Monday, March 6, 2017

Shalom,

I am sure that most, if not ALL, reading this today have heard Psalm 46:10:

“Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth.” AMP


The AMPC (the original, classic version) says it like this:

10 Let be and be still, and know (recognize and understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth! AMPC

This is accurate because the phrase "be still" actually means to let go, relax or 'take your hands off'". It is only when we let go of any pre-conceived notions or previous religious ideas of the One, True God and really pay attention to what the Word of God says about Him that we will 'know' (learn to know, come to know, recognize, understand) Who He really is, how He thinks and what He desires for His people! That brings us to today's reading in Psalms! Psalm 65:

Psalm 65

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A song.

To You belongs silence (the submissive wonder of reverence which bursts forth into praise) and praise is due and fitting to You, O God, in Zion; and to You shall the vow be performed. O You Who hear prayer, to You shall all flesh come. Iniquities and much varied guilt prevail against me; [yet] as for our transgressions, You forgive and purge them away [make atonement for them and cover them out of Your sight]! Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whom You choose and cause to come near, that he may dwell in Your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple. By fearful and glorious things [that terrify the wicked but make the godly sing praises] do You answer us in righteousness (rightness and justice), O God of our salvation, You Who are the confidence and hope of all the ends of the earth and of those far off on the seas; Who by [Your] might have founded the mountains, being girded with power, Who still the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the tumult of the peoples, So that those who dwell in earth’s farthest parts are afraid of [nature’s] signs of Your presence. You make the places where morning and evening have birth to shout for joy. You visit the earth and saturate it with water; You greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; You provide them with grain when You have so prepared the earth. 10 You water the field’s furrows abundantly, You settle the ridges of it; You make the soil soft with showers, blessing the sprouting of its vegetation. 11 You crown the year with Your bounty and goodness, and the tracks of Your [chariot wheels] drip with fatness. 12 The [luxuriant] pastures in the uncultivated country drip [with moisture], and the hills gird themselves with joy. 13 The meadows are clothed with flocks, the valleys also are covered with grain; they shout for joy and sing together.

The very reason that we are instructed to 'be still and know' in Psalm 46 is revealed in the very first verse of Psalm 65! When we KNOW Him, we will burst forth with "the submissive wonder of reverence which bursts forth into praise"! The entirety of Psalm 65 reveals the protection, provision, safety, abundance, love and care that the One, True God has and provides for His people! In the Old Testament, under the Old Covenant, this was the Jewish people. In this time, under our new and better Covenant (Hebrews 8:6), this refers to those who have received Jesus as Lord and personal Savior! He has provided for us EVERY blessing that we could ever need (Ephesians 1:3)! I hope that you will spend some time today REALLY praising and thanking HIM for all of the good things in your life, AND for all that He is going to do! Maintaining a thankful, grateful heart puts us, and keeps us, in position to continue to receive ALL that HE has for us! AMEN! Here is Hillsong United with "Crown The Year":



Shalom in Him!