Bible Reading: Psalm 94:17
The word silence is used in some interesting ways in the Bible. In Psalm 94:17, silence refers to death: “Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the
silence of death.” Death ends all verbal communication.
In Psalm 115:17, silence speaks of Sheol or hell: “It is not the dead who praise the LORD, those who go down to silence.” In hell, all arguments against God, all talk that God isn’t God, will cease. No one will any longer be able to say anything against God or claim that God doesn’t exist or that God isn’t God.
Lamentations 2:10 uses the word silence to refer to gloom and despair. It conveys the knowledge that nothing that anyone could say could change anything or bring any hope: “The elders of the Daughter of Zion sit on the ground in silence; they have sprinkled dust on their heads and put on sackcloth.”
The most beautiful use of the word silence in the Bible is in today’s verse. Silence here refers to a quiet, reverent worship of God. It means not speaking for fear of not knowing the right words to adequately describe God and His greatness. Silence in this verse means simply adoring God for who He is – knowing that nothing more need to be said.
“But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.” Habakkuk 2:20
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I just want to sit in silence and worship and adore You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.