Psalm 46 — Be Still and Know

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

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. Selah.

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

— Psalm 46:1–3, 10–11 (KJV)

About This Prayer

Psalm 46 is a song of the sons of Korah, sung by God's people through sieges, storms, and centuries — Martin Luther drew "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" from it. Its picture is of a world coming apart — earth removed, mountains in the sea — and a people who do not panic, because God is not shaken. "Selah" is likely a musical pause: a moment to stop and let the words sink in. The still centre of the psalm is God's own voice: be still, and know that I am God.

When to Pray This

Pray Psalm 46 when the news is frightening, when your own world feels like it is shaking, or when anxiety will not let your thoughts rest. Many people breathe slowly through the line "Be still, and know that I am God," letting it quiet them phrase by phrase.