God is our refuge and strength, a very presenthelp in trouble. 2Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah 4There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. 5God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. 6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah 8Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth. 9He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. 10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” 11The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
Psalm 46 is a famous psalm among Lutherans, and serves as the basis for Martin Luther’s famous hymn, “A Mighty Fortress.” This psalm also served as the basis for the most recent National Youth Gathering in Minneapolis, and gave the theme “Real. Present. God.” Psalm 46 is all about this.
In verse 1, David says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” When the problems of life pop up, God, the King and Ruler of the Universe,is our refuge and strength. More than that, He is a present help. God doesn’t sit on the sidelines cheering us on. God doesn’t sit on His throne, just watching how things unfold. Instead, He is with us in the struggle. He is with us in the times of trial and temptation. God is a present help in trouble.
David explains what that means in the next verse. “Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” David depicts a scene where it seems that the earth itself is falling apart at the very seams! Nevertheless, with all of this going on, with all of this out of our control, we don’t have to fear.
Why? “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” We have a God Who is real. We have a God Who is true, loving, caring, and forgiving, and Who is our fortress and strength.
We have a God Who is present. Our God is a present help in our times of trouble. We have a God Who is present in His Word and Sacraments, where He gives us Himself and His grace.
We have a God, and His name is Jesus. Your God has died for you and rose for you. He is coming again for you. He does all things for your good, and rules the world for the benefit of the Church. Our God cares and loves you.
We have a “Real. Present. God.”
Blessings,
Pastor Kooi
(Originally published in Emmaus Footprints, Vol. XXI, Number 1, August 2019)