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“Be still and know that I am God”
“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
This is one of my most favorite quotes that when I read it or say it or hear it, it drops me right into a place of contemplative silence with God.
What quote (doesn’t have to be biblical) helps you to drop into contemplative silence — even amidst the activity and challenges of daily life?
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This is my favorite:
” Then the LORD said, “Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by.” A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD–but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake–but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake there was fire–but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.” 1 Kings 19 11-12
Here’s mine, by Anais Nin:
We see things not as they are, but as we are.
‘And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow…’
Lake Isle Of Innisfree WB Yeats
“Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.” Max Ehrmann’s Desiderata, 1927
“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength…” Isaiah 30:15
This is a prayer from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer that always gives me quietness, peace, and comfort. I know it’s a “bedtime” prayer, but to me it speaks of whatever periods of “night” we have in our lives.
Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep.
Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake. Amen.
“All shall be well.
All shall be well.
And all manner ofo things shall be well.”
Julian of Norwich
poets and philosophers are alike in being big with wonder.
-St Thomas Aquinas
It reminds me to see the world poetically, with God’s love; it reminds me to see the world philosophically, with wonder at God’s creation and thirst to know more of Him.
Psalm 23 – it truly calms me down and makes me remember God is with me every moment of every day in every situation.
When I am stressed, need to calm down and put things in perspective, I repeat the words to the hymn, “It is Well With My Soul.”
When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
I can’t say that I have an absolute favorite because different quotes speak to me at different times. But here are some examples.
-”Be still and know I am God.” Actually, that one often does put me into a contemplative mode as well. It is one I like a lot.
-I simply adore the Desiderata. I even loved it as a teen. It is so beautiful and full of subtle wisdom.
-When I read or hear some of the passages from the “Song of Songs”, I sometimes find myself falling in love with God all over again. These words can be blissful.
-I find the song (and the lyrics, of course) “Day by Day” absolutely captivating. That simple prayer seems to say it all. And the folk music from the original Broadway track is so inspiring for me.
That’s all I can think of for now. Good topic.
dee
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“Let nothing disturb thee; Let nothing dismay thee; All thing pass; God never changes. Patience attains All that it strives for. He who has God Finds he lacks nothing: God alone suffices.”
-Teresa of Avila
Since I’m currently writing my thesis on the ethical philosophy of William Blake (fair warning, he was a Christian, but a very nonconformist and radical one at that), here are two that I spend a lot of time with:
“The most sublime act is to set another befor you” – ‘Marriage of Heaven and Hell’
“Every thing that lives is holy” – ‘Marriage of Heaven and Hell’, ‘America, A Prophecy’, among others
“Let nothing disturb thee; Let nothing dismay thee; All things pass; God never changes.”
Thanks for that quote. My dad always used to say “And this too shall pass.” Those words were always a comfort to me. I never knew exactly where they originated. But this quote is a possibility. Plus-I’m a real Teresa of Avila fan. So that makes it even cooler.
Although all living beings do not always behave in a “holy” fashion, I do believe all are holy in some sense anyway. We are all a creation of the Divine.
dee
Illumina faciem tuam super servum tuum…
(Make thy face to shine upon thy servant). It’s the first line in one of the Ordinary Time Communion Propers, and while I don’t have the whole Proper memorized (yet) I do know that first piece. Humming it helps me center. Here’s a link to the whole Proper:
http://www.musicasacra.com/pdf/illumina.pdf
Peace, and thank you for this post. All of these responses were helpful to read.
Amy
From Fr. Mykal Judge, OFM, the first listed casualty of 9/11:
Stay out of tomorrow, God hasn’t created it yet.
Hi Sister!
I love that verse so much I named my own blog after it
Although I had first read it in the NAB version, which has it as Ps 46:11, but now I read the RSV. Anyway, besides that verse, a favorite contemplative passage of mine is 1 Kings 19, where after being lost in the wilderness, Elijah is led by an angel of the Lord on a forty day and forty night journey to the mount of God, Mount Horeb. And there, ascending the mountain of the Lord, he recognizes the voice of God not in the wind, nor the earthquake, nor the fire, but Elijah recognized the Lord in the still small voice.
This has always moved me deeply, because there is so often such chaos in my own life, such noise outside and inside me, and I am always confused by the various storms of life, and I too frequently seek God in the magnificent signs. Then I read this passage, and I recognize that I must instead seek God in silence, and allow Him to speak to me in that still small voice. In fact, this is a realization I would do well to remember now.
Also, “All I Ask of You”–the song from the Phantom of the Opera. Even I have to laugh that *Andrew Lloyd Webber* (laugh out loud) would be the one to write the words that make me melt in prayer…the song reminds me so much of God’s love for me. It is quite comical but very true.
“God has opened a door for you that no one can shut.”
1. “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 cor. 12, 9)
2. Psalm 131: “LORD, my heart is not proud; nor are my eyes haughty. I do not busy myself with great matters, with things too sublime for me. Rather, I have stilled my soul, hushed it like a weaned child. Like a weaned child on its mother’s lap, so is my soul within me.
Israel, hope in the LORD, now and forever.”
—– this psalm shuts me up (quite literally, and makes me feel ashamed of worrying too much and not trusting God enough)
3. “My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you and I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing. And I know that if I do this, you will lead me by the right road although I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death, I will not fear, for you are ever with me and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.” ~ Thomas Merton
—- i first encountered this quote in your blog and it was such a blessing to me in so many ways, whenever my passions seem to override my reason, i look up this quote and re-read it and let myself be humble and open to God’s will even if it means i have to battle my own will
4. “For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare, not for woe! plans to give you a future full of hope.” (Jeremiah 29, 11)
5. “Who is like the Lord” —- St. Michael’s battlecry…whenever i feel so overwhelmed with problems, worries, my own insecurities, i just try to remember this phrase and tell God that i leave it all up to Him because i know He is far greater and more powerful than all my worries and fears
The Serenity Prayer never fails me:
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change … courage to change the things I can … and wisdom to know the difference.”
Sometimes in prayer when it seems I am mouthing platitudes and talking rather than listening, it is so peaceful to remember just to be still and to know God’s presence.
Today is good Friday. When I was sleeping I heard in my dreams:
Be still and know that I am God. I felt that God was communicating that He was inside and if I wanted to feel it I had to quiet all that was not spirit. I tried it. I liked it.
Then I went to Internet and typed the phrase not expecting to find just a phrase, and to my amazement I did.
Can you comment and throw some more light?
When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky. – Buddha