BE STILL, FOR THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD

BE STILL, FOR THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD is a contemporary hymn written by British songwriter, David J. Evans, in 1986. Evans was involved in the charismatic movement…but felt that some of its worship and music risked treating God in a fashion that was too trivial. He was also inspired by the Old Testament account of Jacob after he awoke from his dream, in which the angels were going up and down on a ladder from heaven to earth. Jacob exclaimed, “surely the Lord is in this place and I did not know it.”

David Evans was born in 1957 in Dartford, Kent in the UK, but grew up in Winchester; he was educated at the University of Southampton. David led contemporary worship in churches. Although he has written many songs, this hymn is the most popular by far. This hymn has been heard on BBC’s Songs of Praise and was voted as one of the UK’s 10 most popular hymns in 2019.

Sometimes, we may think that God will only be seen in large and powerful events on this earth. Yet, it is when we purposely cause ourselves to be still and allow our minds to set aside all of its earthly concerns that we will sense the presence of the Lord and hear His voice as we communicate with Him.