Selah, Pause, Reflect, and Know

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: Psalm 46:10
Psalters: 404, 99, 101, 127
Sacrament of Baptism
  1. The fearful occasion.
    1. Some troubles which occasion fear in the lives of God’s people (and His church) are from the world.
    2. Satan and his host are behind every scheme and every attack to bring sin into the church and in saints.
    3. In addition, God is pleased to put afflictions into the lives of His people and church (Ps. 44:9ff; Acts 14:22; Heb. 12:7).
  2. God issues the necessary command: “Be still” (a variety of translations to sink down, relax, abandon, refrain, let it go, be feeble).
    1. The implication is that we want to be active in fixing the problem and to remove the cause of our pain and sorrow.
    2. Not that we be like stones, unconcerned about the commotions in the earth and unaffected or stoic before God’s judgments.
    3. Rather the command calls us to be quiet in body and in mind; the opposite of being restless and fretful, fearful and impatient.
      1. Be silent in the sense that we do not object or complain against God nor fight against His way.
      2. Positively, our silence is consent or agreement.
  3. “Selah” means to pause and reflect; consider God, not the causes of fear, troubles, pain, sorrow, self.
    1. To be still implies the humble realization that I am naturally foolish.
    2. Know that He is God!  How well do you know God?
      1. Our knowledge must arise out of the Scriptures.
      2. “God” is the supreme One Who is filled with every perfection and is infinitely so forever.
      3. This God is in control of ALL things (greatest and the smallest) with only perfect wisdom and the greatest love.
      4. AND He is our refuge and strength, our ever present help!
    3. Because He is God and “our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble,” we keep still before Him!