6 this evening. This will be the last Bible study for the summer. Last year we took July and August off. We're going to do that this time around as well.
The book of Exodus in chapter 1, you have the enemy of God's people. Chapter 2, you have the deliverer of God's people. And then chapter 3 is the God of the Deliverer. So when we come back in September, we'll look at chapter 2, the Deliverer of God's people.
But tonight, Psalm 46. I'll read the psalm and then we'll look at it in some detail. To the chief musician, a psalm of the sons of Korah, a song for Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, the very present help in trouble.
Therefore, we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah. There is a river whose stream shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her.
She shall not be moved. God shall help her just at the break of dawn. The nations 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. Come behold the works of the Lord who has made desolations in the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two. He burns the chariot in the fire. Be still and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
Introduction
Now, in terms of a historical application of this particular psalm, it is general enough to be useful to the people of God at all times. Commenting on this, John Gill says, it seems rather to be a prophecy of the church in gospel times, and is applicable to any time of confusion and distress the nations of the world may be in, through any kind of calamity, when those that trust in the Lord have no reason in the least to be afraid." That's a good reminder. There is chaos going on in the world today, but certainly as the people of God, we have no reason in the least To be afraid, in Psalm 46, is one of the pieces of rationale behind that. Edwards makes a similar observation.
This psalm seems to be a song of the church in a time of great revolutions and desolations in the world. Therefore, the church glories in God as her refuge, and strength and present help, even in times of the greatest troubles and overturnings. And then Matthew Henry in his commentary says concerning Luther, it is said of Luther that when he heard any discouraging news, he would say, let us sing the 46th Psalm. I suspect that Luther would be singing the 46th Psalm quite a bit in our own generation.
Outline of Psalm 46
So I want to look at this under four heads. First, the assurance of God's presence. You see that in verses 1, 7, and 11. Secondly, the demonstration of God's power in verses 2 to 6.
Thirdly, an invitation to consider God's works in verses 8 and 9. And then finally, that command to rest in God's sovereignty in verse 10.
Assurance of God's Presence
But notice the assurance of God's presence. Again, verses 1, 7, and 11. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Verse 7, the Lord of hosts is with us.
The God of Jacob is our refuge, Selah. And then the psalm ends on that high note as well. The Lord of hosts is with us. the God of Jacob is our refuge, Selah. Now these are the songs of Zion.
Together with Psalms 47 and 48, they are songs of triumph and are called the songs of Zion. And as we look at this particular psalm, it is very important, and the psalmist reminds us to consider God. In the midst of chaos, in the midst of turmoil, in the midst of affliction, the people of God must not fall prey to forgetting God, but rather to remembering God and to understanding that He is always present with His people. So, in terms of this particular psalm, along with many others in this altar as a whole, there is this emphasis on knowing our God.
So, I would call this the importance of theology proper. Theology, as a broad word, simply means the study of God. When we say theology proper, we mean specifically the doctrine of God. And there's no more encouraging thing on the face of this earth than to study God, to know who God is in terms of His triunity, in terms of not only His being, but in terms of His works, both His extra works, the things that He does relative to His creation.
So the believer is to boast ultimately in the God that he knows, not in armies, abilities, or riches. Notice in verse 1, God is our refuge and strength, not armies, Not horses, not battlements, not military savvy, but it's God who is our refuge and our strength. And this statement indicates that He is an impenetrable refuge and He possesses omnipotent strength. So He is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
And then notice as well that the Lord is well-proved. That statement, a very present help in trouble. The margin has an abundantly available help, but literally it means to be well-proved, tried and proven. And it's a blessed statement there at the end of verse 1, a very present help in trouble.
The Bible never lies to us. It never tells us that everything is always going to be hunky-dory. You're going to live a perfect life. Everybody's going to be pleasant.
There's going to be no wars. There's going to be no rumors of wars. There's going to be no chaos. There's going to be no abortion.
There's going to be no euthanasia. There's going to be none of that. The Bible doesn't tell us that. The Bible highlights the reality that there is trouble. but it punctuates that reality with the knowledge that God is with His people.
David says this in Psalm 23. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. He doesn't say, I can't believe there's a valley of the shadow of death in my path. And the psalmist here doesn't say, I can't believe that there's actually trouble.
There's always going to be trouble in the Christian life, but we have this present God. we have the God of Jacob, we have the One that is, in fact, well-proved. As Gil says, whether inward or outward, of soul or body, the Lord helps His people under it to bear it, and He helps them out of it in the most proper and seasonable time. They are poor, helpless creatures in themselves, nor can any other help them but the Lord. who made heaven and earth, and he helps presently, speedily, and effectually. Remember, he does this for his glory, he does this for the ultimate good of his people.
Now, it may seem at times that it's not speedily, but at the same time, we need to understand that God has everything under absolute control, and though there are troubles for the Christian, we have this present God in our lives. And then he highlights the reality that this God is a very present help in trouble, but then in verses 7 and 11, notice what he says, the Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge. The Lord of hosts underscores God as divine warrior. David oftentimes extols God in that sort of a mindset.
This is the reality. It's God who fights for His people, ultimately. When you trace this theme out in Scripture, especially in the nation of Israel, when they were successful on the field of battle, it was ultimately because Yahweh gave them victory. When they were defeated, it was oftentimes the case, or most of the times the case, that it was because of their sin and God brought that chastening upon them.
But He is, in fact, the divine warrior for His people. Spurgeon says this is the reason for all Zion's security and for the overthrow of her foes. The Lord rules the angels, the stars, the elements, and all the hosts of heaven, and the heaven of heavens are under His sway." Again, a very encouraging concept or theme to consider. The Lord of hosts is with us, so the divine warrior, but he goes on in the latter half of verses 7-11 to call Him the God of Jacob is our refuge.
That underscores the fact that He is our covenant God. He is the covenant Lord. Now,
Covenant Theology as Ground of Comfort
in our church, we like covenant theology. We understand that covenant theology is sort of the architecture of the Bible. It's sort of the skeletal framework upon which redemptive history is ultimately written. But we would be foolish to conclude from that that it's only a theoretical enterprise.
It's only something for the theologians in the seminary. No, covenant is the basis of our comfort. Covenant is the basis of our safety. Covenant is the basis of our security.
And the psalmist underscores that. The God of Jacob is our refuge, Selah. The blessing of covenant theology is not its superiority over other constructions. Though it is, it is certainly correct in light of dispensationalism.
It is certainly correct in light of new covenant theology. But it's not simply something that we best our theological opponents with. It is the ground of our comfort in a covenant-keeping God. The Lord Most High is, in fact, the God of Jacob, and as a result, He is our refuge.
So the assurance of God's presence is absolutely crucial when we go through times of tumult, when there are afflictions, when there are hardships, when there are trials. We ought to, with Luther, whenever there's any discouraging news, we ought to say, let us sing the 46th Psalm. Let us reflect upon the reality that He is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, that the Lord of hosts is with us, and the God of Jacob is our refuge.
Demonstration of God's Power
Now notice in the second place, verses 2 to 6, the demonstration of God's power. Note first the implication drawn out in 2A. therefore we will not fear." It's a beautiful thing, isn't it? Again, our theology isn't just simply to promote head knowledge or cognition, but it's supposed to stabilize our souls and speak security to our hearts. Because God is our refuge and strength, because God is a very present help in trouble, verse 2a, therefore we will not fear.
That is constantly a constant refrain from God to His people throughout the Old Testament and as well when we see it in the New Testament. Remember when Paul is in need of encouragement in Acts chapter 18, our Lord Jesus appears to him by way of vision and He tells Paul not to fear. Now, we ought to assume that at least the propensity was in Paul to fear, or else Jesus wouldn't have issued him that particular encouragement. So it is the case that even a man of the caliber of the Apostle Paul needs to be reminded not to fear, because the enemies of God are ultimately going to be defeated by God.
But this is a most excellent implication and one that we ought to hold on to. Therefore, we will not fear. And then he highlights this contrast in verses 2, 3, and 6.
Chaos in the Natural Order
Notice the chaos on earth in verse 2. Therefore, we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling, say law." Those are the disturbance within the natural order. And even in the midst of that, we're not supposed to fear.
We're not supposed to be stricken by or paralyzed. Take the present crisis in terms of the pandemic. Should we be cautious? Yes.
Should we be alert? Yes. Should we sneeze on each other? Absolutely not.
But should we fear and be paralyzed and struck down so that we are unable to even move or engage in our normal business? Not according to the psalmist. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, therefore we will not fear. even though the earth be removed, even though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling, say law." So the disturbance of the natural order is never an excuse for the people of God to lose it. It is never an excuse for the people of God to be struck with fear or paralyzed by fear.
But as well, the rage of the nations. Notice what he says in verse 6. The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved, he uttered his voice, the earth melted. John Calvin says it is an easy matter to manifest the appearance of great confidence, so long as we are not placed in imminent danger.
But if, in the midst of a general clash of the whole world, our minds continue undisturbed and free of trouble, this is an evident proof that we attribute to the power of God the honor which belongs to Him." So you see what he says there. Having confidence and no fear with reference to God is pretty easy when everything is going well. But when there is chaos in the natural order, or when there is chaos among the nations of the earth and the sorts of things that are spoken of here in verse 6, the nations raged, the kingdoms were moved, he uttered his voice, the earth melted, all of that nevertheless should encourage the people of God. to continue to look at their God who is their refuge and strength, that God of Jacob, that Lord of hosts, that divine warrior. He doesn't stop being those things for us in the midst of natural disturbance.
He doesn't stop being that for us in the midst of the rage of the nations. God is not thrown off of His throne, and in fact, what the psalmist does here is he sets up this contrast. Notice the chaos in the natural order in verses 2 and 3, and then in verse 6 you have the rage of the nations, but couched in between that, in verses 4 and 5, notice it says, "...there is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved.
God shall help her just at the break of dawn." In other words, there is a contrast drawn out by the psalmist to indicate that whatever may obtain on this earth does not rattle God. It does not shake God, it does not de-God God, and it certainly does not dethrone God relative to the various things that are going on on the face of the earth. And you see that Scripture does this in various places. Notice in Psalm 48, verses 1-3, "...great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, in His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, and the sides of the north, the city of the great King.
God is in her palaces, He is known as her refuge." You have that statement in the prophet Isaiah 41.10, Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you.
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. So while the nations are raging and while there is disturbance in the created order, that doesn't shake God. It doesn't frustrate God. It doesn't stop God.
The kingdom of Jesus Christ marches onward. Christ promised that he would build his church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And we as his people need to embrace that and walk by faith.
Revelation's Parallel Contrast
Turn to the book of Revelation where you see this contrast on vivid display in the first few chapters. The first few chapters of Revelation indicate this contrast as well, like we have there in Psalm 46. So verses 2 and 3 indicate disorder among the created order. Verse 6 tells us that there's rage in the nations.
But 4 and 5 tells us that God sits amidst the calm dignity of His throne room, and there He is unshaken. And because of that reality, we the people of God shouldn't fear. They cannot cast God down. If you're familiar with the book of Revelation, chapters 2 and 3 are the letters to the churches in Asia Minor.
These were historical churches. These aren't periods in church history. They were specific churches in Asia Minor in the first century, and Jesus wanted to communicate specific lessons to these churches. Well, one of the things that you soon see, as you read through chapters 2 and 3, is that the people of God did not have a cakewalk in that first century situation.
There were martyrs, there was persecution, there was great antipathy against the people of God, there was great animosity. I mean, we're seeing some of this in the book of Acts. Just think about the Apostle Paul. Who in their right mind would ever want to persecute that man?
Who in their right mind would ever want to do any harm or any malady to that brother? But men in sin aren't in their right mind, so they see him as a threat. But we see that early church marked by the kinds of chaos and the kinds of disorder that are commonplace throughout the history of the church. So you've got chapters 2 and 3, chaos on earth.
You know where chapters 4 and 5 go? It goes to heaven. It shows us God's perspective. It shows us the throne room.
The emphasis in chapter 4 is on God as Creator, and in Revelation chapter 5, God as Redeemer. You have the same sort of contrast in chapters 6 and 7. You have the seals open, and then in chapter 7, you've got this vision of a great multitude standing before the throne room of God. And then another contrast in chapters 13 and 14.
Chapter 13 is one of those notoriously scary chapters in the Bible. It shouldn't be scary whatsoever because the beast is under the command and control of God Almighty. You've got this beast from the sea, you've got this beast from the land. These are political powers, religious powers.
These are those employed against the people of God. So you get that chaos in chapter 13 and then notice how chapter 14 starts. So you see there is this contrast drawn out for the people of God. While it may be mayhem and bedlam on the face of the earth, that hasn't shaken God.
The reality of His absolute sovereignty should instill great confidence and hope and composure and stability among His people. Why? Because He's our refuge, because He's our help, because He's a very present help in our times of trouble. It is a most glorious thing.
One man, Vern Poitras, in his brief commentary on the book of Revelation, says when God's people are beset by temptation or persecution, a revelation of God's character and glory is the best remedy. I'm not altogether convinced we believe that, I mean not you specifically, but we generically within the context of the church. We see the sorts of tumult that we witness and we need some sort of therapy, but it's typically not theology proper. We need some sort of a boost, but it's typically not.
God is spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. You see, men in calamity, in Scripture, went to God. Poitras goes on to say, His power guarantees the final victory. His justice guarantees vindication of the right.
And His goodness and magnificence guarantee blessing and comfort. The blood of the Lamb demonstrates that solid redemption has already been accomplished. Even in the midst of trials and persecution, God is still the ruler. He controls everything.
Again, the contrast that you see here in chapters 13 and 14, back in chapters 6 and 7, and then again in chapters 2 and 3, and then the contrast with chapters 4 and 5. John takes pains to point the people of God to where their hope is, to where their refuge is, and to where their encouragement is. One other place in the book of Revelation, turn to chapter 1 for just a moment. Revelation 1, verse 4, John to the seven churches which are in Asia.
Grace to you and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ. Notice the triune sort of greeting. This is the Father, the Spirit, and the Son that He is referring to. When He says, from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, that's a reference to the Father.
The seven spirits there doesn't mean there's seven Holy Spirits. Seven is the number of perfection or completeness. It's just highlighting the reality of the blessedness of the Holy Spirit. And then from Jesus Christ.
And now John describes Jesus Christ according to his threefold offices. He is prophet, priest, and king. Notice the faithful witness, that's the prophet, the firstborn from the dead, that's the priest, and the ruler over the kings of the earth, that's the king. But if you look at what John says there, he does not say, the one who's going to be the ruler over the kings of the earth, the one who in some future millennial kingdom will be the ruler over the kings of the earth.
That's not what John says. John tells us when he's on the island of Patmos for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus, while he is undergoing persecution, this is punishment, he's not on this island because it's got a good golf course, he's not on this island because it has good buffets, he's on this island because he's a Christian, he now encourages himself and the people to whom he writes with reference to this reality, that Jesus is the ruler over the kings of the earth. You're supposed to keep that in mind as you read the rest of the book of Revelation. So that when you get to chapter 13, and you see this beast from the land, and this beast from the sea, and you see all the world sort of following after them, you don't lose your mind.
You don't forget. You don't conclude that somehow Jesus is on a holiday, Jesus is somehow on vacation, Jesus is now incapacitated. No, right then, as John wrote, Jesus is the ruler over the kings of the earth. I have to tell you, I think that John was writing conspicuously to encourage and to comfort the people of God in the book of Revelation.
One other scheme or one other theme that he brings out, more often than anything, is the crown of Christ. In other words, he highlights the kingship of Jesus all throughout the book of Revelation. Why do you think he does that? Because they have unbelieving Jews trying to persecute them.
Not trying, but actually persecuting them. And now by the time John writes Revelation, the Roman Empire is in full swing in terms of their animosity or antipathy against the Christian Church. I think I said the other day that Nero initially was pretty well restrained. He had some good guys that kind of kept him in check.
But as time went on with Nero, and it was Nero that saw the Christians as not being a sort of subset of Judaism. It was Nero who blamed the Christians for the burning of the city of Rome. And so there was a lot of antipathy against the people of God in the book of Revelation. So it shouldn't surprise us that what John does is continually point us to the throne to consider the reality that Christ is the ruler over the kings of the earth.
So back to Psalm 46. What the psalmist is doing here in this song of triumph is not simply unique to him, but it is something that the biblical authors do frequently to encourage the people of God that He is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
God's Works Are Worthy to Behold
Now notice thirdly in verses 8 and 9. He tells us that God's works are worthy to behold. Verse 8, come. Behold the works of the Lord, who has made desolations in the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two. He burns the chariot in the fire. You see, we are to ponder not only who God is, but what God has done.
And the way that you and I ponder that is by being in the Scriptures, by reading our Bibles as private individuals, by reading our Bibles collectively as family units, and by reading the Bible in church and hearing sermons and all those sorts of things. In order to deal with the various things that affect the people of God on earth, again, theology proper, Who God is, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, from everlasting to everlasting. All that the Bible says concerning Him, with reference to His perfections, the being of God. But as well, His works add extra.
That means, with reference to the creation. It says, Come, behold the works of the Lord, who has made desolations in the earth. I mean, look at the movement of man throughout the entirety of Earth's history. There have always been these uprisings, there's always been these attempts to ultimately stop the people of God, or to stop the church of God.
I mean, we're reading the book of Exodus, or studying the book of Exodus. Pharaoh, with his genocidal rage, couldn't do it. Nero couldn't do it. Guess who sort of emerged after the city burned and after they were blamed on?
It was the Christians. We continue to march on because our Christ is King. He's enthroned at the right hand of the Father and we are to behold the works of the Lord who has made desolations in the earth. He makes war cease to the end of the earth.
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two. He burns the chariot in the fire." Again, read through the book of Joshua, which is a prophet. The former prophets include Joshua through 2 Kings. But read Joshua.
Joshua 10, for instance. When the Lord God Most High comes to deal with the enemies of Israel, He does it with great big hailstones. It's the Lord who fights. It's the Lord who routes.
It's the Lord who causes panic among the enemies of God Almighty. What does David say when he bests the giant in the Valley of Elah? He gives glory to God. He wants Not only Israel to know, but He wants the entirety of the earth to know that there is a God in Israel and He is able to put down blathering Philistine giants named Goliath.
Whenever we see God's people engaged in mighty exploits, we see God working in the midst of them and bringing those things to pass. And so the psalmist tells us, he invites us, to come behold the works of the Lord. Spurgeon says, "...the joyful citizens of Jerusalem are invited to go forth and view the remains of their enemies, that they may mark the prowess of Jehovah and the spoil which his right hand hath won for his people. It were well if we also carefully noted the providential dealings of our covenant God, and were quick to perceive his hand in the battles of his church.
Whenever we read history, it should be with this verse sounding in our ears. Again, very good counsel. When you read church history, for instance, or when you read history that's not even necessarily church history, God is over it all, and God works all these things out for His glory and for the good of His people. And before we leave this point, the psalmist invites us, come behold the works of the Lord.
May God give us the grace to have that mindset of the psalmist to invite others as well to marvel at the works of the Lord. Again, people, not just Christian people, but all kinds of people, are affected by pandemic, they're affected by civil unrest, they're affected by disease, they're affected by death, they're affected by the various sorrows that certainly punctuate life in this world. Let us be the sorts of people that say to them, come, behold the works of the Lord, who has made desolations in the earth. He makes war cease to the end of the earth.
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two. He burns the chariot in the fire. If the psalmist had that mindset, then it is good for us as the people of God to have that mindset as well. Paul tells us we should have that in the book of Philippians.
In Philippians 2. Philippians 2 at verse 12. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Verse 14, do all things without complaining and disputing. There's definitely a sermon there to be sure. But then notice what he goes on to say, that you may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you shine as lights in the world. holding fast or holding forth the Word of Life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain or labored in vain." So we're both to shine as lights in a crooked and perverse generation. And as we're able to hold forth that Word of Truth, and it may not be native, and it may be something that you struggle with, and I'm certainly not pigeonholing anyone, Okay, by the time we come back in the fall, you better have witnessed to five people, you should have told them, come behold the works of the Lord.
But I believe that this is something that God's people want, and if it's something that God's people want, they should pray to God to give them the boldness, to give them the opportunity, to give them the wherewithal and ability to be able to speak truth into the lives of people. that are messed up and need help from on high.
Command to Rest in God's Sovereignty
And then the final thing we see in this psalm is the command to rest in God's sovereignty in verse 10. Imagine that. This is what our God commands us. Be still and know that I'm God.
I've got this. God is in control, but it's not simply addressed to the people of God. It is for their comfort, but it's also addressed to the enemies of God for their warning. J.
A. Alexander interprets it this way alone. He says, these words are addressed to the discomfited foes of Jehovah and his people. Cease from your vain attacks upon my people.
Learn from what you have already seen and felt, that their protector is divine, and that he is resolved to be acknowledged as supreme, not only by his chosen people, but by all the nations and throughout the earth. So yes, it is a command to the people of God to rest in the sovereignty of their God, but it's also a command to the nations of the earth to be still and know that God is God, and that if he is able to maintain calm dignity in the midst of the chaos that affects this earth, and he's able to make wars cease, he's able to shut down the various machinations of man, then the enemies of God should fear considering this God. And when we know this, and when we understand this, it puts into perspective Paul's statement in Romans chapter 8. When he says, if God is for us, who can be against us?
In the final analysis, whatever this world may throw at us, our God is bigger, our God is better, our God is stronger, and our God preserves his people and is committed unto that. In fact, in Philippians chapter 1, Paul says, I know and am convinced that he who began this good work in you will complete it unto the day of Christ. Romans 8, what does he say? He gives us a litany of anything that could possibly hurt or damage our relationship with God, and he says there's nothing that shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Famine, sword, peril, suffering, none of that stuff is a match for our living and true God. So the psalmist commands the enemies to be still and know that the God of Israel is in fact God, and He will bring judgment to bear upon them. But with reference to the believer, notice what he says, Be still and know that I am God. With reference to the be still, doesn't just simply mean a cessation of physical activity.
It's rather a description of our submission to God, submitting to His authority, bowing before Him, resolving to receive His counsel and His government, and living according to what He has written in the Word of God. With reference to this command to be still, John Gill says, not that they should be like sticks and stones, stupid, indolent, or unconcerned at the commotions that were in the earth, and be unaffected with the judgments of God, and be wholly silent and inactive. but that they should not be fearful, nor fretful and impatient, or restless and tumultuous, but be quiet and easy, resign to the will of God, and live in an assured expectation of the appearance of divine providence in their layout. In other words, trust God that He's got this under control. If He was able to control Israel from its inception until the coming of the Messiah, that is a most glorious accomplishment.
Because Israel, as a body politic, as a religious community, tried everything in their power to run from their God. It's not their fidelity, it wasn't their righteousness, it wasn't their goodness that brought the promises of God to fruition in the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was rather God's preservation, God's protection over those people, and God's keeping everything together. while they went in through this world, or through this world, in the midst of great calamity. So we are to be still and then notice, we need to recognize His majesty, or again, another invitation to understand who God is.
Be still and know that I am God. The practicality of theology proper in good times is summarized by Peter in 2 Peter 3.18. But grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The knowledge of God or a good understanding of theology proper in bad times is shown us here in Psalm 46.
It's shown us in the Upper Room Discourse when Jesus says, in this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I've overcome the world. So it is not the case that only in the good times we need to be studying who God is, and then in the bad times we kind of forget all about that. No, it's that understanding of who God is that stabilizes the weary soul, the afflicted soul, and the soul that is witnessing the chaos in the world around. Gilligan says, and know, own and acknowledge that He is God, a sovereign being that does whatsoever He pleases.
See, that's something very crucial as well. When you study Old Testament specifically, certainly New Testament, you see it also. God could have stopped the various sorts of onslaughts against the covenant people. God certainly has the sovereign prerogative to stop the suffering with reference to Nigeria, or in Pakistan, or in India.
God hasn't been stripped of His sovereignty. But remember that God has a morally sufficient reason for the evil that exists. It will ultimately redound to His glory and it will ultimately issue forth in the good of those who love Him, those who are the called according to His purpose. If the devil ever whispers in your heart or in your ear, well, God must not have the power if He's allowing all these sorts of things to happen.
We need to fortify our hearts with Scripture, and to be still and know that God is God, that He has this under control, that everything that occurs, occurs according to plan, and again, the end game is His glory and the good of His church. So back to Gil, know, own and acknowledge that He is God, a sovereign being that does whatsoever He pleases. that He is unchangeable in His nature, purposes, promises, and covenant, that He is omnipotent, able to help them and deliver them at the last extremity, that He is omniscient, knows their persons, cases, and troubles, and how and where to hide them till the storm is over. that He is the all-wise God, and does all things after the counsel of His own will, and makes all things work together for good to them, and that He is faithful to His word and promise, and will not suffer them to be overpressed and bored down with troubles. Great statement, and certainly from a man that knew his theology proper. John Gill was a great Baptist theologian, but he was a great theologian in the classical Christian tradition because he understood who God is.
He understood what our confession said concerning God, says concerning God. He's without body, without parts, without passions. that God is pure spirit. All those things are absolutely vital for the people of God to stabilize, to secure, and to encourage our hearts to deal with the various things that life throws our way. And intriguingly, these two things go hand in hand.
Be still and know that I am God. The knowledge of God brings stillness in the soul, doesn't it? The knowledge of God brings stillness in the soul. When we have that stillness of soul, guess what's a good subject for us to consider?
The knowledge of God. And then in terms of the very blessedness of the command, be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. We are not commanded to be restless and fearful, We are commanded to submit to the sovereign rule of our glorious God. We are commanded to know Him who is altogether lovely and chief among ten thousand.
This is our refuge in times of challenge. God is our refuge, God is our strength, a very present help in trouble, and we need to be still and know Him. As well, we need to understand that He has a purpose and plan that includes His glory and our eternal welfare. Again, we may suffer on this earth, we may have great affliction and great turmoil and great trial, but as that man of God Moses says in the 90th Psalm, we're only here for maybe 70 or 80 years, and after that, we fly away.
The people of God fly away into the very presence of God wherein dwells righteousness, where there are no abortion clinics, where there is no civil unrest, where there is not the sorts of things that we see as commonplace in this world. So God has all things under control. He is bringing his people ultimately to vindication, and we as his people need to walk by faith in these things. And that is the crucial aspect of faith.
Remember, in fact, let's just turn there, Romans 4, I think we could all stand a dose of Abrahamic faith.
Abrahamic Faith as Model
In Romans 4, verse 16, I know we're jumping into the midst of an argument, but we're going to just pull out a couple of things here. Verse 16, Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. As it is written, I have made you a father of many nations, in the presence of him whom he believed, God, who gives life to the dead, and calls those things which do not exist as though they did. who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, so shall your descendants be." Does that ever ring true with any of us who, contrary to hope, I mean, Psalm 46, in the picture envisaged there, in terms of the calm dignity of the throne room, we can't see that. We don't see the streams that are sort of flowing through Zion and around the very throne of God.
We walk by faith in that reality. We don't see it visibly, but we see it with the eye of faith. And at times, there is this contrary-to-faith-ness that we actually do see in the world around us. And I'm not even talking about the world and the civil unrest.
There's compromise in the church. There's a de-emphasis upon gospel preaching. There is more of an emphasis on Marxism, even within the professing church, brethren. That is a big problem, and that ought to cause us great alarm.
But with reference to this contrary to hope state that he found himself in, nevertheless, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, so shall your descendants be. And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body already dead, since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God." I mean, this is divine commentary on the person of Abraham. Brethren, you know we studied the person of Abraham.
Was he perfect? Did he struggle? Were there issues? Absolutely.
But what is divine commentary in the hand of Paul with reference to this Abraham? He walked by faith. He was a man of God. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God and being fully convinced that what he had promised, he was also able to perform.
And therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness. You know, as well as I do in Genesis chapter 15, God makes that promise to him again, that he's going to have land and he's going to have seed. And Abraham specifically says, Lord, give me a sign. And yet, when all is said and done, the overarching theme of Abraham's life is one of faith.
You see this with reference to certain kings in Judah as well, the good kings in Judah. They weren't perfect kings, but at the end of their lives, there was summary statements that they did what Yahweh had commanded. In other words, they understood who their God was, and they lived in light of who that God is. And that's the instruction of the psalmist in Psalm 46.
Application and Conclusion
So, in conclusion, there is, first, the presence of trouble in the life of the believer. The believer is not immune from that. Remember that story in Matthew 8, when Christ is in the boat with the disciples. What happens?
They almost drowned to death. Christ is in the boat, and yet, there is a storm on the sea, and there is, according to historians, and according to those who know, great big waves obtained on the Sea of Galilee, such that seasoned fishermen, men that made their living on this lake, or on this sea, rather, they were actually terrified. So just because Christ is in your boat, doesn't mean you're not going to have any storms. But the reality is that Christ is in the boat with them and Christ sees them to safety.
So there is trouble in the lives of God's people. So that if you and I are given the privilege by God to tell sinners to come and behold the works of our God, don't lie to them, don't tell them. Once you come to Jesus, you'll be rich and famous and you'll be much better looking and everything will go well for you. Don't lie to people, don't tell them things that are simply False, don't be a health, wealth, and prosperity so-called gospel peddler.
The reality is Jesus tells us that in this world you will have tribulation. But the blessed remainder of the verse says, but be of good cheer for I've overcome the world. I think in many ways that statement summarizes the entirety of the book of Revelation that John would go on to write. Secondly, the knowledge of God in the life of the believer.
In Psalm 46, we're told to pursue this for our comfort. Not our earthly comfort, you know, laying on the couch and having a fan and a nice cup of tea. No, that's not the comfort, soul comfort. Soul stability.
The ability to navigate in this world, walking by faith, not by sight, not ever concluding or ever thinking that somehow the enemies of God are going to win. I've got news for the enemies of God. They're going to lose. They'll always lose.
The Lord Most High is the victor. And that is precisely the vision that we get at the end of the book of Revelation. So he commands us to know him for our comfort, for our benefit, and for our strength. And then thirdly, in terms of the comfort we possess as believers, we sang, the soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose, I will not, I will not, desert to his foes.
That soul, though all hell, should endeavor to shake, I'll never, no never, no never forsake. I'll never, no never, no never forsake. Please sing that at my funeral if I die before you. That song is most glorious in terms of God's faithfulness.
How firm a foundation. There's another one we sing. Though troubles assail us and dangers affright, though friends should all fail us and foes all unite, yet one thing secures us, whatever be tied. The promise assures us the Lord will provide.
And then as well, the comfort we possess as believers is found throughout scripture. Consider Deuteronomy 1, 29-31. Then I said to you, do not be terrified or afraid of them. The Lord your God who goes before you, He will fight for you.
Remember, the plains of Moab is where Deuteronomy takes place. It's a series of exhortations given by Moses prior to their entrance into the promised land. So Moses rehearses their history. Moses reaffirms their covenant responsibility under God.
The book ends with a statement concerning blessings and curses and all that sort of thing. But with reference to exhortation and sort of the historical prologue to the book in Deuteronomy 1, Moses says, "...the Lord your God who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness, where you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place." Now, that's not how Israel viewed the wilderness. They did not, for a moment, see it as a good thing when Yahweh was carrying them. They whined and they grumbled and they complained for just about the entirety of the wilderness wanderings.
In fact, we have the second generation in the book of Deuteronomy. Why? Because the first generation whined so much and grumbled so much that God cut them off, and so the second generation goes in. But the prevailing view in terms of the wilderness was not God carrying Israel the way that a man carries his son.
Even though they didn't see it that way, that doesn't change reality. That is precisely what had happened when God took care of His people there. And then finally, with reference to the end of verse 10, Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations.
I will be exalted in the earth. I think at times Christians get paralyzed or at least a bit of fear concerning Islam. Well, it's the most rapidly growing religion out there. We get scared about communism and we get scared.
Not that we shouldn't be alert, not that we shouldn't be mindful, but again, Christ wins. He builds His church. The gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Turn to the book of Revelation.
There's a great multitude that no man can number from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. Look at the missionary promise embedded in this passage. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.
C.H. Spurgeon said, I will be exalted among the heathen. They forget God. They worship idols, but Jehovah will yet be honored by them.
Reader, the prospects of missions are bright, bright as the promises of God. Let no man's faith fail him. The solemn declarations of this verse must be fulfilled. I will be exalted in the earth among all people, whatever may have been their wickedness or their degradation.
Either by terror or love God will subdue all hearts to himself. The whole round earth shall yet reflect the light of his majesty. All the more because of the sin and obstinance and pride of man shall God be glorified when grace reigns unto eternal life into all the corners of the earth. That is a most blessed and an encouraging statement, so that when we read these letters from Voice of the Martyrs, on the one hand, it is discouraging to hear what's happening to little kids, or to young people, or to families connected to the Lord Jesus Christ, but on the other hand, we need to trust the promises of God.
The gospel is going forth, Jesus is building His church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Well, let us close in a word of prayer.
Closing Prayer
Our Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you for this psalm, and I pray it would be sung often by us in the midst of this world, that we would continually reflect upon the truth of who you are and your works, what you have done. God, I pray that we would walk by faith, not by sight. And even when there's those contrary to faith sort of circumstances that we face, like the barrenness of Abraham and Sarah, May we nevertheless, in hope, believe and walk by faith in the Son of God who loved us and who gave himself for us.
I pray for this church, that you would encourage our hearts, that you would strengthen each and every one. I pray that you would bless and provide that environment again where everybody can come together. I pray for the elderly people in our congregation, for those who are perhaps more vulnerable to this illness. I just commit them to you and to the word of your grace and pray that you would watch over each one and encourage their hearts.
And we ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.