Psalm 46 - God Is Our Fortress 1 God is our refuge and strength, a
very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear though
the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart
of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains
tremble at its swelling. 4 There is a river whose streams make glad
the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. 5 God is in
the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when
morning dawns. 6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters
his voice, the earth melts. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God
of Jacob is our fortress. 8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, how
he has brought desolations on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to
the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he
burns the chariots with fire. 10 " Be still, and know that I am
God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the
earth!" 11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our
fortress. As ordinary as our days may seem, the world we live in is
precarious. Each of us is affected by wars and rumors of wars
(Matt. 24:6), national catastrophes, and personal crises. The
unknowns we live with can threaten to overwhelm our faith and even
our very lives. Where can we look for hope and security? "The Lord
of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress" (Ps. 46:7,
11). God alone is our hope in these troubled times. The aspect of
God's "very present help" (Ps. 46:1) describes his readiness and
willingness to save (Ps. 145:18; Deut. 4:7). God is our exclusive
security when the world we live in falls apart. We all tend to
place our trust in things like reliable friends, financial
stability, and "sure things." But these temporary comforts can
never serve as our sufficient refuge or foundation. The assurance
of God's help is our hope even if the mountains crumble into the
sea. He is the one who spoke everything into existence (Gen. 1; Ps.
33:6; 104:5-9), and by his word he can disintegrate it (Ps. 46:6).
Dear one, do you lack the security of his presence and the
confidence of his help when the morning dawns (Ps. 46:5)? To the
wind and sea that threatened to capsize his disciples' boat, Jesus
issued the rebuke, "Peace! Be still!"(Mark 4:35-41). There is
coming a day in the future when Jesus will put an end to the rage
of evil in this world, and his rebuke to the nations will stand:
"Be still, and know that I am God"(Ps. 46:10). At Jesus' command,
wars will cease and he will be exalted in all the earth (Ps.
46:8-10). "The assurance of God's help is our hope even if the
mountains crumble into the sea." It is no wonder that Martin Luther
was inspired by Psalm 46 to write his famous hymn,"A Mighty
Fortress Is Our God." God exercises his indomitable power over all
things--nature (vv. 1-3), our enemies (vv. 4-7), and the entirety
of this violent world (vv. 8-11). Our unchanging God promises his
"very present help" to his beloved children. Who is more willing to
come to our aid than the God "who did not spare his own Son, but
gave him up for us all" (Rom. 8:32)? In the unknowns of our
tumultuous earthly circumstances, we are assured that God is both
mighty to save and steadfast in his love (Ps. 63:3). Anchored in
the truth of the gospel, we find our refuge in Christ. Is God your
mighty fortress? When the challenges of life arrive, even the most
difficult circumstances, will you have assurance that God is still
in control? Through the gift of his Word, you can trust in God for
all of life's trials. Psalm 33:4-5 says, "The word of the Lord is
upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves
righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love
of the Lord." If you believe that God is sovereign, and that your
salvation is assured by faith in the death and resurrection of his
Son Jesus Christ, we encourage you to affirm your trust by this
prayer: Heavenly Father, I confess that at times my fears about my
own life's circumstances get in the way of acknowledging your
sovereign power over all of creation. Please forgive me for my sins
and help me to place my complete trust in your provision. Thank you
for providing your only Son, Jesus, whose atoning death and
resurrection has enabled me to be in relationship with you. By your
Holy Spirit, help me to live in a way that honors and trusts you in
all areas of life. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.
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