Our Refuge and Strength (Psalm 46)

Jordan Bradley

General Sermons • Sermon • Submitted 9 months ago • Presented 9 months ago

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Introduction

PRAY WITH ME PLEASE.

If you have your copy of the Scriptures with you, please turn with me to Psalm 46

Psalm 46 (CSB)

For the choir director. A song of the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth.

God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble. Therefore we will not be afraid, though the earth trembles and the mountains topple into the depths of the seas, though its water roars and foams and the mountains quake with its turmoil.

Selah

There is a river— its streams delight the city of God, the holy dwelling place of the Most High. God is within her; she will not be toppled. God will help her when the morning dawns. Nations rage, kingdoms topple; the earth melts when he lifts his voice. The Lord of Armies is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Selah

Come, see the works of the Lord, who brings devastation on the earth. He makes wars cease throughout the earth. He shatters bows and cuts spears to pieces; he sets wagons ablaze. “Stop fighting, and know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.” The Lord of Armies is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Selah

It many different ways, each of us are going through trials. In fact, we would be here all day if I were to try and name them all, but suffice it to say our Church Body is hurting.

Unlike what the Prosperity Gospel preachers will tell you, the Christian life is full of suffering.

The Bible speaks a lot about this. Consider these passages:

Job’s friend Eliphaz says this in Job 5:7 “But humans are born for trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.”

The Psalms are replete with references to suffering

Psalm 13:1-2 “How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long will I store up anxious concerns within me, agony in my mind every day? How long will my enemy dominate me?”

Psalm 42:3 “My tears have been my food day and night, while all day long people say to me, “Where is your God?””

Psalm 102:9 “I eat ashes like bread and mingle my drinks with tears”

Psalm 119:71 “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I could learn your statutes.”

Psalm 119:153 “Consider my affliction and rescue me, for I have not forgotten your instruction.”

Jesus even says in John 16:33 “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.””

1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation, test, or trial has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted, tested, or tried beyond what you are able, but with the temptation, test, or trial he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.”

James 1:2-3 “Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.”

Peter gives this encouragement in 1 Peter 3:17-18 “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,”

Hurt and pain from trials stir up many different questions in our hearts. The question we seek to answer today is where do we find our strength, stability, and hope in the midst of the suffering.

You see, it can be easy to allow our circumstances to overwhelm us, like blinders on a race horse, that focus all of our attention on the circumstance of what is causing all of our pain. It becomes all that we can see.

Or, our “self-preservation” instincts can tempt us to shut everyone out and just push it down and pretend that it just isn’t happening. We think that we can bear it all on our own.

In the passage before us today, the psalmist frames the big-ness of our God in light of our present troubles, and calls us to respond accordingly.

We will see this in three different movements:

God is our refuge and strength in times of trouble.

God is our refuge and strength in times of national and political upheaval.

How do we hold on to this truth practically?

This psalmist helps us by giving us practical advice in applying his hymn.

God is our refuge and strength in times of trouble (vv. 1-3).

God is present.

Often, in our darkest moments, we are often tempted to “feel” alone in that dark. Here, tersely, or abruptly, we are told that God is our refuge!

This is what makes Christianity different than any other religion. God isn’t merely far off somewhere. He is with us.

Immanuel-God With Us.

Matthew 28:20 “teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

John 14:23-25 “Jesus answered, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. The one who doesn’t love me will not keep my words. The word that you hear is not mine but is from the Father who sent me. “I have spoken these things to you while I remain with you.”

We have a God who does not leave us, but One who comes to us in our difficulty and struggle.

He pursues us:

John 6:44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Even as a loving Father, Hebrews 12:5-7 “And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: My son, do not take the Lord’s discipline lightly or lose heart when you are reproved by him, for the Lord disciplines the one he loves and punishes every son he receives. Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline?”

It is only when God is our refuge and strength that we are able to stand firm and unafraid in the difficult times, because we know that God is with us in those trials.

We get the general word for “troubles” here, indicating all types of troubles.

Whether its persecution, health, marriage, friendships.

We are not left alone.

God is powerful over nature.

To make the point, the Psalmist brings in one of the most terrifying instances of troubles to mind: Earthquakes and subsequent tsunamis.

We understand that the land of Israel is quite the seismic area with many different mountains and dormant volcanoes.

Also being on a fault line.

The Jewish People have an ancient history with earthquakes and water.

Crossing the Red Sea.

You’ve been to Manitou.

The Israelites crossed over on dry ground. They didn’t even get muddy.

Mount Sinai.

The mountain shook and was covered in lightening and smoke. Have you ever watched a video of a volcano with an ash cloud? Lightening in the smoke.

Exodus 19:16-18 “On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and a very loud blast from a trumpet, so that all the people in the camp shuddered. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke because the Lord came down on it in fire. Its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently.”

Consider it for a moment. Mountains seem like one of the most secure and stable things in nature.

here, they are flattened, and they come crashing down into the sea, causing a massive wave.

Those who find refuge in the Lord, remain unmoved.

Why? Because not only is God with us, present in our suffering, but He is almighty, powerful over them, just like He is unchanged/unaffected by it, He provides shelter and refuge from them to all who come to Him in faith.

You see, the psalmist is considering these powerful forces of nature as emblematic of the turmoil troubles that we face in this life.

God is our refuge and strength in times of national and political upheaval (vv. 4-7).

As we look at this next section, I want to focus first on verses 6 & 7, and then consider the River that delights.

How often, as of late, has our world been shaken by political “winds of change”? Haven’t we been experiencing the greatest political upheaval in our lifetime?

For Example:

The avocation for “after birth abortion” is legal in some states now. Just a few years ago that was still considered murder.

Trusting the media to not be a psy-op is near on impossible, to the point that they coined a word “misinformation” because they don’t want to call it “lying” because they are guilty of it too.

These are just emblematic of the myriad of stresses and struggles we’re facing in U.S. body politic.

Hawaiian Wildfires.

British Columbian Wildfires.

These may be “natural disasters” (so-called), but they are being taken advantage of by the governments.

The ongoing Ukrainian War.

The African War in Niger. “World War Africa”.

The Balkans are on edge again after 20 some years of a tense peace.

If we are honest, it is easy to spend so much time considering the political situation of the world, that we become consumed with it, which leads to fear, because we recognize that we don’t have the power to change it.

Fox News, CNN, Daily Wire, or whatever News Source you use, The Onion for that matter, provide the allusion control, but all we have is a vote once every two to four years. And now even its legitimacy is being called into question.

What does verse 6 say?

The Political Situation or the Worldly upheaval that we are facing today is not out of God’s control.

Daniel 2:20-21 “and declared: May the name of God be praised forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to him. He changes the times and seasons; he removes kings and establishes kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.”

Isaiah 10. God used Assyria for His purposes.

Habakkuk 1. God used Babylon for His purposes.

Even Pharaoh and Egypt. Exodus 9:16 “However, I have let you live for this purpose: to show you my power and to make my name known on the whole earth.”

In the midst of the trouble that is going on in the world around us, we can be joyous and confident. In fact, Christians should be the least moved to panic and fear. Yes, even if Christianity is made illegal.

Look at verses 4-5 again.

This River has been seen to be nebulous by some, that it is simply just a reference to the river in Psalm 1.

There may have been a historical context to this, when Sennacherib, king of Assyria, was going to come against Judah.

The Pool of Siloam, near the Temple Mount, traditionally, is said to have been seen trickling out from the Temple, which encouraged the Israelites that God was still with them.

the next morning, 180,000 Assyrian soldiers were dead.

This is the pool that people in the NT are seen trying to get it every time it bubbles.

They believe they recently found this pool in an archaeological dig.

But this River is a river that has its place in Scripture from beginning to end.

Genesis 2:10.

Zechariah 14:8.

Revelation 21:6 “Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life.”

Revelation 22:1-3 “Then he showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the city’s main street. The tree of life was on each side of the river, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, and there will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will worship him.”

Revelation 22:17 “Both the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let anyone who hears, say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life freely.”

Each of these places speak of a river that signifies the presence and blessing of our God.

It is quite Eschatological, meaning it speaks of the End of time,

Both at the millennial kingdom.

and in eternity, when we are dwelling in face to face in the presence of God.

when we experience the fullness of our salvation, when all tears, sorrow, and suffering are wiped away.

We experience the joy of this salvation reality, now!

John 4:14 “But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again. In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up in him for eternal life.””

We can rest assured that God is with us.

John 16:33 “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.””

Ephesians 2:19-22 “So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.”

Philippians 3:20-21 “Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of his glorious body, by the power that enables him to subject everything to himself.”

We can take joy in this reality as well.

The word for “delight” is the word used for when a calf is released out of the stall after the long winter.

How do we hold on to this truth practically? (vv. 8-11)

All this sounds great, but we may still find ourselves struggling with the fact that as soon as we leave this place today we are back in the thick of the suffering. We can’t escape the struggle, so how on earth are these truths going to help?

The Psalmist gives us to practical ways that we can use to take our minds off of our circumstances, and live with strength, stability, and hope.

Behold. (vv. 8, 9).

Remember the kind providence of God throughout the ages. Look at how God has been faithful in the past, and rest assured that He doesn’t change. Or as Martin Luther put it, “From age to age the same.”

Remember the kind providence of God in your own life. Take the time to remember:

Romans 8:28-30 “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.”

Philippians 1:6 “I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

God has not abandoned you. He is continuing to work in you, for your good and His glory!

Be still and know.

These two go hand in hand.

If you take be still on its own, all you have is near eastern transcendental meditation.

If you take “know” on its own, all you have is knowledge for a checklist’s sake, or for a boy scout badge.

This is the knowledge of God that is to be applied practically in our everyday lives.

“Be still” has been translated “cease striving” or “stop fighting”.

It may point to the nations that are fighting, but it seems more directed towards the reader who is beholding.

It has this idea of taking a step back from all of the striving in our own strength and all of the doing to make sure that it is all going to be okay, and taking breath.

It doesn’t end there.

we must “know that He is God”.

He is the one who is in charge.

Isaiah 45:7 “I form light and create darkness, I make success and create disaster; I am the Lord, who does all these things.”

This word for “know” is for intimate knowledge. Get to know your Lord!

Rather than dwelling on all of our hurt and pain, rather than knowing all the “ins and outs” of every political talking point, rather than spending all of our free time dwelling on our circumstances, take the time to get to know your Lord!

When we take our minds off of Christ, and become consumed with our circumstances, panic, fear, and anger come bubbling to the surface.

We now can view our circumstances with hope and confidence in the Lord, knowing that He is in control!

Psalm 46:11 CSB

The Lord of Armies is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah

Now, please stand we me, and let’s sing with all confidence Hymn #151, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.