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I just want to read Psalm 46, 
verses 1 to 11, and then we'll make four observations on the 
passage this morning. To the chief musician, a psalm 
of the sons of Korah, a song for Alamoth, God is our refuge 
and strength, 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 rage. 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. Well, let us pray. Father, 
thank you for this psalm. Thank you for the comfort it 
affords us. We pray that now the Spirit would 
guide us and help us as we study this passage of Scripture. We 
pray that it would have a good impact, a good effect upon our 
lives. And we pray, Father, this morning for Derek and Allison. 
We just commit them to you and to the word of your grace. We 
pray that they would be looking unto Christ. the author and finisher 
of faith. We also pray for that new church 
plant in the Antelope Valley. We pray that those saints would 
know the presence of God as they gather for worship. We pray for 
all of your churches, that you would fill them with your spirit, 
and that God would be glorified and magnified, and that the work 
of Christ would be celebrated and would be proclaimed. And 
we ask these things in Jesus' holy name. Amen. Well, I hope 
that Psalm 46 is a familiar psalm to you. I hope that you have 
read it. I hope that you have committed its theology to your 
heart. I believe it's one of those passages of scripture that 
affords the people of God with great encouragement and with 
great strength. As we just 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. That is comforting for the people 
of God. Matthew Henry says of Martin 
Luther that when he heard any discouraging news, he would say, 
let us sing the 46th Psalm. I think that's a good way for 
us to approach life. When any discouraging news comes, 
we ought to sing the forty six song. So I said, we're going 
to look at this under four broad categories or four sections. The first is a statement to comfort 
us, a statement to comfort us. Secondly, a contrast to instruct 
us. Thirdly, an invitation addressed 
to us. And fourthly, and finally, a 
command to be obeyed by us. So, we have a statement, a contrast, 
an invitation, and a command in this particular psalm. Again, 
all designed, all calculated to bring great comfort and encouragement 
to the people of God. To those who, by grace alone, 
have looked to Christ alone, in faith alone, for the salvation 
of their lives, of their soul, of their body. It is designed 
to promote in us a steady confidence in the rock-solid God of heaven 
and earth. Let's look at this statement 
to comfort us. It is stated three times, verse 
one, God is our refuge and strength. Verse seven, the Lord of hosts 
is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. Verse eleven, the Lord of hosts 
is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. This song, along with songs, 
forty seven and forty eight are songs of triumph. and are therefore 
called the songs of Zion. We are to boast in God alone 
and look to him alone. The psalmist does not say our 
armies are our confidence. Our military prowess, our strategy, 
is our confidence. No, it is the God of heaven and 
earth that is our refuge and our strength. It is the Lord 
of hosts. It is the God of Jacob. We are 
to boast in him and in him alone. He is an impenetrable refuge. In other words, when we are in 
him, We are safe and secure. There is no one who can pluck 
us out of the hand of the triune God, according to Jesus in John 
10. I mean, have you ever stopped 
to consider that? When you hold your child's hand 
as you're crossing the street, nobody's going to come along 
and take that child from your hand. You've got a firm grip 
on him or her. You want to make sure that he 
or she follows you across the street so they don't get hit 
by a car. If somebody came along and tried 
to wrench them out of your hand, You would tighten that grip, 
and you might even begin to become a bit obnoxious to the person 
who was the aggressor. That's the imagery that Jesus 
uses. When you are in the hand of my Father, there is none who 
can pluck you out of the hand of God. He is our refuge and 
our strength. Realize that He is omnipotent 
strength as well. He is not bound. He is not governed 
by others. He is not one who reports to 
the counsel of men, but He is sovereign God. He is the one, 
according to the soldier. who is in the heavens and does 
whatever he pleases. This is a statement to comfort 
the people of God. Notice as well that he is well-proved. Spurgeon has said, or Spurgeon 
wrote, pray as people who have tried and proven their God. Pray as people who have tried 
and proven their God. When God answers your request, 
what should it do? Paralyze you from further prayer? 
No, hopefully you say, I'm coming back. I'm going to keep asking. 
I'm going to keep seeking. I'm going to keep talking, because 
the Lord has shown himself faithful. The Lord has shown himself kind. 
And this is precisely what the psalmist says in verse one. God 
is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. He is well-proved. The trouble here could be both 
inward and outward. John Gill comments this way. 
He says, whether inward or outward trouble 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 Keep that in mind. This wasn't 
theory in the mind of the psalmist. This wasn't just out there in 
the mind of the psalmist. I suspect you all believe this. I suspect that doctrinally you're 
all on board, but it must be practical. It must be held to. It must be that encouragement 
when trials do come because they most certainly will as we investigate 
further in this particular song. The Christian life isn't one 
of the absence of trial. It isn't the absence of difficulty. It isn't the absence of hardship. It is rather the presence of 
those things, but a sovereign, omnipotent, impenetrable God 
holding us up in the midst of it. This is what the psalmist 
says in Psalm 23. Yea, though I walk through the 
valley of the shadow of death. Notice he says that. He doesn't 
say there's no valley of the shadow of death in the life of 
the Christian. Health, wealth, and prosperity, that's all we 
ever get. You live in the nicest houses, you drive the nicest 
cars, you have the best vacation property. You know, the psalmist 
said, yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Notice the faith of the psalmist. 
He knows he's going through it. He's not going to bog down. He's 
not going to be stopped. He's not going to be devastated. 
The valley isn't going to crumble upon it. He knows of a truth 
that he is going to walk through that valley of the shadow of 
death. How does he know that thou art with me? My rod and 
my staff, they comfort me. He doesn't just snap his fingers 
and out you go from the valley. He's with you in the midst of 
the fire. He's there with you in the midst of trial. I know 
I've shared this before. It bears sharing again. The martyr 
Thomas Hawkes was going to be burned on the stake for his commitment 
to the Lord Jesus Christ. His brethren, his friends realized 
that they too were facing certain extermination for their faith 
commitment in the Lord. So while Thomas is in a prison 
cell, they come to him and they say, Thomas, when you're in the 
flames, give us a sign how long you can bear up. Good request, 
isn't it? You knew you were going to be 
burned to death. I think there's a bit of curiosity that all of 
us would have in that sort of an instance or that sort of a 
scenario. Thomas, let us know when you're in the midst of the 
fire, how long you can bear up under that. Thomas says, OK, 
sure, yeah, I'll agree. I'm sure he didn't say it just 
like that, putting it into the 21st century here. So Thomas 
goes to the stake. They tie him to the stake. They 
put the fire on around him. He's not making any noise, no 
statements, no proclamation. There is no evidence given to 
his friends who are watching how long he can take this particular 
punishment, this particular torture. John Fox says that the skin started 
to melt. As it would do if you were in 
the fire, the skin begins to melt on his body. His face begins 
to get distorted. Things aren't where they're supposed 
to be due to the flames. The biographer goes on to say 
that in the midst of the fiery trial toward the end of this 
ordeal, Thomas raises up his stumps and slaps them together 
three times and is able to say Christ is Lord of the fire. That's 
the grace of God. See, don't celebrate Thomas Hawks 
in that account. Yes, good brother, but to thank 
the Lord for such men. It's God who is a present help 
and strength in times of trial. The God of Thomas Hawks is our 
God in the midst of the fires, in the midst of the trials. When 
you sing hymn number 80, I hope your hearts are leaping out of 
your chest cavity. I know never ever will ever forsake 
you. How many more times could God 
say it? This is what the psalmist is 
rejoicing in. This wasn't a wish. It wasn't 
a theory. It wasn't. I have heard this 
to be the case. God is our refuge and strength of very present 
help and trouble. He is with us. He is present 
in trouble. Twice we read the Lord of Hosts 
is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. 
He is described as the divine warrior. The Divine Warrior, 
do you realize that sovereign power is on your side? Do you 
realize that the Divine Warrior fights on your behalf? Spurgeon 
said it this way, this is the reason for all Zion security. Zion is the church, brethren. 
Do not think this is confined to the Jews in the 46th Psalm. Zion in the New Covenant is the 
church, the bride of Jesus Christ the Lord. So, when you read Zion 
in the Psalter, you read Zion in the promises of God in the 
Old Testament, those promises are yea and amen in our blessed 
Lord Jesus and by virtue of our union with Him, they are promises 
to us. We are the Zion of God Most High. He is the divine warrior. 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. This is why Paul, when 
he is highlighting the position of Jesus Christ in Ephesians 
1, 20 to 23, he says, whom God has highly exalted and seated 
at his right hand. and has given him that position 
over all principalities and powers and dominions and thrones. And 
he has given him the name which is above every name, both in 
this age and in the age to come. See, it's easy for the Christian 
to realize this for the age to come. It's easy for the Christian 
to see Christ ruling in glory. We fail to see him ruling now. We fail with the eyes of faith 
to lay hold of the fact that Jesus currently is King of Kings 
and Lord of Lords. And he is the divine warrior 
whose task is to protect his people, to defend his people, 
to rule over his people. This is that threefold office 
of Christ. He is prophet, priest and king. 
The Shorter Catechism asks, why do we need a prophet? And it 
answers. It asks, why do we need a priest? And it answers. It 
asks, why do we need a king? And it answers. We need one to 
subdue our enemies. We need one to rule over us. 
We need one to defend us. We need one to protect us and 
to govern us and to watch out for us. And that one is being 
celebrated here in the 46th Psalm. This secured the presence of 
God fighting for his people, secured victory for Joshua, David 
over Goliath. I mean, remember that spectacle 
with David and Goliath. What does David do? He takes 
off the armor. These aren't tried and proven. 
My God has tried and proven. All I need is my sling and five 
smooth stones from that brook. And that enemy of the Lord of 
hosts will drop dead. God is with David. God is with 
the people of God. God is the Lord in whom we trust. This is the source of blessing 
and protection. According to Paul in Romans chapter 
eight, who shall separate us from the love of God, which is 
in Christ Jesus? Nothing is the answer, either 
height or depth. Principalities, powers, angels, 
nothing from here, nothing from there, nothing from there, nothing 
can separate us. Any other created thing shall 
separate us from the love of Christ or love of God, which 
is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. So, he's not only called the 
divine warrior, but the fact that he's referred to here as 
the God of Jacob. Hopefully, you're thinking biblically. 
His covenant, right? Covenant. Not only the divine 
warrior protecting his people, he is the covenant God watching 
out for his beloved. God of Jacob tells us, puts in 
the sharp focus what we're dealing with here. This is Israel's God. This is the covenant community's 
God. This is Zion's God. The nations of the earth have 
their idols. They have ears that can't hear. They have eyes that 
can't see. They have mouths that can't speak. They have hands 
that don't function. They have feet that don't carry 
them. But our God is in the heavens. He does whatever he pleases, 
and he has covenanted himself to the good of his people. This 
is a statement to comfort us. Be encouraged, brethren. You 
can look around and be discouraged, can't you? Oh no, not me, brother. Yes, you. You can be discouraged 
when you look at yourself. You can be discouraged when you 
look at Ottawa. You can be discouraged when you look at Washington, 
D.C. You may discourage when you look at the nations under 
the heavens. You can be discouraged when you see men engaged in all 
manner of wickedness and evil. You need to be encouraged because 
our God is a God of refuge and strength. He is a very present 
help in trouble. Never forget that. Do not just 
suppose for a moment that he's out there. He isn't concerned. 
He isn't going to help us. And then on that final day, that's 
when he intervenes on behalf of his people. That's not the 
case. Christ is with his people. Christ is in the midst of the 
fire. Christ walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death. 
Be encouraged. Be comforted. Be strengthened. Make the psalmist chant your 
own. God is our refuge and our strength 
of very present health and trouble. So there is that statement. But 
notice the contrast to instruct us. He wants us to understand 
something here. Notice in verse two, it begins 
with. Therefore, there's an implication drawn. Based on the reality that 
we have the divine warrior and the covenant God, what does he 
say in verse 2? Therefore, we will not fear. 
Right? We will not fear. We're not going 
to be paralyzed by the, to use a good Puritan word, the machinations 
of men. We're not going to be paralyzed when we look at what 
appears to be foolishness in Ottawa and in D.C. We're not 
going to fear to the point where we're paralyzed and we're retreating 
and we're not going to engage the culture with the gospel of 
Jesus Christ. He says, based on this truth, 
God is our refuge and a strength of very present health and trouble. 
Therefore, we will not fear. It's not going to happen. We're 
not going to be paralyzed. You're not going to keep us down. 
The man throws us in prison camps, we'll preach the gospel in the 
prison camps. The reality of God engenders 
faith, not fear. The foolishness of men under 
the sway of a sovereign God should engender faith, not fear. We should be those advancing, 
not retreating. Notice the chaos on Earth. The 
psalmist doesn't say, therefore, we will not fear because we live 
in a utopia where there's no problems. God snaps his fingers 
and ushers us right up into the presence of the Lord. No, look 
at what he says. Verse two, therefore, we will 
not fear even though the earth be removed and though the mountains 
be carried into the midst of the sea. If you looked out your 
window one morning and saw Mount Sham, being dragged by unforeseen 
or unseen forces and drop right into the ocean. Fear is not the 
response. Well, fear of God is the response, 
but not a paralysis, not a bunker mentality. This is what he says. Therefore, 
we will not fear even though the earth be removed. and though 
the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea." Verse 
3, "...though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains 
shake with its swelling." Sounds like tsunamis and floods and 
earthquakes. Not calling for a careless, cavalier 
attitude. Oh, well, you know, that's great, 
our house just got destroyed and we lost children. That's 
not what the psalmist envisages here. But what he is saying is 
that in the midst of tsunamis, in the midst of flooding, in 
the midst of earthquakes, this does not remove or does not speak 
of God's removal from His throne. Our God is in the heavens, He 
does whatever He pleases. And as a result, we will not 
fear. Notice in verse 6, the nations 
raged, the kingdoms were moved. He uttered His voice, the earth 
melted. It's not just the natural forces 
of tsunamis and floods and earthquakes, but it's the godlessness of man. It is the folly and madness of 
man. Are you paralyzed by that? He reduced to a crying mass of 
weakness. Now again, crying is good. Rivers 
of water run down from my eyes because men do not keep their 
law, the psalmist says. But what he is showing us here 
is a steady and sturdy confidence in our steady and sturdy God. 
He is our rock. Calvin says it is an easy matter 
to manifest the appearance of great confidence so long as we 
are not in a place of imminent danger. Let's read that again. It speaks to us in the West. 
It is an easy matter to manifest the appearance of great confidence 
so long as we are not in a place of imminent danger. In other 
words, when you're sitting in that first class coach, I don't 
know if anybody does, but if you're sitting in that first 
class coach reading your Bible, it's easy to manifest confidence. Calvin goes on to say, but when 
you're sitting in coach and the plane starts to make a nose dive, that's where the rubber meets 
the road. 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 when you're plummeting to 
the earth, you're still reading your Bible, you're still confident 
in the God of heaven and earth, Calvin says that's a good proof. Notice the contrast that we find 
here. The psalmist is not a health, 
wealth, and prosperity teacher. There's never problems in this 
world for God's people. Zion's never affected with difficulties. Tsunamis and floods and tornadoes 
and hurricanes and earthquakes never affect Zion. Nations never 
attack Zion. The godless just leave Zion alone. 
No, that's not what he's saying. He's saying in the midst of those 
perplexities, in the midst of those trials, in the midst of 
those difficulties, in the midst of that pressure, our God is 
a refuge. Our God is a place of safety. The God of Jacob, the Lord of 
hosts, is on our side. This is a theme that is carried 
throughout the Bible. Where though the folly of man 
is prevalent, it does not un-God God. Jesus says this in the upper 
room. These things I have spoken to 
you. These things I have spoken to you that you might have peace. 
The text doesn't stop there. We like that. We like the peace. 
We like the, you know, the first class coach. We like to be unmolested. We don't like tornadoes. We don't 
like, and unmolested I mean by circumstances. We don't like 
tornadoes and floods and earthquakes. We don't like the thought of 
poverty. We don't like the thought of famine. I'm not suggesting 
we should necessarily. But Jesus goes on to say, in 
John 16, 33, in this world, you will have tribulation. So if 
you're not a Christian here this morning, may I remind you, Jesus 
says, when you come to me, you get everlasting life. When you 
believe on the Lord Jesus, you have everlasting life. When you 
eat the bread of heaven, you will never hunger again. You 
are safe and secure. You are blessed. You are privileged. 
But if you're looking simply for an easy life in this world, 
the Master Himself has promised otherwise. He says, in this world 
you will have tribulation. That's the statement. That's 
what the psalmist highlights. That's what the psalmist is saying. 
When we see mountains go to the sea, when we see the nations 
of men in folly and madness, when we see these things perplexing 
us, it doesn't change the reality that our God is in the heavens, 
that our God is a present hope, that our God is a refuge, that 
our God is the covenant Lord. Jesus goes on to say, in this 
world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer. Isn't that what Psalm 46 is telling 
us? Be of good cheer. Why? Because 
I have overcome the world. It's interesting to me. Jesus says that John records 
it in the upper room discourse. And in many respects, John weaves 
that theme into the book of Revelation. What do you keep seeing in the 
book of Revelation? Madness, folly, wickedness, rebellion, 
and then the dignity of God's throne room. What happens in 
Revelation chapters 2 and 3? Letters to the churches. Overcome. Persevere. Fight onward. Be strong. Don't submit. Don't give in. 
There is travail to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3. There 
are challenges, there are difficulties, there are tribulations. Jesus 
says that Satan is going to test you. It's going to be persecution 
inflicted upon the churches. Revelation 2 and 3, Psalm 46, 
though mountains go into the sea, though the nations rage 
and madness ensues. Yet, what did we read in Revelation 
4? It's the throne room, isn't it? It's the divine response to what 
the church on earth faces. John is saying to the people 
of God in Revelation two and three. Don't stop at your tribulation. Look heavenward. Look into the 
throne room. And he depicts for us God, the 
creator and revelation for God, the Redeemer and Revelation five. That's where we go. That's why 
we can say God is our refuge and strength, a very present 
help in trouble. Byrne Poitras comments on this 
shift from Revelation 2 and 3 to chapters 4 and 5. He says, when 
God's people are beset by temptation or persecution, a revelation 
of God's character and glory is the best remedy. Please get 
that. I mentioned last Sunday night, 
sometimes we focus on doctrine and people think, oh, you just 
want all that doctrine because you don't want to put it into 
practice. If you don't have that doctrine, there's going to be 
no practice. There's no theology, there's going to be no godliness. Listen to what the man says. 
When God's people are beset by temptation or persecution, a 
revelation of God's character and glory is the best remedy. You see what he says? We want 
to have seminars on how to cope with your trials. I'm not saying 
those are all necessarily evil, brethren. They're wrong if we 
miss the best seminar. They're wrong if we bypass theology. They're wrong if we do not stop 
to gaze at the character and glory of God. What's the best 
help through grief? What's the best help through 
loss? What's the best help? But I agree 
with what Poitras says here. A revelation of God's character 
and glory is the best remedy. Next time trials come, or difficulties 
hinder, or problems affect you, study God. If you've got the 
Spirit of God and you're a genuine believer, that's going to boo 
your soul. When you get the God of Psalm 46 in your focus and 
in your sight, there's nothing you can't do. Nothing you can't 
go through. Again, it's going to be difficult. 
There's trial. He's not saying there isn't any 
problems. He's just saying this is the 
way through the problems. Be a theologian. 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. This isn't confined to chapters 
2 to 5. What do we find in Revelation 
chapter 6? Judgment. The land is under a 
curse. People are suffering. There is 
devastation. There is turmoil. And then in 
Revelation 7, what happens? God's people are sealed. God's 
people are carved out. God's people are protected. God's 
people are safe and secure in the midst of earthly trial. What 
happens in Revelation chapter 13? Probably the most popular 
chapter in the entirety of the book of Revelation. Why? Because 
the beast is there. People get intrigued about this 
beast, so they pick up the book of Revelation. Christians ought 
to be intrigued by the Lord Jesus, so they pick up the book of Revelation. 
But Revelation chapter 13, what do we find? We find a beast from 
the sea and a beast from the land, and they're beastly characters 
to be sure. Scary, vicious, conniving, wretched, 
ungodly personages. It says that the world follows 
them. If we just stopped in Revelation 
13, we could be very sad. We could be very depressed. We 
could have hearts filled with fear and paralysis and turmoil. But it doesn't stop there. What's 
the very first scene in Revelation 14? The Lamb is standing on Mount 
Zion. What's the point of the apostle? Though the beasts wreak havoc, 
though the beasts have their followers, though the beasts 
are ungodly personages, Don't forget, the Lamb stands on Mount 
Zion with his fair army, with the multitudes of his people. 
What's John's point? In this world you will have tribulation, 
but be of good cheer, for Christ has overcome the world. That 
contrast should instruct us that whatever our earthly foes are, 
whatever our difficulties are, whatever our temptations and 
tendencies are, whatever our problems are, God is bigger. God is greater. God is sovereign. God is glorious. And to use the 
language of Poitras again, the blood of the Lamb demonstrates 
that solid redemption has already been accomplished, even in the 
midst of trials and persecution. Still, the ruler. You see what 
the psalmist's point in Psalm 46 is. Lift up your heads, Zion. Lift up your hearts, Zion. God is our refuge. God is our strength. He is a 
very present help in times of trial and difficulty. Do you 
live that way? I don't want to lambast anybody. 
I don't want to beat anybody up this morning. I want to encourage 
you. Take to Psalm 46. Be like Luther. When he heard 
any discouraging news, he would say, let us sing the 46th Psalm. Let us promote this theology 
among Zion. Let us promote this confidence 
in our sovereign God among Zion. Let us promote this understanding 
of who he is and how he is related or how he is over rather our 
difficulties in our trials. So we've seen the statement of 
comfort, a contrast to instruct. Note thirdly, an invitation addressed 
to us. Verses eight and nine. Verses 
eight and nine, he says, Come behold the works of the Lord. 
You might be saying this morning, I want some of this comfort. 
I want some of this steadiness. I want some of this confidence. 
I want to be buoyed up. I want to weather the storms. 
I want to know what it is to be protected in these times of 
trial. What's the psalmist say? Come on, let's go. Let's behold 
his works. Get to the Bible. Get to preaching. Get to theology. Get to learning 
who God is and what he does. Read the life and ministry of 
our Lord Jesus. See him as the one who didn't 
have a place to lay his head. See him as the one who went about 
doing good. See him as the one who healed 
the sick, who raised the dead, who gave sight to the blind. 
Let's behold the works of the Lord. And then he goes on in 
verse eight to say, 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. 
You saw the headlines recently. There's a talk about withdrawing 
the troops from Iraq. Let me just tell you something. That ultimately isn't Barack 
Obama's decision. We could praise God that it isn't. 
It belongs to our Father. It belongs to our Lord. Come, behold the works of the 
Lord, the psalmist says. He's inviting you. He wants you 
to understand. He wants you to be schooled. 
He wants you to know theology. He wants you to get this in your 
heart. Because when you have this in 
your heart, you can weather the storms of life. That's what he 
is saying here. Again, 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. See, this wasn't just for Zion 
back then. It's for Zion right now. Come 
behold the works of the Lord. If I were to ask you this morning, 
what's the most quoted Old Testament passage in the New Testament? 
If you've been with us for any time, I hope you'd get it right. 
It isn't a quiz. It isn't a test. I'm going to 
tell you here. The most quoted or most alluded to an illusion 
means that it's not not an illusion, but an illusion. Means it may 
not be quoted verbatim, but it's certainly what it is. Think about 
the church in the early first century. Think about what they 
were facing. You think we've got it bad, right? Oh yeah, they're wicked. Let 
me just tell you, Nero was no paragon of virtue. Nero was the 
guy that would light Christians on fire so that they would be 
human torches for his garden parties. John Fox refers to Nero as a 
beast. Some of us suspect that's who 
John was writing about in the book of Revelation as well. Nero 
was no paragon of virtue. We had a problem today with sodomy, 
homosexuality, profligate, open, and I'm suggesting we should 
continue to pray, we should write our congressmen or our representatives, 
we can use those means to oppose that. You think this was foreign 
to the church in the first century? We've got a problem today with 
abortion, and most certainly we cry out to the Lord God Most 
High on behalf of those babies. I had a problem with abortion 
in the first century church too. They didn't go to clinics, pay 
three or four hundred dollars and have somebody with sterile 
instruments do the wickedness. They would just put the baby 
out with the trash heap. Neighborhood dogs would come 
and get them. You think, what text, what Old 
Testament passage did the early church keep near and dear to 
their hearts? The Lord said to my Lord, sit 
thou at my right hand till I make all your enemies, your footstool. It was the battle cry of the 
early church, or one of them. I shouldn't say it was the. But 
judging how many times it's quoted, judging how many times it's alluded 
to, it certainly was prevailing in the minds of the New Testament 
authors. Remember when those brethren 
went to Thessalonica. Why were they opposed? What was 
their crime? They're preaching another king, 
Jesus. You see, this was a polytheistic 
society. That means you could have a plurality 
of gods. You could have any god you wanted, 
except one sole, solitary Lord and Savior. You know, the early 
Christians were accused of atheism. Kind of an interesting turn of 
events, isn't it? What was the crime of the first century Christians? Atheoid. They denied the Pantheon. They denied this plurality. They 
denied all these gods in the name of Jesus Christ, Lord and 
Savior. Do you realize that every time 
you read in the New Testament that phrase, Lord and Savior, 
do you realize how that was used on the street in the Roman Empire? 
Do you realize that the emperor took for himself the title Kurios, 
Lord, and Soter, Savior? Do you realize there was an emperor 
cult? That people worshiped their Caesars? And yet, with that as the backdrop, 
with that as the context, the early church didn't just whine 
and snivel and lick their wounds. They preached Jesus. They preach 
the gospel, they preach them as prophet, they preach them 
as priest, and they preach them as king. They didn't let those 
difficulties and trials and calamities restrict them and paralyze them, 
but they understood that Christ was on his throne. Brethren, 
we can learn from the early church. People say, oh, we need to go 
back to the early church. Yeah, we do. And learn this lesson, 
that Jesus is prophet, priest, and king. and then come back 
to this century and preach the same thing. Fourthly and finally, 
a command to be obeyed by us. Now, go out and pull your bootstraps 
up. That's how we usually get the commands. We think commands 
just mean go, do this, or go, don't do that. What's the command 
in verse 10? Be still. and know that I am 
God. That's a good command, isn't 
it? The gods of the nations command you to offer up your children. 
The gods of the nations command you to give everything. The gods 
of the nations command you to do things that are undoable. You know what our God calls us 
to do in Psalm 46 is to be still and know that He is God. John 
Gill describes for us what this means, this be still. It means 
not that they should be like sticks and stones, stupid, indolent, 
and unconcerned at the commotions that were in the earth. That's 
not right. The people of God ought to be 
a feeling people. The people of God ought to be 
a weeping people. The people of God ought to be 
a mindful people. The people of God ought to be 
a prayerful people. This is what Gill is highlighting. 
He says, not that they should be like sticks and stones, stupid, 
indolent and unconcerned of 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 land. Be still and know 
that God is God. He has it under control. He has 
it under His sway. Have you ever read the Old Testament 
and been amazed at the reign of wicked kings? Manasseh reigned for 55 years. Praise the Lord for term limits. Right? Praise the Lord for federal 
elections. Imagine getting someone in there 
for 55 years. Again, we struggle with 55 minutes. Fifty-five days and we think 
we should get awards. Be still and know that I am God. Theology proper is necessary 
in chaos. Theology proper steadies the 
soul in turmoil. Theology proper gives confidence 
to the tried saint. Again, John Gill, he hits the 
nail right on the head. And 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. It's another thing when you read 
through the Revelation chapters two and three, what does Jesus 
keep saying to these churches? I know your trials. I know your difficulties. Do you ever feel all alone? No 
one knows what you're going through? Jesus Christ does. Jesus Christ 
is in the midst of the fire. See, Gil is setting forth theology 
proper, 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 bore down with their troubles. 
and know that God is God. That's the command today. Go 
home and be still. Someone's going to take a nap 
and say, Pastor Butler said I've got to be still. Be still and 
know that God is God. Yes, there's chaos in the earth. Yes, there's trial in the air. Yes, there's tribulation. Yes, 
there's difficulty. Yes, there's hardship. And not 
just out there, but in here as well. God says to be still and 
know that he is God. What a blessed command. What 
a great command. Be still and know that I am God. 
I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. 
Don't worry about it. Don't fret over it. Yes, pray. 
Yes, live. Yes, act. Yes, do. Yes, be involved. Yes, be salt. Yes, be light. 
Do all those things. But don't be fearful that the 
wicked are going to overtake God. It can't happen. I will be exalted among the nations. The Lord says, I will be exalted 
in the earth. Well, brethren, in summary and 
in conclusion, we learn first the necessity of the knowledge 
of God. If you haven't got that, please 
get it. Study your Bible. Next time something bad happens 
to you, search the scriptures concerning God. Study, as Gil 
points out, His omniscience, His immutability. That means 
He doesn't change. Study covenant theology and see 
the rock-solid, steady hand of God carrying out His plan from 
age to age. You study God, and that will 
see you through, or boo you up, or help you through your trials 
and your difficulties. Secondly, study and learn from 
this psalm the comfort that we possess. We sang this this morning. We sang, 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. See, the biblical authors are 
my go-to guys, men, first and foremost, for honesty. The psalmist 
doesn't hide that his soul is downcast. See, a lot of times, 
we as Christians, we want everybody to know that we're always good. 
The rest of us ain't buying it. You struggle. You have difficulty. You tried. You're perplexed. 
Right? Everything's great. Everything's 
great. Everything's great. Everything's great. Really? Everything's 
not always great for me. Sometimes you read some of the 
old books, and you just get, man, I'm not Ryle. I'm not Spurgeon. I'm going to go to the Psalms. 
I see the psalmist saying to himself, why are you downcast, 
O my soul? Hope thou in God. You get honesty from the scripture. 
You get honesty from the old hymn writers, too. This isn't 
a case for only hymns and everything contemporary is bad. There's 
not something penetrating and deep about Jesus is my boyfriend 
recited a thousand times. But when a hymn writer tells 
me, though troubles assail us and dangers of fright, though 
friends should all fail us and foes all unite. There's something 
in my soul that resonates with that, and I'm not suggesting 
all my friends here have failed me. You know, the best of men 
are men at best, right? The best of men are men at best. You will be let down. You will 
be let down by the people of God. Yet one thing secures us. Whatever betide, the promise 
assures us the Lord will provide. That's something you can take 
to the bank. That's something you can rest your soul on. That's 
something that will never fail you. I already repeated this. 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. Though all hell shall try to 
shake. God says, I'll never. No, never. No, never. No, never forsake. So that's just the writing of 
a hymn, a hymn writer. Where do you think he got that? 
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. Isaiah, the prophet, chapter 
41, verse 10. We studied something very interesting on Wednesday 
night, our Bible study of Deuteronomy 2. You would think the record 
of a people wandering through the wilderness wouldn't be that 
exciting. We see God, through Moses, lead the people first 
through Esau, the people of Edom. Then they go through Ammon and 
Moab, and then they mix it up with Sihon, king of Heshbon. But it's very intriguing, after 
the encounter with Edom, after the encounter with the people 
of Seir that lived there, God says this to the people. For 
the Lord, your God, has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows you're trudging through 
this great wilderness. Isn't that beautiful? He knows 
you're trudging through this great wilderness. These 40 years 
the Lord, your God, has been with you, you have lacked nothing. 
Now you read that and you go, that's amazing. That's beautiful. 
That's wonderful. And then when you step inside 
the context, it's even more amazing. It's even more beautiful and 
it's more wonderful. Why were they wandering in the 
wilderness for 40 years? Because of their faithlessness. Because of their sin. Because 
of their refusal to enter the promised land. because they listened 
to ten grumbling spies who turned them off of the idea of going 
into this land that's filled with big people and we could 
never, ever seek to occupy. Even in the midst of that, it 
says there, the Lord has blessed you, the Lord knows your trudgings 
through this wilderness, the Lord has been present with you 
even in the midst of your trials. That's God. That's whom Psalm 
46 is about. Thirdly, we learn something here 
with reference to the missionary enterprise. Notice the text, 
not only a command in verse 10, but a statement as well, a command 
and an indicative. An imperative, or what we're 
supposed to do, be still and know that I am God, and then 
a reason why He gives us this command. This ought to provide 
fuel for the missionary enterprise. This ought to provide fuel for 
why we pray for the heathen, why we pray for the nations, 
why we evangelize, why we witness, why we send out missionaries, 
why we pray for missionaries. Look at what the Lord says. I 
will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. Sounds just like Jesus in Matthew 
sixty, I will build my church in the gates of hell, shall not 
prevail against it, so just like Jesus in Matthew twenty eight 
and low. I am with you always, even to 
the end of the age again. Spurgeon comments. 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 obstinacy and pride of man, shall God be glorified when 
grace reigns unto eternal life in all corners of the world." 
That's a good perspective. Be still. Know that God is God. 
He will be exalted among the heathen. He will be exalted in 
the earth. Pray. Pray expectantly. Pray believingly. Pray earnestly. for the knowledge of God the 
Lord to spread through the earth as the waters cover the sea. And if you don't know this God 
today, I hope you're jealous. I hope you want this God. I hope 
you want this comfort. I hope you want to know that 
in the midst of trial, in the midst of chaos, in the midst 
of turmoil, in the midst of difficulty, there is one who is a refuge 
for you. There is one who is a very present 
help in time of trial. The access, the way by which 
we come into saving contact with this God is through his son, 
Jesus Christ. You believe on him, you look 
to him, you trust in him, and you will have everlasting life 
and comfort, comfort that we can't even begin to speak about. 
We've only touched the surface of what God affords to his people. 
Don't tarry, don't delay, don't stay away, but come. to Christ, 
believe his gospel, and you will be saved. Let us pray. Our Father, 
we thank you for your word. We thank you for this psalm and 
the comfort that it affords us, and I pray that all my brothers 
and sisters today would know what this psalmist is conveying, 
that all of us, God, would look beyond the trials and look beyond 
the difficulties and the challenges of our own lives Even look beyond 
the temptations and the sin that oftentimes so easily besets us. 
Grant us grace to look heavenward. Grant us grace to focus on our 
Lord Jesus Christ. Grant us grace to persevere, 
Lord God, and to feed our souls with theology like we find in 
the Psalms. Just pray now that you would 
watch over your people here, that you would encourage your 
We pray that you would save those, God, who have not come to Christ. 
Do that work which is impossible with us, and draw men, women, 
and boys and girls unto your dear Son. And we pray in Jesus' 
name, Amen.