Be Still My Soul

"Meditate within your heart on your bed, 

and be still. Selah" 

(Psa. 4: 4 nkjv)

The above text from the Psalms has often been on my mind when I pray before I go to sleep upon my bed at night. I meditate on the day that is ending, like the first line in Isaac Watts' song "Death and Glory" says: "My soul come meditate the day." In doing this I meditate or "commune with" (kjv) my heart about the day, thanking God for all the good of it, and pondering the adverse things I had to face. 

I have often wondered in my mind what is meant by being "still" in that exhortation. Does it mean to still the body, or the soul, or the mind, or the emotions, or all of the above? Oftentimes, at the end of the day, our hearts, minds, and spirits are often still turbulent or troubled by the events of the day. It is at this time that we need to learn how to quiet ourselves. Dr. Albert Barnes says to be still means "When you are thus quiet, reflect on your doings." Spurgeon said: "Ask counsel of thy pillow, and let the quietude of night instruct thee!" (Treasury of David) In the hymn "Precious Memories" the chorus says 

"Precious Memories, how they linger, how they ever flood my soul, In the stillness of the midnight, Precious, sacred scenes unfold." 

Dr. John Gill wrote:

"commune with your own heart upon your bed: when retired from men and business, and you are at leisure to think and meditate then reflect upon your actions, seriously consider them; ask your heart some proper and close questions; examine narrowly and thoroughly the principles on which, and the views with which, you act." 

I try to do this every night. I think of the words of the apostle Paul who said: "Let not the sun go down on your wrath." (Eph. 4: 26) We should likewise not let the sun go down on our anxieties and on our worries and cares. This is the time to "cast your cares or anxieties upon the Lord," knowing that "he cares for us." (I Peter 5: 7; See also Psalm 55: 22) In this time of quiet reflection and meditation we not only speak to the Lord but we say to him, as Samuel said to the Lord, "speak Lord, your servant is listening" or "hears you." (I Sam. 3: 10) Sometimes our "strength is to sit still" (Isa. 30: 7).

Another text on being still is also in the Psalms and says:

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" (Psa. 46: 10 nkjv)

Sometimes after a hectic day we need to quiet ourselves, or "settle down." At the close of the day it is time to think of the day, what lessons were learned, what mistakes were made, what sins were committed, and should lead us to find forgiveness and inner peace with the Lord. At the close of the day we are often like Martha, sister of Lazarus and Mary, all who the Lord loved, and to whom he said: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things." (Luke 10: 41) So we too at the close of the day carry all the day's worries and troubles to our bed. Often our hearts are "troubled" like "the troubled sea when it cannot rest" (Isa. 57: 20). We need the Lord to calm the storms that rage in our souls, like he did when he said to the winds and the waves of the storm - "Quiet! Be still!" (Mark 4: 39) We need to "steal away to Jesus" when we commune with our hearts upon our beds, and when we commune with him. It is that time when all is quiet and you are alone with yourself and with the Lord.

I love the song "Be Still My Soul." The lyrics are as follows:

Be still my soul the Lord is on thy side
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain
Leave to thy God to order and provide
In every change He faithful will remain

Be still my soul thy best, thy heavenly friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end

Be still, my soul, thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake
All now mysterious shall be bright at last

Be still, my soul, the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below

Christ our Shepherd leads us beside the still waters, rather than raging troubled waters. I also like the lyrics in "Bridge Over Trouble Waters" and these lines:

When you're weary, feeling small, 

When tears are in your eyes 

I will dry them all I'm on your side 

Oh when times get rough 

And friends just can't be found 

Like a bridge over troubled water 

I will lay me down 

Like a bridge over troubled water 

I will lay me down

Christ is that bridge over troubled waters of our hearts and lives and is the one who wipes away our tears. He is the one that is on our side when times get rough and friends can't be found. The lines of another good song speak of the one who "stilled" the troubled waters and who "calmed" the raging sea.

Put your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the water 

Put your hand in the hand of the man who calmed the sea