Psalm 46
When it seems all hope is lost turn to God’s life changing words – What we do with them is up to us!
Background: 2 Kings 18-19
At this point in history-the Assyrian army before them was ;lush fields, they left behind fields that were bare and burned to the ground.
They were marching to Jerusalem ready to take the City.
Lord Byron wrote of this siege:
And the Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold,
And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold:
And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea
When the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Galilee
“We sing this Psalm to the praise of God, because God is with us, and powerfully and miraculously preserves and defends His church and His Word, against all fanatical spirits, against the gates of hell, against the implacable hatred of the devil and against all the assaults of the world, the flesh and sin.” Marting Luther.
A might fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our help He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not His equal.
Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own chosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.
And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him’
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.
That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea (Ps. 46:1-2)
Because God is my refuge and strength, I will not fear any kind of calamity that may befall me, or catastrophe. When God is your refuge and your strength, you don’t need to fear.
You can’t really run from danger.
Living is dangerous.
God is our place where we go quietly to for protection.
Refuge in God is personal – God’s presence in us gives us security no matter what happens. Our lives can be hid in Christ, in God, and secure because God is my refuge and strength, I cannot fear.
He is Powerful – a strong and secure structure that protects and provides shelter.
He is always present – ALWAYS ready to help
So we will not fear, even if earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Though the waters of the sea roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof (Ps. 46:2-3)
He is our Protector
o Even if the earth moves, land changes hands
o The mountains crumble
o The seas roar
o The mountains shake
We are safe no matter what happens. NEVER FEAR, natural or national disaster cannot touch the refuge, the strength that we have in God.
Those things that keep you awake at night, cause you to worry, lose focus, give them to the watch care of the Almighty God.
He is our inexhaustible River
Vs. 4 A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High.
In Ezekiel (47), in the description of the city of God, he speaks of the river that he saw that came out from under the throne of God. Then he said to me, “This river flows east through the desert into the Jordan Valley, where it enters the Dead Sea. The waters of this stream will heal the salty waters of the Dead Sea and make them fresh and pure.” In the book of Revelation we are told also about the river in the city of God. “Coursing down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.
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