Here is another of my favorite psalms. It’s short, beautiful, and has a frequently-quoted verse with the best advice ever. Unfortunately, it’s advice that should be taken daily — like a multi-vitamin. Yet, it’s advice that we often disregard. Consequently, ignoring this advice only brings on worry, stress and anxiety. Certainly, we have enough of that. So, what are these words of wisdom? Let’s dig in…
Psalm 46
For the choir director: A song of the descendants of Korah, to be sung by soprano voices.
1 God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3 Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Interlude4 A river brings joy to the city of our God,
the sacred home of the Most High.
5 God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
From the very break of day, God will protect it.
6 The nations are in chaos,
and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
and the earth melts!
7 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude8 Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
See how he brings destruction upon the world.
9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”11 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
Psalm 46 NLT
the God of Israel is our fortress.
Psalm 46 Verse by Verse
In case you didn’t know, every Saturday I do a blog and podcast called “World Watch” where I wrap up the week’s news items — only the ones that are prophetic — just like Jesus — and other biblical writers — called it. Needless to say, 90% of what I report is bad news. I do report on how the Good News — Jesus’ Gospel — is spreading all over the world despite increased persecution.
Psalm 46 was written during the time of King Hezekiah that’s documented in 2 Kings 18. It was during the Assyrian assault on Jerusalem. Pastor Sandy Adams summarizes…
Assyria was a rising empire bent on world conquest. They overthrew Syria and Israel, and were headed to Egypt. Only Jerusalem, and the Jewish king, Hezekiah, stood in their way.
When Hezekiah looked over the walls he saw the meanest troops on the planet camped against him. But he prayed, and God answered. A battle Angel came in the night and slaughtered 185,000 Assyrian troops. The next morning Hezekiah surveyed the carnage. He took out a pen, and either he or one of the sons of Korah, wrote of God’s deliverance.
Sandy Adams
The first 3 verses are an affirmation that acknowledges that God is the person to turn to in times of trouble…
1 God is our refuge and strength,
Psalm 46:1-3 NLT
always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3 Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!
Jesus told us…
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 NLT
Those trials and sorrows include earthquakes, volcanoes and other seismic weather events like hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. Here we are told not to fear! Bad things are going to happen — that’s life — there’s no avoiding them. Nevertheless, you need to know that God — and only God is our refuge and strength, always ready — 24/7 — to help in times of trouble. Sometimes He’ll help you avoid it, get you out of it, but most times, He’ll help you THROUGH it.
Going on…
4 A river brings joy to the city of our God,
Psalm 46:4-5 NLT
the sacred home of the Most High.
5 God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
From the very break of day, God will protect it.
King Hezekiah, wanting to protect Jerusalem’s water source, redirect the Gihon Spring through a 1,777 foot tunnel inside the city. It was an amazing feat of ancient engineering. In the New Heaven and New Earth there will be a New Jerusalem — with a river flowing in it! It’s described by John in Revelation 21 and 22…
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 It flowed 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.
Revelation 21:1-4, 22:1-2 NLT
Why do the nations need to be healed? Because they are in chaos!
6 The nations are in chaos,
Psalm 46:6-7 NLT
and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
and the earth melts!
7 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress.
I don’t know about you, but having the Lord of Heaven’s Armies on our side as our protector, shield, and fortress is very reassuring. Other Bible translations have these words:
- The Lord Almighty NIV
- The Lord of hosts (angels) KJV
- The Lord All Powerful CEV
The next verses explain that God is a just God. If you are evil, demonic, satanic, as is the world right now, He will “bring destruction”. Which is why I’m not surprised when stuff explodes or places are wiped out in an earthquake, fire, flood, or storm.
8 Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
Psalm 46:8-9 NLT
See how he brings destruction upon the world.
9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
At some point, wars WILL end on earth… as the prophets of old predicted…
They will hammer their swords into plowshares
Isaiah 2:4 NLT (also found in Micah 4:3)
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will no longer fight against nation,
nor train for war anymore.
The next verse is the one you should memorize. Write it down and put it on cards around your home to remind you to do what it says…
10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
Psalm 46:10 NLT
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”
Not easy to do!
We were talking about this in our Bible Study this morning. We are constantly bombarded with noise and distractions.
Pastor Sandy comments…
Fear grows in the noise of this world. Listen to the noise and you’re destined for confusion. Skeptical friends, sensationalistic media, doubting voices – cause fear to grow.
Only when we come to the quiet, and let God speak, does faith grow. “The more we train ourselves to spend time with God and alone, the more we discover that God is with us at all times and in all places.”
Sandy Adams
I turn to the folks at Spoken Gospel for insight…
The voice that all obey is the voice of Jesus. When Jesus’ disciples were caught in the waves of a storm, Jesus was their help. With one command, “Be still,” his voice calmed the chaos around them (Mark 4:37-41). In Jesus, the voice of God becomes human. Jesus rules over the chaos we experience in creation and secures peace for those who are near him.
And when Jesus died on the cross, he absorbed the violence of nations and the undoing of creation. In his destruction the sky grew dark, the earth trembled, and people were freed from death itself (Matthew 27:26, 51-52). In rising from death, Jesus shows he’s more powerful than nations that wield the chaos of death. He intends to replace their rule with divine order and eternal life (Acts 2:31; Revelation 11:15).
God’s people do not need to be afraid because Jesus is our fortress. His voice is more powerful than the violence, death, and chaos nations create. And Jesus is coming soon to build the city of God as prophesied by the psalmist (Revelation 22:1-2).
Heaven will have no natural or national chaos (Revelation 21:1). No matter what storms ravage the world, Jesus promises to bring his people to the city where they will be safe and God will live with them forever.
Spoken Gospel
How to Pray Psalm 46
Take out a piece of paper or a journal and rewrite Psalm 46 in your own words. Something like this…
O God, you are my refuge and strength, always ready to help me in times of trouble. I will not fear when life and the evil forces of this world throw trials and troubles at me. Let the storms come!
Like You told the Samaritan Woman, “…those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” I thank you that I will never be thirsty again and that I have Your Spirit in my heart while I am here on earth.
Yes, the nations are in chaos — the whole world is in chaos! But you are the Almighty Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Jacob, my strong fortress.
Because I trust in your Word, I know that this evil world will be destroyed and there will be a New Heaven and a New Earth. That is my confident HOPE! This world is not all there is! Thank You Jesus!
Lord, help me to be still and know that You are God. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Paraphrase on Psalm 46 by Giselle Aguiar
What about you?
Finally, I ask you, do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Are you drinking from His living water? Is He your refuge and strength. He can be. He wants to be. Jesus didn’t suffer torture and die, carrying the weight of all our sins — God’s wrath — so we could have religion! He died so He could have a Personal Relationship with YOU!
Isn’t it about time you let Him in?
