“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah ” (Psalm 46:1-11 ESV)
The Psalm we just read has a very special place for me, and it should for you. But why is it special for me? First, this is the passages that was first read at my wedding to Shannon. I had planned it that way because I knew my own problems. And the day I was married, what I had feared almost came true. I’m standing up at the front of the church with the pastor and my best man. The music starts, and for the first time, I see Shannon in her wedding dress and she’s beautiful. Then, just like I had known would happen, I was filled with every sort of emotion and adoration, and I was about to lose it. All of my attention was focused on her, and us, and I knew that was wrong. So she gets to the front of the church with her father, and the pastor opens with , “God is our refuge and strength…” As he read the passage, I just closed my eyes and reoriented my emotion Godward. It was for His glory that I was getting married. He was the one who gives us strength. He was the one who was going to make our marriage last. I just became still, and let my mind remember that He is God, He will be exalted among the nations, He will be exalted on the earth.
And this is the passage that I have come back to time and time again when fear creeps into my heart. When I fear that something that God does not wish to happen comes forth, I go to the 46th to receive help. And every time, my soul is strengthened to face whatever challenge comes forth. The third reason that this is a very relevant passage is in light of recent current events. Terrorism seems to be creeping behind every corner. Culture has declared all out war on those that believe the Bible. Hurricane after hurricane has hit this land, along with tsunamis and other natural disasters. How are we going to have strength to make it? Why is all of this happening? Has God lost control? And there’s a fourth reason that this text is relevant to you and me. The very reason that I’m preaching this morning is because death is in this world. Our pastor is not with us this morning because of a death in the family. Death is the most relevant thing in our lives. What are you going to do when it rears its head at you? What are you going to do when the doctor tells you, “I’ve done all I can do.” And you say, “How long do I have?” You might have minutes, hours, days, months, or maybe just seconds. What are you going to trust in as your soul gives way? How you going to make it without blaspheming the God who can save you? How are you going to die peaceably, knowing that you are dying in your Savior’s arms and not dying while shaking a fist in the face of God Almighty because you think He’s forsaken you. So, from this text, I want us to see:
God Exalted In His Creation (1-3)
God Exalted In His City (4-7)
God Exalted In His Creatures (8-11)
God Exalted In His Creation
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. Selah
The main doctrine of this psalm is, “No matter what happens, God’s people are joyful and secure”. And the psalm points to a victorious defense, not to a war outside the gates. The people of God were not on the offensive, but the defensive. She was bloodied by her foes, barely able to walk, and knows that if she can just make under the wing of Almighty God, she will be safe and secure. Notice that God is our refuge and strength. He is “our” refuge and strength. This is for you this morning, troubled saint. You can safely say, “God is MY refuge and strength.”
And that refuge and strength is not far away when needed. It is a very present help in trouble. He draws near in time of trouble and says, “Come to me all who are heavy laden and I shall give you rest.” Notice that He is very present in trouble. Not only is He the very close refuge in times of trouble, He is that active strength that is fighting closely to preserve you in times of war. God is not like those kings who say they will fight with you in battle, only to desert you with the battle has begun on the front lines. He is that very present help in trouble that never leaves, nor forsakes you.
We trust in God, not the refuge of our government, nor the strength of our armies. At the very best, the U.S. Government can keep you safe and sick. But God is the Lord over even sickness and all security. In God’s kingdom, you are safe because He shall conquer all your foes. You are safe because He shall conquer every disease. You are safe because He shall conquer death itself.
But what about here on earth, where the earth gives way…the mountains are moved into the heart of the sea, and the waters roar and foam, and the mountains tremble at its swelling. Here we have the most unchallengeable and indestructible of all things—the earth and mountain—and the most restless and menacing—the sea. “The two phrases set forth the most terrible commotions within the range of imagination, and include the overthrow of dynasties, the destruction of nations, the ruin of families, the persecutions of the church, the reign of heresy, and whatever else may at any time try the faith of believers. [But] [l]et the worst come to the worst, the child of God should never give way to mistrust; since God remain[s] faithful there can be no danger to his cause or people” (Spurgeon. Treasury of David. 1:340).
Notice the author says, “We will not fear” though these things rage against us. Notice how fear is irrational. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. THEREFORE, we will not fear.” Because God is your refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, based on this, if you’re trusting in this, we will not fear. The terror of creation does not catch God off of guard. Nature is not so powerful that God can not deliver his people from the fear of it. God has not lost control of nature; it still serves him. He tells the waters, “This far, and no more.” He tells the mountains, “Move because my people have faith.” When He shall cry, “Be still!” the creation is the most obedient of servants. “Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps” (Psalm 135:6 ESV). Mountains may quake, but faith rests on a firm foundation (on the very being of God), and it is not moved though a tsunami 100 miles high attacks it. Evil may boil, wrath may roar, and pride my foam, but the sure confidence of the people of God does not tremble. For God is our refuge and strength, a very present in trouble.
“Selah.” Have you ever wondered what that little word means? No one is exactly sure, but most agree that it has to do with the musical recitation of the Psalm in Israel. It is present at the end all three sections in our passage—seemingly pausing and bringing to an end the previous thought. It’s very useful here, as Spurgeon points out, “In the midst of such a hurly-burly the music may well come to a pause, both to give the singers breath, and ourselves time for meditation. We are in no hurry, but can sit us down and wait while earth dissolves, and mountains rock, and oceans roar. Ours is not the headlong rashness which passes for courage, we can calmly confront the danger, and meditate upon terror, dwelling on its separate items and united forces. The pause is not an exclamation of dismay, but merely a rest in music: we do not suspend our song in alarm, but retune our harps with a deliberation amidst the tumult of the storm. It were well if all of us could say, “Selah,” under tempestuous trials, but alas! too often we speak in our haste with a rude crash, and mar the melody of our life-song” (Spurgeon, 340).
God Exalted In His City
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. Selah
In the midst of a turbulent creation, God is the refuge and strength of his people. But what about when his people are under attack? What does our refuge look like? It looks like no city here on earth. Remember Abraham? “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:8-10 ESV). This is the city to which we turn our attentions: to that heavenly city. It is the city to which our citizenship belongs, and under which whose laws we are to obey. And its Defender is not ashamed to be called our God.
Just as there was a river flowing out of Eden that made that land a paradise, there is a river flowing into the City of God making this city a paradise. This is a river of eternal life. And we never have to fear that some barbarian horde might sail down this river to attack our city. For Isaiah 33.21 tells us that no galley with oars can go, nor majestic ship can pass where the Lord in majesty has become for us a place of broad rivers and streams. This river is a river of pleasures and delights. The river makes the entire city glad. Dear saint, if the entire city is glad, then you are included in that gladness. God has promised His people in Psalm 16.11, “I will make known to you the path of life, in My presence there is fullness of joy; at my right hand are pleasures forevermore”. And it is this God who has made His habitation in the city. This city is consecrated to His praise, and glorified by His presence.
Three times, just in verses 4-7 alone, the point is made that God is with us: 1. The city of God, the holy habitation. 2. God is in the midst of her. 3. The Lord of hosts is with us. God has taken His stand with us. So when the wars of this age come upon you, they come upon God and all of His city. Remember Paul was visited by the risen Christ, he said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Paul was ravaging the church, but it was Christ whom Paul was at war with. And this God is not powerful to overcome nature, but feeble to overcome the attacks against His city. God has said, “She shall not be moved.” Though the mountains tremble and the kingdoms totter, the city of God shall never move an inch. There will never be the hint of stress upon her. She may be tried, but never will her foundations be shaken though the atomic bombs of all the world be dropped upon her.
Every morning, the dawn finds God, who never sleeps, in full battle array to insure that her gates do not tremble, nor are they scratched. Every morning, he rededicates Himself to His city’s protection. “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His anointed” (Ps 2.1-2), but “all that God need do is to make a rumbling with His almighty voice of thunder [and the enemies'] titanic defiance becomes cowardice, the bonds of their confederation slacken, and the strength they have put forth is destroyed” (Keil and Delitzsch. Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 5: Psalms 36-83. Pg. 95.).
An illustration of this from the history of Judah is found in 2 Chronicles 20.1-30. ” “A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea. Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, and said, “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, ‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you—for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’ And now behold, the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy— behold, they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” Meanwhile all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s. Tomorrow go down against them. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.” Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice. And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.” And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, “Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.” And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. For the men of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another. When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the horde, and behold, there were dead bodies lying on the ground; none had escaped. When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them, in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much. On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, for there they blessed the Lord. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Beracah to this day. Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies. They came to Jerusalem with harps and lyres and trumpets, to the house of the Lord. And the fear of God came on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.” (2 Chronicles 20:1-30 ESV)
We must remember that it is the Lord of hosts who is with us. He rules the angels, the stars, the elements, and all the hosts of heaven. Even the armies of men are made to subserve His will, though they fight against Him. Remember Elisha in 2 Kings 6.15-17, “When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:15-17 ESV) Not only is God exalted in His Creation, and City, God is exalted in His Creatures.
God Exalted In His Creatures
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. Selah
This section begins with a command for us to behold the works of the Lord. This word for behold is generally used for seeing with the inward eye, as a ‘seer’ or prophet sees. “Whenever we read history it should be with this verse sounding in our ears. We should read the newspaper in the same spirit, to see how the Head of the Church rules the nations for his people’s good as Joseph governed Egypt for the sake of Israel” (Spurgeon, 342). Notice that his works shall be swift and terrible with those that do no lay down their arms against Him. I think to that last day of battle, when the Lord shall descend to end all war and rebellion: “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:11-16 ESV). The wrath of the Lord is great to those who wage war against Him, and the Lord Almighty will bring desolations on the earth by stopping them.
The outcome shall be peace, but the process shall be judgment (Kidner, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries Volume 14a: Psalms 1-72. Pg. 176.). Peace is made one of two ways. First, it is first made my removing the cause of war, and the spirit of enmity (which He does in His saints, through His Son). The second is by breaking the power of opposition by force, and taking away all the machinations of war (which He does to those who will not humble themselves under His Lordship). Notice that He makes wars cease; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the chariots with fire. “Now; the force of these passages cannot be properly appreciated unless we realize to ourselves the dread in which the war-chariot was held by the foot soldiers. Even cavalry were much feared; but the chariots were objects of almost superstitious fear, and the rushing sound of their wheels, the noise of the horses’ hoofs, and the shaking of the ground as the ‘prancing horses and jumping chariots’ (Nah 3.2), thundered along, are repeatedly mentioned” (J.G. Wood, qtd in Spurgeon, 349). God destroys the greatest articles of war that man or demon can event. God shall burn up the atomic bombs, nuclear warheads, and biological warfares of His enemies—leaving them weak and helpless.
God looks out over the tumultuous waves of human war, and unbelief, and shall shout, “Be still! Stop! Shut up! and know that I am God. And the wars shall cease, the weapons shall be destroyed, and God shall be exalted among the nations, and in the earth. “Let his own people be still; let them be calm and sedate, and tremble no more, but know, to their comfort, that the Lord is God, he is God alone, and will be exalted above the heathen; let him alone to maintain his honour, to fulfil his own counsels and to support his own interest in the world. Though we be depressed, yet let us not be dejected, for we are sure that God will be exalted, and that may satisfy us; he will work for his great name, and then no matter what becomes of our little names” (Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible : Complete and Unabridged in One Volume, Ps 46:6. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1996, c1991.). We must know that He is God. Edwards helps us with our understanding of this when he writes, “1. In that he is God, he is an absolutely and infinitely perfect being. 2. As he is God he is so great, that he is infinitely above all comprehension. 3. As he is God, all things are his own. 4. In that he is God, he is worthy to be sovereign over all things. 5. In that he is God, he will be sovereign, and will act as such. 6. in that he is God, he is able to avenge himself on those who oppose his sovereignty” (Edwards, qtd in Spurgeon, 351).
He will be exalted among the nations. He will be exalted in the earth! “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God Almighty! Just and true are you ways, O King of the nations!” (Rev. 15.3). We have a refuge. We have a God that goes before us. Will we go at all? The Lord has our back, will we go forward? Christ has said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Mt. 16.18). Church, the gates of hell are defensive, not offensive. We are to storm the gates of hell, and overtake it. We are to be the church militant on earth and the church triumphant in heaven. We are not to sit idly by and let culture go down to hell, we are to storm culture bringing light to even the darkest parts. We are to take the gospel to the most hellish places on earth. For God has said, “I will be exalted where there is no light. I will be exalted in the worst places on earth. And I shall defend my city that it stands the siege of unbelief.”
The Lord of hosts is with us. “On [a] Tuesday [in 1791] Mr. Wesley could with difficulty be understood, though he often attempted to speak. [He was on his deathbed, and nearing that heavenly city that was his home.] At last, with all the strength he had, he cried out, “The best of all is, God is with us.” Again, raising his hand, and waving it in triumph, he exclaimed with thrilling effect, “The best of all is, God is with us.” These words seems to express the leading feature of his whole life. God had been with him from early childhood; his providence had guided him through all the devious wanderings of human life; and now, when he was entering the ‘valley of the shadow of death,’ the same hand sustained him” (from “Wesley and his Coadjutors.” By Rev W.C. Larrabee. Ed by Rev. B.F. Tefft. 1851. qtd in Spurgeon, 350).
Why do we love this Psalm? We love this Psalm because it helps us to live here in pain and suffering, and it helps us to die with joy and anticipation. “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.” These words are from Martin Luther (qtd in Spurgeon 344), who wrote one of the most famous hymns from this Psalm, Eine feste Burg ist unser Gott. It goes like this:
A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing;
Our helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing;
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and pow’r are great,
And armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not His equal
2 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 choosing;
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabboth, His name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.
3 And tho’ this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph thro’ 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.
4 That word above all earthly pow’rs,
No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours Thro’
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.
