Does it Count as Still if the Earth is Moving?

Psalm 46 has one of the most well known verses in the Bible - "Be still and know that I am God". While this verse is one of the most well-known, do we really know it? When I think of this verse my mind is taken back to a painting that I saw in a Christian store - the image has this verse printed in a nice font in front of an amazing picture. The picture had majestic mountains rising out of a serene lake underneath a starry sky. It brought be back to memories of camping, and sitting and looking up at the stars and feeling "still". It is easy to feel still when that is what is surrounding you...

...but that's not what this psalm is about.

A quick look at the words used in the Psalm and it is obvious that this Psalm is anything but peaceful and serene. This Psalm sees the very foundations of the earth (the mountains) falling into chaos (the poetic meaning behind sea). The nations of the world and raging and roaring. This Psalm was written after a time when Jerusalem was under seige, and the nations were rising up against the people of God - there was no hope. Then God worked mightily and saved His people. The Psalm picks up on this to - while the world is being swallowed by a raging and foaming river, the people of God are saved by a small stream; the nations are roaring and raging, and all God has to do is utter his voice and the entire earth melts away. God is in control.

No matter how crazy or chaotic the situation might be, God is in control. In fact when entire earth falls into chaos - God is still more powerful and in control. This is what this Psalm is about. In fact being still and knowing that God is God is not just some nice phrase thrown in there - it is a command from God at the end of this Psalm. After this entire "story" of a raging world still being under the control of God - he reminds those who follow Him and those who were raging against Him that He is God. This is not about sitting in the still places and being still, this is about being still when the world around you is becoming more and more chaotic. This is about the peace that we have in Christ. This is about being still when the world around you is moving.

Are you still?