Transcript
On January 10, 2003, a young man named Terry Drier was in the water twenty hours after his boat had capsized.
He gave a valiant effort at survival, although he later confessed he felt certain that he was going to die. After that long while, a helicopter located him, and sent word to a ship on its way to the Persian Gulf.
The name of the ship was the USNS Comfort. This vessel was on its way to do battle but paused to deliver one man. They went out of their way to save this one person, and there was a doctor on board who nursed him back to health.
Many people today are treading water, and they don’t know how much longer they can hang in there. Many are tired and feel like all is lost.
All we must do is look up and see that our strong and mighty Comforter is always there and is a very present help in trouble. By His grace and love, He is always willing to help and to give us His comfort, strength, and peace.
Psalm 46:1-3: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.”
Psalm 46 was composed in a time of crisis, but we don’t know the particular crisis to which it refers. It is preserved in God’s Word to encourage Israel and her believing remnant in the future time of “Jacob’s trouble,” or the seven-year Tribulation period.
In that day, the Antichrist will seek to slay all who refuse to worship his image or take his mark. Believing Israelites in that day will need to trust God as their refuge and strength.
For us under grace, who will not go through the seven-year Tribulation, we find principles of encouragement and comfort as we go through personal times of trouble.
Verse 1 states that “God is our refuge and strength.” The Psalmist begins with God and God’s provision. Whenever trouble comes, and whatever trouble that is, with its first word, Psalm 46 tells where to turn: God.
Turning to the living and true God in faith is to be our first reaction in times of difficulty.
We do so because He is “our refuge and strength.” This tells us that God both protects and empowers His people. A “refuge” refers to a defense, a place of protection, shelter, and safety. A refuge is a place to flee to for protection when danger is near or approaching.
“Strength” refers to God providing His people with the inner power to keep going, the stamina, enablement, courage, and hope to keep fighting.
“Refuge” is outward and defensive. “Strength” is inward and offensive. God is our Shield and our Sword. He is our Protection and our Enabler.
True and lasting safety, protection, and strength do not lie in riches, or armies, or man-made fortresses. All other refuges offer no true security in times of personal crisis. And all other strength is weakness compared to God. But God’s defense and His might offer real protection and strength for all our troubles.
His defense is impenetrable, His power is infinite. And when we take refuge in Him, we are secure. When we make ourselves strong in God, we are strong.
When everything is falling apart around us, by His mercy, God is our refuge and shelter of safety, and He is our strength to be able to endure it.
The personal, possessive word, “our,” is important in this verse. It refers to Israel, but we in the Church today find a truth and principle for our lives under grace as well, so that we can say, “God is MY refuge and strength.”
And God is “a very present help in trouble.” God Himself is our help. He is our help, not from a distance, but a very “present” help.
As A. W. Tozer put it, “God is everywhere here, close to everything, next to everyone.”
The modifier “very” in this verse teaches that God is an intensely present helper for His people in times of trouble. He is attentively present. He is exceedingly available.
God never, ever withdraws Himself from those in times of trouble. That kind of thought or belief that He does leave us in those times is a lie of the devil.
God is always, constantly near. God is very easy to find. And in our times of trouble, we especially need to remind ourselves of this and be conscious of it.
And in His nearness, He is an ever-present help. He is always accessible, and He always wants us to turn to Him by faith for help. And He is ready and eager to help us. He is present at all times and very present to help us in our troubles and difficulties.
And He helps us in our troubles by being our comforting refuge and strength.
And as Psalm 121:1-2 states, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.”
The psalmist looked to the hills where the temple stood in Jerusalem, which was the dwelling place of God on earth. And he knew that his help came from the Lord.
And with our help coming from the Creator of the vast universe and the God of all power, He is more than able to help, defend, and give us strength at any and all times.
As a result, the psalmist says in verse 2, “Therefore will not we fear.” By remembering God’s presence and strength and Who He is, our fears can be displaced with confidence, and we can be put on stable ground, emotionally and spiritually, in times of trouble.
Where God is, all power is and all love is. Thus, we will not fear, because no matter what happens, God is still with us. He is always a very present help.
And the Psalmist then referred to great natural disasters in verse 2, showing that even if the worst that can happen happens, even in the biggest crisis, it’s still no cause to fear, because God Himself is always with us.
The Psalmist said that we will not fear, “though the earth be removed [or changed, displaced], and though the mountains be carried [or slip, slide] into the midst of the sea.”
Again, this looks toward the Day of the Lord, the Tribulation period, when these things will be literally fulfilled. And during those years, the earth will undergo terrifying, catastrophic changes as God’s wrath is poured out on the world.
In the Tribulation, after the seventh bowl judgment is poured out, Revelation 16:18,20 says, “and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth…And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found” (cf. 6:12,14).
These things are literally coming upon the earth in the future Tribulation, but because God is a very present help in this time of worldwide trouble, Israel has no need to fear.
In verse 3, the psalmist added, “Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.”
There is a twofold explanation for this verse. First, the waters will literally roar, and there will be violent disturbances to the seas.
When the second trumpet judgment sounds in the future Tribulation, we learn that “a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.”
The roaring ocean with its swelling and mighty waves, crashing against the shore and breaking against mountains along the shore, will shake mountains to their foundations.
The sea and mountains in the Bible also are symbolic of nations, peoples, and kingdoms. And during the Tribulation, the nations and kingdoms will be troubled and shaken as well due to political unrest, wars, chaos, turmoil, and revolutions in that day.
In Luke 21:25-26, our Lord said, “and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear…”
But while men’s hearts will fail them for fear in that day, Israel is told there is no need for her to fear, because “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
And for us, during the dispensation of grace, when we observe the state of the world, and we see things getting worse and worse politically, morally, and socially, and we see the foundations of society crumbling, we, too, do not need to fear.
Sometimes the ground shifts underneath us, as it were, and in our troubles, it feels like we are in the middle of a roaring, raging sea. But as we trust in the Lord, our refuge and strength, we find the true place of security in this life.
After all these things, the psalmist wrote, “Selah,” which basically means to pause and praise. Many of the Psalms were sung, and the term Selah is a musical interlude and pause. And the rest is a call to reflect, praise, and consider God’s message and the truth just stated.
And the greatness of the truth of God being our refuge, strength, and a very present help in trouble in this psalm was and is worthy of a pause, careful thought, and praise.
Psalm 46:4-7: “There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.
“The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”
The psalmist turns in the second stanza of the psalm to refer to Israel’s bright hope. And our hope sustains us and gives us confidence in our times of trouble.
After referring to the seven-year Tribulation in verses 1-3, and once the shaking, roaring, and troubles of that time are over, then comes the time for Israel’s earthly kingdom.
The writer sees the beauties of the kingdom age to come, including the beauty of the city of Jerusalem and the millennial temple.
And the psalmist said that in that kingdom, “There is a river.” This peaceful, glorious river contrasts with the raging waters that roar during the Tribulation (v. 3).
During the kingdom, there will be a literal river that will proceed from and flow out of the temple. Ezekiel 47 states,
“…behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward…and it was a river that I could not pass over…And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat…it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary….”
Ezekiel saw a mighty river flowing from the door of the millennial temple, and this river will flow all the way down to the Dead Sea. As this new river enters the Dead Sea, the water there will be healed and become freshwater, and it will then be filled with fish.
This river will be a striking figure in the kingdom of the spiritual and physical blessings that will flow from Christ at the Temple during His Millennial Reign.
The streams of this river will “make glad the city of God,” or Jerusalem, the capital of the millennial earth. The river flows and results in joy and gladness for all the people of Jerusalem. The city will be glad because of the river’s refreshing, life-giving water.
Jerusalem will be glad because the river has streams that branch off from it to supply fountains and water gardens throughout the city.
And the city is glad because the river is a picture of the peace of the kingdom. As Isaiah 66:12 says, “For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river…”
Jerusalem will be the “city of God” in the kingdom, because it will be the place where the Son of God, Jesus Christ, will rule over the world.
And it is the city of God, because in that day will stand “the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High” and God will dwell in it. This refers to the temple of God that will be built in Jerusalem for the 1000-year kingdom. And that temple will be filled with the glory of God’s presence in the Person of Jesus Christ.
As verse 5 says, “God is in the midst of her.” Jesus Christ is God, and He will literally dwell in the midst of the city of God in the millennial temple. Speaking of the millennial temple, the Lord told Ezekiel that this was “the place of My throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever” (43:7).
Jesus Christ will be enthroned in Jerusalem, and because God will dwell in the midst of her, “she [or the city of God] shall not be moved.”
In verses 2-3, we see that nature was moved during the Tribulation. In verse 6, we learn that “the kingdoms were moved” at that time as well.
But with the Son of God dwelling in the midst of Jerusalem, she will “not be moved.” She will be established in peace and the city will never fall.
God will be “a very present help” for Israel during the Tribulation, but during the Millennial Kingdom, He will personally, physically be present with her in Jerusalem.
And the psalmist is demonstrating through Israel’s hope how God is her refuge and strength. Because Jerusalem will only know perfect security and strength through God’s presence and dwelling in her midst. And there will be absolutely no reason to fear.
In verse 5, the psalmist added, “God shall help her, and that right early.” “That right early” means when morning dawns or at the turn of the morning.
During the dark night of the Tribulation, Jerusalem will be overrun and trodden down, but because God is “a very present help in trouble,” God will help her.
The city will be helped, “and that right early,” or at the dawning of the millennial morning, when things change from night to day.
Referring to the end of the Tribulation, “The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved.” This refers to the great rebellion upon the earth just prior to Christ’s Second Coming.
The unbelieving heathen will rage and the kings of the earth who follow the Antichrist with their armies will invade Jerusalem to “make war with the Lamb” (Rev. 17:14).
Earlier, in Psalm 2:1-2 we read, “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His anointed [or the Messiah]”
In their rage, the heathen and the kings of the earth will devise, conspire, scheme, and take counsel, thinking they can actually set themselves against the Lord God and His Messiah and succeed in freeing themselves from their rule.
But in that day when the Antichrist, the kings of the earth and their armies gather together against Christ, God will help Jerusalem. The heavens will open, and Christ will descend on a white horse, and as verse 6 says, “He uttered His voice, the earth melted.”
By the sharp sword and power of His Word, Jesus Christ will destroy this confederation at the Battle of Armageddon.
And due to the Lord’s fearsome presence in judgment, as Nahum 1:5 states, “The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence….”
Due to Christ’s return to help Israel at the end of the Tribulation, the Psalmist states, “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”
Thus, the godly remnant during the Tribulation will find comfort in their trials through God’s Word and this chapter in particular.
They will be reminded of the victory that is coming by Christ’s Second Coming, and the perfect and glorious rule of their Messiah on the earth.
Following His return to crush all rebellion and to reign in righteousness, they have the great hope that the Lord of hosts will take His place as her King and will be with them in the kingdom and that the God of Jacob will be their refuge and mighty fortress of safety.
And as we set our affection on things above and not on things on the earth, we know we, in the Church, the Body of Christ, have a bright hope also. It’s not the same as Israel’s, but it’s just as bright, and just as sure.
We have the hope of dwelling in the presence of God in heaven forever, and we are to be looking for Christ and the blessed hope of the Rapture to catch us away to heaven before the Tribulation begins. And this sustains us in our time of trouble, and, like Israel, we find comfort, encouragement, and strength in our hope.
And as verse 7 says, “Selah.” It’s good to pause, reflect, and praise God for the hope that He has given Israel and for the hope that He gives us in the Body of Christ.
Psalm 46:8-11: “Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”
The Psalmist then issues a call to “Come, behold the works of the Lord.” Israel is called to observe the Lord’s works of judgment and His works of blessing.
First, Israel is invited to view “what desolations He hath made in the earth.” Following the Second Coming, after the seven years of God’s wrath being poured out on the world, through the seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments, there will indeed be desolations in the earth to observe.
The land and the sea will have been devastated and multitudes will have been slain.
Speaking of the Tribulation, Isaiah 24 reads, “Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left…The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly” (24:6,19).
Second, Israel is invited to view, “He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.”
After the desolations of the Tribulation, the kingdom will be established and the Prince of peace will reign. Under His rule, all wars will cease worldwide and there will be peace on earth. Weapons for warfare will be scrapped and destroyed.
Under the figure of destroying ancient armament as employed in the writer’s day, the Lord will break the bow into two, the spear will be cut in two, and the war-chariot will be burned. And as Micah 4:3 states, “…nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”
And as result of all this, in verse 10, God Himself then speaks, and in the climactic statement of the Psalm says, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
The Psalm addresses the fearful in Israel during her time of trouble and the nations that rage. The statement by God is made to both. It’s made to His nation for comfort and to all other nations as a warning.
To the raging nations, God says, “Be still,” to stop their raging and chaos. He rebukes the warring and turbulent world, that they needed to cease their opposition, rebellion, and striving against Him and to just “be still.”
God further tells the nations to “know that I am God.” They needed to know and acknowledge His sovereignty over all the nations. It is foolish for mankind to fight against Omnipotence, or all power. They needed to surrender to Him, because they, the created ones, will not ever be successful in their opposition of Him, the Creator.
No matter how hard they strove against God, God said, “I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”
In other words, the nations can be full of rage against Him all they want, but nothing is ever going to stop His purposes: for God, through His Son, to be exalted and reign supreme among the nations, and be exalted and reign supreme over all the earth in the millennial kingdom. All the nations of the earth will bow before Him.
“Be still and know that I am God” was also comfort for Israel and the godly remnant during the Tribulation. They did not need to fret, panic, be anxious or fearful in their troubles. They could rest in God’s sovereignty and greatness.
They could be still and comforted in knowing God as their refuge and strength, and that God in His love is always “a very present help in trouble.”
They could be still, look to God, and rest, knowing that God is in control. They could find comfort in knowing that God is faithful and will fulfill everything He has promised.
And in the end, as God has purposed and said: “I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth” and His promised, glorious kingdom and their hope will happen.
And for us the people of God under grace, there is a principle. In our suffering or when we are carrying a heavy burden, we often need to just trust God’s words here to “Be still, and know that I am God.”
We need to slow down and be still. In our stillness and reflection, we need to remember and know that God is in control, that He is the God of all power, wisdom, goodness, mercy, and grace, and that He is working all things together for our good.
Knowing God and Who He is, our fears can be stilled, and our worries and anxieties can be calmed. And through Him and His strength, we can be calm in times of trouble.
The earth will always be filled with turmoil; as we advance toward the end of this age the times will become more perilous, and there will always be troubles in life, but in and through it all, we can be reassured by God’s words, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
And, like Israel, we also find comfort in the truth that “The Lord of hosts is with us.” God is always with us; and under grace, God actually indwells us through the Holy Spirit.
And like God was for Israel, so He is also “our refuge” and strength, a very present help in our times of trouble.
The Psalm ends with “Selah.” May we pause to reflect on these comforting truths from God’s Word and give God the praise.