Psalm 46.
In this beautiful Psalm we are reminded that, amidst all the storms of life, God is the refuge of His people: a deeply important truth to which all believers would assent as a doctrine, though, too often we may fail to avail ourselves of our "refuge" in meeting the difficulties and dangers of the everyday life.
The Psalm opens with the statement that "God is our refuge." Again, in the course of the Psalm it is stated that "The God of Jacob is our refuge." Finally it closes by repeating, for the third time, that God "is our refuge." Clearly, then, this is the great truth that is pressed in this Psalm. Men of the world, in seeking a refuge from dangers and difficulties, wholly rely on natural and human plans. Believers, while not despising providential means, have in God an unfailing resource. Are we surrounded by dangers
"God is our refuge." Are we utterly weak in the presence of every opposing enemy? God is our "strength." Do we need help at every moment and in all our troubles? "God … is a very present help in trouble."
In the opening verse we have, then, the great theme of the Psalm — the confidence of faith that finds in God an unfailing resource, in all the trials we may have to face as we journey through this world. In the remainder of the Psalm we learn the blessed results of this quiet confidence in God:
Firstly, it enables the believer to rise above the fear of the violence and corruption of this present world (vv. 2, 3).
Secondly, this faith leads the believer to walk in the light of the world to come (vv. 4, 5).
Thirdly, while still in a world in which the nations rage, and kingdoms are moved, faith realises that God is "with us" (vv. 6, 7).
Fourthly, faith assures us that God, in His own time and way, will deal with all the evil of the world (v. 8).
Fifthly, faith sees that God, having dealt in righteousness with the evil, will bring peace to the world. "He maketh wars to cease" (v. 9).
Sixthly, in this confidence, faith can wait in calmness for God to act, knowing that God is God, and in due time will be exalted among the nations (v. 10).
Seventhly, in the light of these great truths, faith is established in the confidence that, during the waiting time, God is "with us," and "our refuge" (v. 11).
(1) The conditions of the present world (Ps. 46:2-3). The believer realising that in God he has a "refuge," and needed "strength," and "help," can face all the violence and corruption that is raging through the world with the consequent turmoil and confusion. "The earth," as a symbol, speaks of an ordered and civilised condition. Such conditions may be removed and all ordered government become thoroughly disorganised. The mountains symbolise that which is imposing and apparently firmly established in the earth. Great empires of the world that have endured for centuries appear to be unassailable; but again and again we see in history, even as God has foretold, that these empires have fallen and been lost in the sea of nations. The Lord can speak of the Roman Empire as a mountain "cast into the sea" (Matt. 21:21). In Scripture the "troubled sea" is often used to set forth the wicked who stir up evil and cannot rest (Isa.57:20-21). The "waters" are used to set forth "peoples, and multitudes, and nations" (Rev. 17:15). The roaring and troubling of the waters surely speak of the masses in a state of revolution that overthrows all authority.
If such was the condition of the world in the Psalmist's day, how much more does it set forth the violence and corruption that mark the world of our day, as we approach the end of the age. The godly man, looking at the prevailing conditions of the world, sees the utter failure of all civilisation and the breakdown of the government of the world that has been committed to the Gentiles. He sees imposing empires of this world overturned and lost amidst the masses, that rise up in revolution, so that all authority is shaken and men's hearts are failing them for fear (Luke 21:26). But if the hearts of men are filled with fear, believers, in the confidence that God is their refuge, can say, "Therefore will not we fear."
(2) The world to come (Ps. 46:4-5). Not only does faith overcome the present world, but it walks in the light of the world to come with all its peace and blessing. Faith looks beyond "the waters" of this world that "roar" and make "trouble," and it sees the river of God, and streams of refreshing that "make glad." It looks beyond the imposing cities of men and sees "the city of God." The Psalmist looked for the establishment of Zion — the earthly city — from which blessing will flow to the nations. Abraham, in his day, "looked for the city" whose "builder and maker is God." In our day, believers can say, we "are come unto mount Zion; and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem." Under present conditions we see the great cities of this world assaulted and desolated by ruthless violence and corruption. Looking on to the heavenly Jerusalem we see the city into which there shall in no wise enter "anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination; or maketh a lie," and no enemy will ever scale its wall "great and high" (Rev. 21:12, 27). Moreover, the Psalmist, speaking of the earthly Zion, reminds us that "God is in the midst of her." So of the heavenly city, we read "the throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it," and again, we learn that "the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the lamp thereof" (Rev. 21:23). Moreover, if the cities and empires of this world are breaking up and falling into ruin, of the city of God we read, "she shall not be moved." We see that the cities of men have no righteous foundation, and are therefore marked by change and decay. But, like Abraham, we look for the city "which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." What God has founded will never be moved. No power of the enemy will assault it; no evil of man will pass through its gates; no night will ever dim its light; no shadow of death will bring any change; no curse will lead to decay. The "pure river of water of life" will for ever "make glad the city of God."
Furthermore, we have not long to wait for this city to be brought into display, for we read, "God shall help her, and that right early." The better and more beautiful translation is, "God shall help her at the dawning of the morning." Looking at the world around, we see moral darkness increasing, and the clouds of the coming storm of judgment are gathering. But the increasing "works of darkness" only assure the believer that "the night is far spent, and the day is at hand" (Rom. 13:12). The dawn of the morning — the "morning without clouds" — is very near, for it is but "a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry." For the Christian the day of glory will dawn by the coming of Christ as "the bright and morning star" (Rev. 22:16): for the world the blessing will come when Christ, as "the Sun of righteousness" will "arise with healing in His wings." Then, indeed, the clouds will be dispelled, for when the day breaks "the shadows will flee away," and the sufferings of God's earthly people will be healed (Mal. 4:2).
(3) God with us (Ps. 46:6-7). As in the days of the Psalmist, so, with yet greater intensity, in these closing days, the nations rage and the kingdoms of this world are moved. When men "rage" they act in a way that is contrary to the dictates of nature and common sense. Moved by Satan, the prince of this world, men act without reason, even as when the demons entered into a herd of swine they acted in a way entirely opposed to the natural instincts of an animal, by rushing violently to their destruction. Led by Satan, the nations today, without reason, rage against one another to their common destruction, and all the kingdoms of the earth are moved. Nevertheless, God has but to speak the word and all the raging of man will cease. Even so the disciples found when, at the word of the Lord "a great tempest" was changed into "a great calm" (Matt. 8:24-26). At the cross the nations raged and the people imagined a vain thing, only to find that God will speak unto them in His wrath and vex them in His sore displeasure (Psalm 2:1-5).
Nevertheless, whatever storms may rage amongst the nations, the LORD of hosts is "with" His people, and therefore, they can say, "the God of Jacob is our refuge." The God Who is "in the midst" of the city to which we belong (verse 5) is "with" His people on their way to the city. When Jacob was a homeless stranger, God could say to him "I am with thee, and will keep thee … I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of" (Gen. 28:15). The God that was with Jacob — a man of faith, in spite of many failures — has also said to believers today, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." If He is with us, He is "our refuge," and the believer can boldly say, "the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me" (Heb. 13:5. 6).
(4) The righteous judgment of the LORD (Ps. 46:8). If the LORD is with His people, He is against the wicked, and will bring them to desolation when He deals in righteous judgment with the nations. Then will be fulfilled the solemn words of the prophet, "The indignation of the LORD is upon all the nations, and His fury upon all their armies: He hath utterly destroyed them, He hath delivered them to the slaughter" (Isa. 34:2).
(5) The peace of the world (Ps. 46:9). The righteous judgment of God will lead to universal peace amongst men, for, as the prophet can say, "The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever" (Isa. 32:17). Men talk of a new order, by which they hope to end war and bring about a universal peace. But the peace of which men dream ignores both the holiness of God and the wickedness of men. It is a peace without righteousness. All the efforts of men will be in vain, for it is the LORD Who "maketh wars to cease," and His peace will be universal, for wars will "cease unto the end of the earth." Then, indeed will the Scripture be fulfilled, that tells us, "Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (Isa. 2:4).
(6) The patience of faith (Ps. 46:10). Knowing that God is our refuge in the midst of the raging of the nations, and that He, Himself, is about to rebuke the nations and make wars to cease, the believer is called to "Be still." The knowledge that Christ is sitting in the place of power, at God's right hand, waiting until all His enemies are put under His feet, will go far to enable the believer to sit "still" in a world of turmoil, while waiting for the intervention of God at the coming of the Lord. Resting upon the Lord's words, "Behold, I come quickly," the believer will keep the word of His patience, and thus "Be still" (Ps. 110:1; Rev. 3:10-11). Nevertheless, to "Be still" is a very great test for faith. The flesh is restless, and the energy of nature would ever be active. But where there is no duty to perform, our place is to be "Be still," and in patience wait for God to act in His own time and way, for His own glory and exaltation. "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord" (James 5:7-8). How often the restless activity of the flesh springs from the desire to exalt self. Man is ever active in seeking his own glory and exaltation. The believer is called to "Be still" that God may be exalted.
(7) God our refuge (Ps. 46:11). Having grace to "be still" we shall find, in our practical experience that God "is with us," and "our refuge." In the spirit of these verses, the prophet Isaiah can say, "We have waited for Thee: be Thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble" (Isa. 33:2). If the Lord is "with us" in this world of conflict, it is that we may be with Him in the coming glory, for this is the desire of His heart according to His own words, "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with Me where I am." (John 17:24).
How blessed then for the believer to enter into the good of this Psalm, and live in the calm assurance that,
1. God is our refuge in every storm;
2. God is our strength in all our weakness;
3. God is our help in every trouble;
4. God will deal in judgment with all the evil;
5. God will bring peace to the ends of the earth;
6. God will be exalted in the earth;
7. God is "with us" as we pass on to the glory through a world of strife, and is "our refuge."
The storm may roar without me.
My heart may low be laid,
But God is round about me,
And can I be dismayed?
H. Smith.