"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)
Psalm 46:10 is the "be still" verse. This page gives the verse, the psalm it sits in, and a plain reading. For more verses on the theme, see Bible verses about refuge, Bible verses about peace, and Bible verses about God's sovereignty.
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The verse
Psalm 46:10 (NIV) reads: "He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.'"
The King James says, "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." The Hebrew verb behind "be still" is raphah (H7503). It means to sink down, relax, or let go. The picture is less "be quiet" and more "stop striving and let go."
The psalm around it
Psalm 46 is titled "Of the Sons of Korah. A song." It opens, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1). Then it pictures the world coming apart: "Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea" (Psalm 46:2).
Just before verse 10, God ends a war: "He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear" (Psalm 46:9). Right after it comes the refrain: "The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress" (Psalm 46:11). Martin Luther's hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" is based on this psalm.
What the verse is saying
In the psalm, "be still" comes in the middle of chaos and war. God is speaking to the nations and to his people: stop fighting and fretting, and recognize who is God. The second half says he will be exalted over all the earth.
For a believer, it is a call to stop striving and trust God's rule when life feels shaken. It is not mainly about a quiet time, though quiet can help. It is about knowing God is God. For more on that, see Bible verses about trust and Bible verses about waiting.
Questions people ask
What does Psalm 46:10 say?
In the NIV it says, "He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.'"
What does be still mean in Psalm 46:10?
The Hebrew word raphah means to sink down, relax, or let go. In context it means to stop striving and fighting and to recognize that God is God.
What is the context of Psalm 46:10?
The psalm pictures the earth giving way and nations in uproar, and God ending wars (Psalm 46:2, 6, 9). Verse 10 is God's word in the middle of that turmoil.
Who wrote Psalm 46?
Its heading credits the Sons of Korah, a family of temple musicians. It is one of several psalms with that heading.
What verse goes well with Psalm 46:10?
Psalm 46:1 says, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." Isaiah 40:31 speaks of those who hope in the LORD renewing their strength.
