its scope, moving from "among the heathen" (nations) to the all-encompassing "in the earth," emphasizing the universal and ultimate nature of God's future exaltation. Furthermore, the entire verse functions as Divine Speech or Direct Address, as God Himself speaks these words, lending them immense weight, authority, and intimacy. This direct address stands in powerful Contrast to the preceding descriptions of global turmoil, offering a divine perspective and a solution to human anxiety that transcends earthly chaos.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalms 46:10 stands as a powerful theological anchor, asserting God's absolute sovereignty and ultimate triumph over all chaos and opposition. It reveals that human peace and stability are found not in frantic activity or self-reliance, but in a deliberate cessation of striving and an experiential recognition of God's supreme authority. This verse points to an eschatological hope where God's glory will be universally acknowledged, transforming the present reality of conflict into a future of divine exaltation. It is a profound call to trust in God's unwavering control and His certain victory, which transcends all earthly circumstances and provides an unshakeable foundation for faith.
Reflection and Application
In a world characterized by relentless activity, pervasive anxiety, and constant crises—whether personal, national, or global—Psalms 46:10 offers a profound and counter-cultural directive. It challenges our default human tendency to react to trouble with frantic effort, worry, or attempts to control what is beyond our grasp. Instead, it invites us into a spiritual discipline of "being still"—not merely physical quietness, but a deep cessation of inner striving, a release of our anxieties into God's capable hands. This stillness is not passive resignation but an active, faith-filled surrender, leading to an experiential "knowing" of God. When we truly know Him as sovereign, all-powerful, and ultimately victorious, our perspective shifts from fear to faith, from agitation to peace. This verse reminds us that our ultimate peace and security are found not in the absence of trouble, but in the unwavering presence and supreme authority of God, who will ultimately be exalted throughout all the earth, inviting us to live from a place of confident trust in His unfailing plan.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is "Be still" just about being quiet?
No, "Be still" (Hebrew: râphâh') is far more profound than merely being quiet or silent. It is a command to cease striving, to let go of control, to relax, and to abandon frantic efforts and anxieties. It's a spiritual posture of surrendering human effort and self-reliance in the face of overwhelming circumstances, choosing instead to rest in God's sovereignty and power. It's the opposite of agitation and panicked activity, inviting a deep inner peace rooted in trust, much like the peace Jesus offers when He says, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" in Matthew 11:28.
What does it mean for God to be "exalted among the heathen"?
For God to be "exalted among the heathen" means that His ultimate plan is for His supreme authority, glory, and dominion to be recognized and honored by all nations, including those who currently oppose Him or do not acknowledge Him. It points to a future, universal acknowledgment of His reign and majesty, where every knee will bow and every tongue confess His Lordship. This is an eschatological promise, pointing to the day when God's kingdom will fully come and His will will be done on earth as it is in heaven, as glimpsed in prophetic visions like Revelation 11:15. It signifies the global triumph of God's redemptive purposes.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Psalms 46:10 finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest meaning in Jesus Christ. He is the very embodiment of God's sovereign presence, who commands the storms of nature and the anxieties of the human heart to "Be still!" in Mark 4:39. In Christ, we truly "know that I am God," for He is "God with us" (Immanuel), the visible image of the invisible God, through whom all things were created and in whom all things hold together, as beautifully articulated in Colossians 1:15-17. Jesus invites all who are weary and heavy-laden to "come to me, and I will give you rest" in Matthew 11:28, offering the profound stillness and peace that the psalm commands. His death and resurrection are the ultimate demonstration of God's sovereignty and His plan to be exalted. Through the Great Commission, the Gospel is proclaimed to "all nations" in Matthew 28:19, ensuring that God is indeed "exalted among the heathen." Ultimately, the universal exaltation of God "in the earth" will be realized when "every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" as declared in Philippians 2:9-11. Thus, in Christ, the command to be still finds its deepest peace, and the promise of God's universal exaltation finds its glorious realization.