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Greetings in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, Saints!
I pray that you each have a restful and relaxing weekend. I hope that you are able to make time to just be still. This month’s Bible reading plan for me included the books of 1 & 2 Samuel, where I’ve spent some time journeying with King David roughly 900 years before Christ. Today’s devotion explores the value of being still and knowing that God is Lord…and we are not.
Psalm 46 is a familiar Psalm attributed to the Sons of Korah, from the tribe of Levi, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. They were dedicated folks and important to Israel’s worship during King David’s reign. King David relied on families like theirs to play significant roles in worship. Several psalms are credited to both him and them, written and preserved for future generations, for our consideration and benefit. They continue to bless us today.
King David was no stranger to worldly problems, political problems, unrest, wars, factions, and divisions. Not to mention personal struggles, family struggles, and struggles that caused much lament. Through all of these experiences, David developed the good habit of seeking refuge in God; whether fighting the Philistine giant Goliath, fleeing for his life to escape the wrath of King Saul, or falling into a sinful affair with Bathsheba and killing her husband, Uriah the Hittite. In all of these situations, David found peace and strength through his faith and trust in God, in being still and knowing that God is sovereign.
As a hero of faith, King David unified the tribes of Israel and restored Jerusalem as the capital. He fought valiant battles even beyond Goliath. He valued the Psalms, worship, and God’s covenant. He repeatedly repented, sought forgiveness, and looked to God for restoration, giving his heart to God. As a flawed leader, he experienced moral failure, suffered family turmoil, and abused his power as King.
On one hand, David abused power as a struggling earthly king. He reflected human nature as a sinner: adultery, murder, and not having his house in order, leading to further turmoil within his family. On the other hand, David asked for forgiveness and sought God's guidance and redemption. He recognized divine power, not his own, which enabled him to face many circumstances and challenges in his life. His success relied on trusting in God’s power and strength through faith, and not his own.
King David plays a significant role in the biblical narrative and in history. He was still as he spent time with God in conversation and prayer in the Desert of Judah, “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1). David was still as he spent time in worship, using music to glorify and be still before God, “David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.” (1 Chronicles 15:16). In fact, all of chapter 15 in First Chronicles is devoted to describing his planning and organizing families and music in worship. In his younger years, David was still, as he spent time in the wilderness as a shepherd, seeing God’s creation, beauty, and greatness, as he cared for his father’s flocks. “He [the Lord] chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance.” (Psalm 78:70-71). David was still and repentant when he was confronted by the prophet Nathan, and realized the gravity of his sins of adultery and murder, stating, “I have sinned against the Lord.” (1 Samuel 12:13).
One devotion cannot chronicle King David’s enduring legacy. Entire books have been written to do this. Four primary books of the Bible cover much of David’s journey: 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, and 1 Chronicles. David’s story is complex and multidimensional; he was a servant shepherd, a leader, a warrior, a poet, a sinner, and a saint. God Himself testified, “I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.” (Acts 13:22).
I am not an expert on King David or the Psalms. Being still daily, and knowing God is Lord, isn’t easy. David’s heart was to follow God’s heart. David’s story consists of a lifetime of seeking God. It didn’t happen in a single event, and David wasn’t someone who practiced faith perfectly; he was far from perfect. His walk included failure, sin, and many departures from God’s will. Perhaps the most remarkable observation is that David had a heart for serving people while seeking God’s heart, despite his flaws and sins.
David’s life connects us to Christ through understanding his lineage and prophetic fulfillment. Trust, through success and failure, repentance, and returning to obedience to God are admirable attributes of David’s faith. Being still and knowing God as Lord and sovereign over our lives is not an incident or event, but a lifelong process, as can be seen in the story of King David. Like David, we are sinners too. Like David, God forgives our shortcomings and sins. Unlike David, who foreshadowed Christ, we know that Jesus walked this earth as a true man and true God. Jesus suffered death on a cross for sinful mankind, for me, and for you. Being still is a daily challenge; by God’s grace and gift in Christ, we can be assured and encouraged daily. It's not a challenge we can do alone; however, with the help of the Holy Spirit and in Christ, we can be still and truly quiet our hearts as we seek God’s heart.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t use King David’s example of using song to meditate and be still. Although not a Psalm, in the late 1800s, poet and hymnist J.H. Watson wrote “Be Still, O Heart,” in response to the loss of his wife to tuberculosis. Here is the first verse and refrain:
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