Need Relief from Anxiety? Discover What Psalm 46 Really Means

I originally wrote this blog back in December of 2020. All of us remember that year well - probably for both good reasons and not-so-good reasons! I thought it would be fun to re-visit and update - and to be honest, the Lord stirred this word up in my spirit afresh!

Does anyone need relief from anxiety? Are you tired of fighting your own battles? I am in Psalm 46 (and I don’t mean to destroy your favorite verse) but I want to focus on one statement here: “Be still and know that I am God".

Psalm 46 is one of the most quoted passages in the Bible — but do we really understand what it means? If you’ve ever asked “What does ‘Be still and know that I am God’ mean?” or wanted a deeper Bible study on Psalm 46, this chapter holds powerful encouragement for anyone looking for relief from anxiety or fear.

The History Behind Psalm 46

Psalm 46 is a psalm of the “sons of Korah.” To make the history lesson as short as possible (though you know I dearly love a history lesson!), Korah led a revolt against Moses (that story is in Numbers 16). Even though I can’t match this up chronologically, Psalm 46 and Numbers 16 seem to have some similarities. The battle was fierce and the Lord prevailed.

The Voice of Psalm 46

In Psalm 46, we have 11 statements/11 verses. 10 of the 11 sound like man speaking about God, recognizing difficult times and confessing God’s power to save. (I notated these as “we” statements, because they’re spoken from man’s perspective.)

But one statement sounds different — as though God Himself is speaking: our favorite, verse 10: “Be still, and know that I am God.”

What Does “Be Still and Know That I Am God” Really Mean?

Oftentimes, we receive this as God speaking directly to us — to still our hearts and quiet our spirits, to let Him work on our behalf. And that’s not wrong! It’s good to be still before the Lord, to rest in total trust. But is that truly the context of Psalm 46:10?

Let’s look together:

We confess: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

We confess: “Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;”

We confess: “Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.”

Selah

We confess: “There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.”

We confess: “God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.”

We witness: “The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.”

We say: “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”

Selah

We instruct: “Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth.”

We witness: “He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.”

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

We rest: “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”

Selah

God Speaks to the Enemy, Not Just to Us

I’m just imagining, putting myself in the scene….. This is a battle — heavens raging, kingdoms moving, earth melting, bows breaking, chariots burning. And this is the moment God tells me to “be still”?

It makes more sense that this is the moment God stands between me and my enemy. This is when God scoops me out of harm’s way and tells my enemy to back off. This is the moment He thunders to the enemy: “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Naturally, I looked it up in my Strongs (you know I did, y’all!). Want to know what “still” means?

STILL, H7503: to slacken (in many applications, literal or figurative): abate, cease, consume, draw, fail, (be) faint, be feeble, forsake, idle, leave, let alone, (be) slack, stay, be still, be slothful, weaken.

Does it sound like God is telling me: “Jennifer, you be weakened and slothful, faint and feeble, and know that I am God”?

Or does it sound like God is speaking to the enemy? “Enemy, you be weakened and feeble, faint and failing — and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen. I will be exalted in all the earth.”

Finding Peace in the Bible Today

It’s true: we need to rest in God’s everlasting arms, be refreshed in His presence, and be still before Him in adoration and worship. But lately, I find even more comfort in the fact that God is the one commanding my enemy to be still. That’s when I can confess with peace and calm, my selah in verse 11:

“The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”

Remember: finding relief from anxiety isn’t about ignoring the battle around you or pretending everything is fine. It’s about trusting God’s power, resting in His presence, and letting Him fight for you. Take a moment today to breathe, pause, and declare with your heart: “The Lord of Hosts is with me; the God of Jacob is my refuge.” When we let God take control, peace replaces fear, and we can truly experience the calm that comes from knowing He is God.

For anyone looking for relief from anxiety, chaos, or fear: please know that you can release this burden to the Lord and let Him do His work! Today and every day, the knowledge that the Lord of Hosts is with us is a treasure - and I am praying that you will find peace in that knowledge today!