Be Still and Have Faith

Faith, in One Word

Of all the uplifting verses in the Book of Psalms, perhaps none better expresses a true life of faith than, “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalms 46:10). The most fascinating words here are “be still” because they are the core of trust. Although the translation “be still” is acceptable, it does not reveal the true meaning.

Hebrew Reveals the True Meaning

In the original Hebrew of this psalm, the word is harpu, from the verb RFH רפה meaning “to let go, to release”. A more literal translation of harpu would be "cause yourselves to let go". The implication here is significant. Rather than merely being passive, we should actively let go in order to know that God is in control.

Let Go of Translations 

This is precisely the same idea expressed by Moses moments before the children of Israel entered the divided waters of the Red Sea, “The Lord will fight for you, and you only have to be silent (Exodus 14:14).” The time has come to let go of translations. Learn Biblical Hebrew in our live, online courses to discover the hidden meanings in the Bible.