Categories: Psalms

Psalm 46

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God Is Our Fortress

To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song.

46   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

(ESV)

Psalm 46 Commentary

by Brad Boyles

The statements made in Psalm 46 are common knowledge to those who’ve walked with God. We sing them in our songs and read them all over Scripture. It’s easy sometimes to gloss over these well-known phrases and move on with our day.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

I ask this question all the time, but it helps me in my personal study to determine if I am absorbing the words that I’m reading. Do you really trust these statements? I’m not asking if you understand them, or if you know them. I’m not even asking if you believe them. I can believe in something but still not fully trust it. What I’m asking (both for myself and for you) is if we are really applying these statements to our daily life?

God is our refuge and strength. The God of Jacob is our fortress.

“All creatures have their places of refuge.”

Charles Spurgeon

This is a setting we retreat to when life gets crazy. It’s a place of stability and comfort where we can be assured of something absolute. Where do you have instability in your life right now? Practically speaking, are you living in that refuge and strength today?

For me, refuge and strength come from my time of prayer in the morning as well as the opening of the Word. I go back to these places because they set my day. I offer up my weak and feeble mind that runs wild with instabilities to the One who promises to provide very present help in times of need. This is why we read so many of these phrases throughout Scripture. They are reminders of the fact that God is a fortress in times of uncertainty!

Be still, and know that I am God.

What if we can’t find that refuge? What if we question His strength? What can we do when our mind runs wild and we feel like we can’t contain the thoughts that overwhelm us? God’s strength is found in silent confidence. Peace is experienced, not by us taking control, but in our submission to Him. Be still.

In context, this phrase is both a comfort and a warning. For those who know Him, our decision to be still and not panic is a recognition of His sovereignty and power. For those who do not know Him, the stillness is a warning for His impending judgment. In the stillness, God will sort out right from wrong. He will bring justice and mercy according to His will. He will be exalted.

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