Stillness and meditation

¹¹ Then the LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Behold, the LORD is about to pass by.” And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the 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.

¹² After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, small voice.

¹³ When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted over the earth.”

For the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said: “By repentance and rest you would be saved; your strength would lie in quiet confidence— but you were not willing.”

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men prosper in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes.

Early in the evening, Isaac went out to the field to meditate, and looking up, he saw the camels approaching.

And the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, since today is holy. Do not grieve.”

But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.

Be angry, yet do not sin; on your bed, search your heart and be still. Selah

When I remember You on my bed, I think of You through the watches of the night.

I will meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways.

My eyes anticipate the watches of night, that I may meditate on Your word.

But the LORD is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.

⁴ “Behold, I am insignificant. How can I reply to You? I place my hand over my mouth.

⁵ I have spoken once, but I have no answer— twice, but I have nothing to add.”

²⁶ It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

²⁷ It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is still young.

²⁸ Let him sit alone in silence, for God has disciplined him.

I was speechless and still; I remained silent, even from speaking good, and my sorrow was stirred.

⁹⁵ The wicked wait to destroy me, but I will ponder Your testimonies.

⁹⁶ I have seen a limit to all perfection, but Your commandment is without limit.

⁹⁷ Oh, how I love Your law! All day long it is my meditation.

Be silent before the LORD, all people, for He has roused Himself from His holy dwelling.”

¹⁰ And you are indeed showing this love to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to excel more and more

¹¹ and to aspire to live quietly, to attend to your own matters, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you.

In God alone my soul finds rest; my salvation comes from Him.

⁵ a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

⁶ a time to search and a time to count as lost, a time to keep and a time to discard,

⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,

⁸ a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights, but no one spoke a word to him because they saw how intense his suffering was.

Hannah was praying in her heart, and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk

But the people remained silent and did not answer a word, for Hezekiah had commanded, “Do not answer him.”

Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Put on your turban and strap your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips or eat the bread of mourners.”

But the people remained silent and did not answer a word, for Hezekiah had commanded, “Do not answer him.”

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

While he was speaking these words to me, I set my face toward the ground and became speechless.

I came to the exiles at Tel-abib who dwelt by the River Kebar. And for seven days I sat where they sat and remained there among them, overwhelmed.

I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth, and you will be silent and unable to rebuke them, though they are a rebellious house.

²³ After He had sent them away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone,

²⁴ but the boat was already far from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.