Silent Before God

Psalm 62:5-12

5 For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him. 6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. 7 On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God. 8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. (Selah)

9 Those of low estate are but a breath, those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath. 10 Put no confidence in extortion, and set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, do not set your heart on them. 11 Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, 12 and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord. For you repay to all according to their work


We live in a noisy age. We have T.V. radio, ipods, and mobile phone. Rarely do we stop hearing or talking. We most likely have more noise in our lives than any other generation or culture before us.

There comes a time to tell our soul to be quiet. One of the spiritual disciplines or exercises that have been traditionally practiced is that of silence. This is a time in which we do not speak in an effort to get our soul to “wait in silence” before the LORD. To learn to be silent is part of our spirituality.

Habakkuk: the earth should be silent in the presence of God in the temple (Habakkuk 2:20)

Job reduced to silence at the end, aware of his foolishness in the sight of God (Job 40:1-3)

Revelation 8:1: silence in heaven from human awe in the presence of God

Arthur Michael Ramsey (1904-88), Archbishop of Canterbury said about silence:

“Silence enable us to be aware of God, to let mind and imagination dwell upon his truth, to let prayer to be listening before it is talking, and to discover our own selves in a way that is not always possible when we are making or listening to noise. There comes sometimes an inner silence in which the soul discovers itself in a new dimension of energy and peace, a dimension which the restless life can miss. . . Into the Christian’s use of silence there may flow the wonder of God the creator, the recollection of the life and death and resurrection of Jesus, the recalling of scenes in his life, often a passage of the Bible, the glories of nature in which the finger of God is present, gratitude for personal blessings or the words of poets who tell of wonder and beauty”

In his silence the psalmist here comes to trust God as his one true hope, his rock, his salvation, his fortress, his firm foundation, his deliverer, the protector of his honor, his mighty rock, his refuge, the source of all power, the one who always loves him, and the judge of all human beings. This vision of God causes the Psalmist to want to proclaim to all humanity that they should trust in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as well. The LORD is trustworthy, caring, secure, and unchanging.

The other reality that comes to him in his silence is; do not put any ultimate trust in human beings. We are frail, broken, and inconsistent. Both rich and poor can be deceitful. Therefore, be on guard towards other human beings but fully release yourself into the loving care of God alone.

What if you fasted from noise for a day? No electronic noise. No unnecessary talking. What if you were totally in silence for one full hour and simply sat before God and your own soul? What might you see and know in that silence? This psalmist gained a lot from being silent before God.


Christological :NAU Matthew 14:13 Now when Jesus heard about John, He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself; ….

ESV Mark 1:35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

ESV Mark 6:31 And he said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.

ESV Luke 4:42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place…



Moral: NAU Psalm 56:11 In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?

NLT Psalm 146:3 Don't put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there.


Eternal: ESV Ezekiel 44:4 Then he brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple, and I looked, and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the temple of the LORD. And I fell on my face.

NLT Isaiah 41:1 "Listen in silence before me, you lands beyond the sea…..



Prayer: Help me to quiet my soul like a baby is made quiet by drinking from the breast of its mother. But I have stilled and quieted myself, just as a small child is quiet with its mother. Yes, like a small child is my soul within me. Allow me to know that quiet of being with you in love.


Contemplation: Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God”


Action: Plan one hour of total silence before God. Put it in your calendar. Go to a lonely place. This could be an empty church. It could be an empty beach. For an hour just “be” before God. Center yourself in his love, promises, and commitment to you in Jesus Christ. Gently turn from any “inner noise” and come back to seeing yourself simply before God as a little child. After this then write down what came to you during this time.