This is part 3 of a look through Psalms devotional. Read the series here.
In this Psalm there is an intense picture, “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” (Psalm 46: 2-3).
Imagine seeing this huge mountain, the most solid thing we have in the world. It towers over you when all of a sudden it is ripped out from under your feet and thrown into the ocean. Pieces of rock shatter like glass as it hits the surface of the roaring ocean. The waves then crash over the rock, engulfing it and swallowing it down. The rock continues to shake. There is a loud sound of rock cracking in half like a boom of thunder.
“The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts” (6).
The waves slowly calm, the cracking subsides, and the earth softens as He commands. The wind dies down to a breeze and His presence overwhelms the view. Birds come out from hiding and fly.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when the morning dawns” (1, 5).
He is our shelter. He is our protector. The whole earth may be trembling, falling apart around us, but he is our stability.
“He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire” (9).
The wars that go on around us can be silenced by our Protector. The wars that go on inside of us can be calmed like after a raging storm.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27).
We may search for peace in this other than our God. We may fight a war on our own. But God says, be still, and know that I am God your Protector. I will fight for you, you only need to be still (Psalm 46:10, Exodus 14:14).
As Christians, we will constantly have to fight against the powers of evil that rule over this world. That is our storm, our mountain that will crumble and crash into the sea. Yet we have God the Protector on our side.
“The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress” (11).
Our Fortress. Jehovah Sabaoth is His name. The Lord of Hosts. The Defender. The Strong One. The Protector. He is our defender who sees us, loves us and will calm storms for us. There is nothing he cannot do, know, control, defeat, or heal.
Martin Luther based his hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” on this Psalm. Read and reflect on his lyrics:
A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
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 Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.
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 Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.
