Psalm 46

I’m trying something new in my quiet times. I am writing down my thinking as I read the passage from the Bible. I use a double-entry format, like a steno pad, with the line down the middle. (I can't get the two-columned effect here.) I put the verse I’m commenting on to the left, and my thinking is recorded on the right. I am realizing that I think so much more clearly when I process my thoughts through my fingers.

Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.

A refuge, a safe place.
We need a refuge because of the trouble we have caused ourselves, by our sin. He is our refuge from the trouble we have caused ourselves. Ever present, He will never leave us nor forsake us. The thing about a refuge is that it doesn’t come to us. We must choose to go to the refuge.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though the waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah.

That sounds scary! In today’s world we hear of planes crashing into buildings, tsunamis, war, hurricanes, bird flu, terrorism. It is a terrifying world, but we can have the peace of a little child in her daddy’s strong arms. On this side we see surging waves crashing against rocks, splashing and foaming vehemently, but we can walk through the waves, through the quaking mountains, to abundant, eternal life and peace forevermore. On the other side we will be free from trouble. Our relationship with the Almighty will be perfectly restored. We will experience eternal light, eternal life.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall. God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall, he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

It seems to me that the psalmist is picturing us walking through the surging, foaming, splashing water to a bright and gloriously peaceful river and the city surrounding that river. I picture a light and quiet place with colors more vibrant than any we have ever experienced here in the shadowlands. The joy of it all, though, is that this is the City of God, and in that city we will see His face, look into His eyes. We can, because the effects of sin, the trouble, will be over, erased by His sacrifice. It will be so beautiful, complete and joyous that we will forget all the troubles that we clung to on this side.

The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

On this side we still have the blessed promise of His presence. He is our safe place. He fights for us. He will win.

Why does it refer to Him as the God of Jacob? Jacob was a deceitful, cunning son of Isaac, brother to Esau, favorite of Rebekah. He fled from home because of his brother’s rage, after he tricked his brother out of the family blessing. He slept in the desert on a rock and dreamed of a ladder reaching to heaven. He married, had 13 children, and from the line of his son, Judah, the Messiah was born. God reached out to a deceitful man and transformed him to make him the father of the One who came to restore abundant life to us.
The God of Jacob gives undeserved, but abundant, blessing. The God of Jacob initiates a restored relationship with each of us. The God of Jacob seeks reconciliation. The God of Jacob seeks us and is our place of protection. We are abundantly blessed.

Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of all the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.

This image troubled my peacekeeping heart until I realized that this side must be destroyed to rid us of the trouble wrought by sin in the world. I love this world, but not the trouble, not the sin, not the wars. This passage puts me in the fortress, the safe place, looking out. Outside we are surrounded by bows, swords and shields, the enemy. But, at the right time, the army of the enemy will totally disintegrate, like the army of Sauron when the ring was plunged into the lake of Mordor. Then, all will be made new.

Be still and know that I am God’; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

Stop fighting. Stop clinging to trouble. Stop fretting. Stop and know God. He is our refuge and strength, our Fortress. In him we will be restored. All nations, all the earth will someday exalt Him. In Him we are in a good place.

The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Thinking about it I realize that we have nothing to fear with such a Savior and God. I didn’t notice the “selah” until the end. The psalmist tells us to stop and think about it. Stop and think about the troubles on earth. Stop and think about God’s perfect provision. Stop and think about how He reaches out to us as He did to Jacob. I think we have every reason to stop and give thanks.