Ever since I started reading material written by Contemplative Spirituality (going by the terms Contemplative Prayer; Centering Prayer; Meditation; or Contemplation) advocates in the 1990s, I have come across their teachings on the alleged “discipline” or “practice” of silence. There are several passages commonly cited in an effort to support the Contemplative concept and promotion of silence, especially as it relates to the alleged Disciplines of Silence and Solitude (which usually go together, along with being still).
However, when read in context, none of the passages referenced by Contemplatives to support a biblical teaching of practicing silence or solitude actually do so. This article looks at four passages.
Revelation Chapter 8
One passage often cited to advocate a practice of silence is Revelation 8:1:
When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
Is this a passage supportive of being silent, to not speak or perhaps to not even think? Revelation 8:1 does not teach we must be silent. Rather, the silence in this passage is one of sober awe of the seventh seal having been opened. Right after this silence, there is a dramatic event where the prayers of the saints are added to a golden censer, and an angel hurls it to the earth. This is followed by thunder, lightning, and an earthquake.
The silence in verse 1 is a vivid contrast to the noise of the thunder, lightning, and earthquake which signify God’s judgment. Then hail and blood are hurled into the sea, followed by more disasters, with an eagle pronouncing “woe, woe, woe to those who live on the earth” (v. 13).
This passage showcases God’s mighty judgment and wrath being poured out on earth. It is a severely grave event (read the rest of the chapter) and so the silence anticipating it is equally grave.
Looking at the context, chapter 6 of Revelation covers the opening of the first 6 seals in 17 verses, followed by an interlude in chapter 7. But the opening of the seventh seal takes up the whole of chapter 8. So, the interlude of chapter 7 and the silence in verse 1 serves as a way to separate the opening of the seventh seal from the opening of the first six, giving the seventh seal more weight.
The context makes it clear that this has nothing to do with a teaching about silence nor does it endorse silence as a discipline.
There are many interpretations of Revelation; this article is not addressing those. The point of this article is to demonstrate how verse 1 in chapter 8 about the silence fits into the passage and context, and that it does not support the idea of silence promoted in Contemplative practices.
The Silence in Habakkuk
The second chapter of Habbakkuk, verse 20, is also cited by Contemplative advocates to support silence:
But the LORD is in His holy temple.
Let all the earth be silent before Him.
Is this a command that we must be silent when approaching God or praying? Certainly being silent is natural if one is pondering or considering the majesty of God. But is silence a necessary part of “true” prayer or contemplation? (keep in mind that “contemplation” does not mean normal pondering in Contemplative practices but rather a series of techniques to suspend thoughts).
Also interesting is that in contrast to the silence, verse 11 tells us that the “stones will cry out from the wall” as a witness against the people of God (see connections to Joshua 24:27 and Luke 19:40). Looking at the context of verse 20 gives the answer about the silence:
“What benefit is a carved image when its maker has carved it,
Or a cast metal image, a teacher of falsehood?
For its maker trusts in his own handiwork
When he fashions speechless idols.
Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, ‘Awake!’
To a mute stone, ‘Arise!’
That is your teacher?
Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver,
Yet there is no breath at all inside it.
But the LORD is in His holy temple.
Let all the earth be silent before Him.” Verses 18-20
The prophet uses the irony of “speechless idols” who have “no breath” to contrast and highlight an authentic silence of awe when considering God’s majesty. The idols are silent because they are wood or metal and cannot speak. But the silence before God’s presence in his temple (at that time) is from respect and awe due to God and God alone, and the lack of words in the face of his coming judgment.
This passage is part of a larger context foretelling God’s judgment of his people’s idolatry and disobedience through the Babylonian captivity. It is immediately followed by Habakkuk’s prayer to God in the third chapter.
As we see from both passages in Revelation and Habakkuk, silence was the only response when confronted with God’s judgment because no one could rightly defend themselves to God.
Silence in the Bible usually indicates awe or reverence toward God’s greatness, and/or fear in the face of God’s judgment. It arises as a natural response to who God is and should not be taught as a supposed behavior or discipline, especially in light of the true meaning of such passages.
Psalm 62, “My Soul Waits in Silence”
Another commonly used passage misused to promote silence is Psalm 62:1. Here is a partial context for it:
My soul waits in silence for God only;
From Him is my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.
How long will you assail a man,
That you may murder him, all of you,
Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?
They have counseled only to thrust him down from his high position;
They delight in falsehood;
They bless with their mouth,
But inwardly they curse. Selah.
My soul, wait in silence for God only,
For my hope is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
My stronghold; I shall not be shaken. Psalm 62:1-6
The context is the Psalmist waiting on the Lord and trusting only in him. The word “only” is significant: he is waiting only for God. Note the context: the Psalmist is silent in contrast to those who “delight in falsehood” and “bless with their mouth but inwardly they curse.” The people referred to as “those” are using words to lie and falsely bless. Silence is preferable to deceptive words.
Silence here can also imply that one has nothing to say to God because he is the one who imparts wisdom and one is seeking that wisdom. The Psalmist is affirming God as his stronghold.
The passage has nothing to do with praying a certain way, with needing to be silent in order to hear God or to be with God; its points are completely irrelevant to a practice of silence.
Lamentations 3
The Lamentations verses cited are also used by others to justify Contemplative practices. Here is a partial context:
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I have hope in Him.”
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,
To the person who seeks Him.
It is good that he waits silently
For the salvation of the LORD.
It is good for a man that he should bear
The yoke in his youth.
Let him sit alone and be silent
Since He has laid it on him.
Let him put his mouth in the dust,
Perhaps there is hope.
Let him give his cheek to the smiter,
Let him be filled with reproach. Lamentations 3:24-30
This passage has two references to being silent: “It is good that he waits silently,” and “let him sit alone and be silent.” Taken by themselves, out of context, these verses are easily misused to promote a supposed “practice” of silence and solitude. But taking a verse out of context in order to give it a meaning it does not possess is called twisting Scripture, and it is abhorred by God:
“…and count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him… There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.” 2 Peter 3:15-16
God tells us here that those who twist Scripture (in this case, difficult to understand passages), do it “to their own destruction.” That is a pretty strong censure from the Lord.
Check out what various scholars and commentaries say about the meaning of “waiting for (or on) the Lord.” It is interpreted as putting confident, patient trust in God; expectant hope in God; to live by what you know to be true of God; putting active attention on God; faithfully trusting God (see this helpful podcast with transcript from John Piper on various passages about waiting on the Lord).
The silent part of waiting and being silent is plainly explained further down in the verse where it states, “Let him put his mouth in the dust.”
What is this about? God has disciplined his people for not listening to his prophets and for going after false gods; they have no excuses to offer. Lamentations is about God’s people needing to turn to him in repentance and humility, and to trust in God’s mercy and lovingkindness. They have rebelled (v. 42) and are admonished to be silent since there is nothing for them to tell God in the face of his judgment. Putting one’s mouth in the dust is also a sign of submission to God’s will:
“The mouth in the dust is the attitude of suppliant and humble submission to God’s dealings as righteous and loving in design (compare Ezr 9:6; 1Co 14:25).”
“The expression is derived from the Oriental custom of throwing oneself in the most reverential manner on the ground, and involves the idea of humble silence, because the mouth, placed in the dust, cannot speak.” From Commentaries at Bible Hub
But one does not even need the commentaries. The context itself, and knowing what Lamentations is about, draw the picture for us: this is about waiting in humility before God, realizing his justice and accepting his rebuke.
This biblical silence in scripture that honors both God’s splendor and God’s judgment has been distorted into an idol in Contemplative spirituality, a way for man to feel more experientially spiritual. But it is not biblical spirituality. It is a counterfeit that is empty and unrelated to scripture or to God because it misuses his word. This mishandling of these passages is very similar to the misuse of Ps. 46:10, rendered in some versions as “Be still and know that I am God” (but translated as “Cease striving” in the NAS).
Waiting on God in silence usually expresses the need for humility and submission. So far, no biblical passage cited as support for these practices has held up under scrutiny. What God’s word does do in these cases is that it supremely sheds light on the misunderstanding or misuse of such passages.
See related two part article on two of Ruth Haley Barton’s most popular books, including her Invitation to Silence and Solitude:
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