God Is Our Refuge and Strength (2 Kings 18:13-16; 2 Chronicles 32:1-8; Psalm 47:1-9; Psalm 48:1-14)
For the choirmaster. Of the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A song.
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth is transformed and the mountains are toppled into the depths of the seas, though their waters roar and foam and the mountains quake in the surge. Selah
There is a river whose streams delight the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her; she will not be moved. God will help her when morning dawns. Nations rage, kingdoms crumble; the earth melts when He lifts His voice. The LORD of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
Come, see the works of the LORD, who brings devastation upon the earth. He makes wars to cease throughout the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields in the fire.
“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted over the earth.”The LORD of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah”
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth is transformed and the mountains are toppled into the depths of the seas, though their waters roar and foam and the mountains quake in the surge. Selah” For centuries, this psalm has encouraged believers facing all kinds of problems. Reading the list of natural disasters, it is helpful to remember that Israel sits on earthquake faults. The same rift that has formed the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea continues all the way down into Africa as the Rift Valley. When the psalmist describes these events, he may have witnessed such catastrophes.
“There is a river whose streams delight the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her; she will not be moved. God will help her when morning dawns.” The city mentioned here is Jerusalem. Which river is being referred to here? We don’t know; however, there are prophecies that when Messiah comes, a fountain will spring from the temple mount with part of it running to the Jordan while part will run to the Mediterranean Sea. These verses reassure us that God’s holy city cannot and will not be moved. No matter how many times Jerusalem is attacked, God is still protecting her.
“Nations rage, kingdoms crumble; the earth melts when He lifts His voice. The LORD of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah” No matter what political upheavals occur, God is still sovereign, the Commander of untold numbers of angel armies. And this Supreme Commander is on our side, Someone we can turn to in any crisis.
“Come, see the works of the LORD, who brings devastation upon the earth. He makes wars to cease throughout the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields in the fire.” No matter how impressive a nation’s weapons are, they are no match for God. God allows wars to take place, but He also stops wars. When God speaks, jet fighters, rockets, and all kinds of weapons fall useless.
“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted over the earth.” One of the toughest things we can do is to quiet our minds and meditate on God. For most of us, as soon as we begin to attempt to meditate, our minds begin running like gerbils on wheels. Fortunately, we can ask God to help us center ourselves. When God gives a commandment, He will also give us the power to fulfill that commandment if we ask Him.
“The LORD of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah” Incredible! The Lord God, King of the Universe, is with us. One of the names for Jesus is “Immanuel,” which means “God with us.” Many times, we forget that God is as close as our heartbeats. God is not sitting out in the universe somewhere; He really is WITH us, completely and forever.
APPLICATION: Of all the psalms, this is one of my favorites. Every single verse gives me encouragement. Years ago, I was running a mission hospital at which we preached to the patients on the verandah before beginning consultations. One morning, a disgruntled female worker chose to confront me on the verandah, physically threatening me. When I stood my ground, she eventually became fed up and left. That morning, I preached on Psalm 46, praising God that the situation had not degenerated into a physical fight. . (I had enough training in martial arts that I was already contemplating which disabling strike I was going to use and where I would use it. Such moves would have been disastrous.)
As I am writing this Bible study, I am dealing with a medical disaster. Someone has given a handsome eight-year-old boy an enema with lye, completely rotting his large intestine. We can’t tell whether this horrific act was done out of ignorance or spite, but the results are catastrophic. To complicate matters, the boy has a rare blood type, making it difficult to have sufficient blood to carry out a major bowel resection safely. Will the boy live or die? His life is in God’s hands, and all I can do is trust God to guide me.
Many times we find ourselves facing obstacles that seem impenetrable, immoveable, and impossible to deal with. What can we do in such situations? We can be still and KNOW that God is God and that He has answers beyond our comprehension. Exalt the Lord. Worship Him and see what He will do.
PRAYER: Father God, many of us are facing huge problems of every kind and wondering if You are still working. Calm our hearts and minds and help us to see that You are the One making everything happen behind the scenes. You are Redeemer, Deliverer, Counselor, and King. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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