Written ~ 11-08-2023
Psalm 46
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!
4 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.
8 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; the God of Israel is our fortress.
What an awesome passage displaying the glorious strength of our Almighty God! Often we think of God as our loving Father, the One who holds us up when we fall. But here we see Him not only as our refuge but as the leader of a great army. He is a fortress of protection and at His very Word the earth responds. That’s So Awesome!
Let’s look at the first three verses…
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!”
When everything seems to be crumbling down around us and the earth is showing signs of turmoil, verse 46:1 reminds us of who God is, and it even gives us one of His promises. “God is our refuge and strength.” Some other words for refuge are: sanctuary, haven, shelter, retreat, safe-harbor. Each of those words give more understanding and meaning to just one character of God. Each of those descriptive words allow for peace, protection and a sense of calm. And what about strength, do we only think of physical strength? Look at these other words to describe strength: power, force, energy, mighty. So no matter what we are going through personally or what we see going on in the world, God is in control. And His promise to us is that He is our refuge, so run to Him, call to Him when things are getting tough! Let the Almighty God fight for you! We can be sure, with all certainty, with this other promise, that God is “always ready to help in times of trouble.”
What should our response to be when God is fighting for our protection? Verse 46:2, “…we will not fear…”
When the Almighty God dwells within us He is all the protection we need from the enemy. God has the final Word! Look at what it says in verse 46:6, “…God’s voice thunders, and the earth melts!”
Verse 46:7 and 11 tell us why we shouldn’t fear…
7 and 11 “The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.”
Here’s the definition of fortress:
- A fortified place, a stronghold
- A large and permanent fortification
- A structure or place from which one can resist attack
- Castle, Fort, Bunker
Our verses today should confirm deep within us that God is all those things to us. When it says, “God is our Fortress,” He is our stronghold, He is our permanent fortification, we can resist the attack of the enemy because we stand behind the Almighty God!
Think about this… we see on the News that the world is in an uproar, we hear about natural disasters all over the globe, the troubles in our own lives seem never-ending. But look at what it says in verse 46:10a,
10 “Be still, and know that I am God!”
These few words show the Power of God, remember in verse 46:6 where it says, “God’s voice thunders, and the earth melts!” In verse 46:10, God is speaking and with that thunderous voice He is saying, “Be Still!” So all the chaos, the troubles we face, earthquakes, the crumbling and trembling of mountains, the roaring and surging of the sea must respond to His voice. “Know that I AM GOD!” And what does He say next? “I will be honored…”
Do you Honor the Lord of Heaven’s Armies? When He says “Be Still” do you listen? We are a stubborn people. We love doing what we want to do, a lot of times we purposely don’t want to listen, we don’t want to slow down long enough to hear the voice of God. If we think we can take care of things all on our own, we are risking everything! Are we so bold as to disregard the Word of God and step out from behind His fortress and fend for ourselves?
Oh Father, my prayer today is that each of us would listen to Your Voice. Have us remain in Your protection. Let these words sink into our hearts and minds that “You are our refuge and strength.” I pray that when we hear Your Words, “Be still,” we respond.
~AMEN~
- Knowing the Almighty God as your Heavenly Father is an awesome comfort, but also knowing Him as your protector, your refuge, that’s a comforting relief! Won’t you invite the Lord into your life? Pray this prayer of Salvation and climb into the fortified place of God’s loving arms and “Be still.”
Dear Jesus, You know my heart, all the things I have done and said. Please forgive me for my unbelief. Please forgive me for all of my sins. I believe You are the Son of God. I believe You came to earth to die on the cross for my sins. I believe You rose from the dead to give me freedom from sin and death. By faith through believing in Who You Are, I accept You as my Lord and Savior. Come into my life, cleanse this heart of mine, white as snow. Help me not to doubt any longer and breathe life into me, fill me with Your light. Thank You Jesus! Amen.
If you solemnly prayed this prayer, tell at least one person, so they can share in your joy!! I rejoice with you! All the angels in Heaven rejoice with you! The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says, “Be still! And know that I am God!”
It is very important to me that those who might be reading these journal pages of mine and don’t yet know the Lord Jesus Christ, that you make that decision. Today. Your heart and mind may not understand everything you have been reading, but if you open your heart to the truth of who Jesus is, you will be saved from sin and death. By the Power of the Holy Spirit, you will be amazed at how quickly after giving your heart to the Lord your eyes and ears will be opened to the truth.