Can You Be Still? (Psalm 46)
GIST: If God is our very present refuge and strength, we don’t have to be afraid even in the face of devastation. If He’s our life-giving source of joy, we can trust that—though attacks will come—He’s the overcomer! If He’s our God, we can calm down & praise.
Good morning and welcome to worship at the lake! We’re so excited that God has provided us this opportunity to come and worship together in Terre Du Lac, our backyard, and a place we feel burdened to share the gospel with.
Though we sometimes step away from our regular study for special services like this, I think the psalm we would be discussing today anyway is the perfect message to hear when worshiping in a field next to this beautiful lake. Let’s look at Psalm 46, then we’ll break it down together.
"1 To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. 5 God 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 8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, how He has brought desolations on the earth. 9 He 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!" 11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah"
This beautiful psalm is probably most famous for that tenth verse which tells us to be still and know He’s God. Before bringing us to that point, however, the psalmist tells us why we can trust God enough to be still. Typically, my gist statements are one sentence. However, in an attempt to reflect the reasoning of the psalmist, I’m going to break today’s into three. And, of course, these will be our points this morning, as well. If God is our very present refuge and strength, we don’t have to be afraid even in the face of devastation. If He’s our life-giving source of joy, we can trust that—though attacks will come—He’s the overcomer! If He’s our God, we can calm down & praise.
I. If God Is Our Very Present Refuge and Strength, We Don’t Have To Be Afraid Even In The Face of Devastation. (1-3)
With four kiddos, I’ve heard some variant of “Daddy, come with me” about a million times. And it’s never a casual request either because it comes from a place of need. When one of them asks me to come with them, or stay next to them, or hold their hand, it is because I make them feel… safe. Somehow, my scrawny presence and goofy personality are like an emotional shield. Scary stuff just isn’t as scary when I’m close. Why? Because despite my many flaws, they know I love them and will do anything I can to protect them.
Maybe you’ve had or still have people or places in your life that just make you feel more secure. Maybe not. Maybe the people and places around you do the opposite. Either way, you guys understand this desire. Inside each of us is a longing for belonging. We want to feel safe and accepted. Even the most headstrong and fiercely independent among us want rest, but you can’t rest in a warzone. We need to know we’re safe, and we can!
Again, this psalm is building toward reasons why we can be still, and this very first verse cuts straight to our hearts: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
He’s our refuge. The place where nothing can get to us. The place where we’re protected from flaming arrows, angry mobs, and social media posts. He’s where we belong, and He’s the strength we need to stand there. When my kids ask me to come with them, it’s because I make them feel stronger. They’re braver when I’m close by because they know I’ve got their backs. They feel this, and I’m just as broken as anyone else. Nonetheless, I pray they see this truth as they grow: they can boldly and courageously face life if they are walking with almighty Jesus! I pray you see this too. You might feel defeated. Maybe you’re very open about your deflation, or maybe you’ve been relying on your strength and charisma for a long time while desperately hoping nothing breaks through that facade. Guys, you don’t have to be strong enough. He is.
You know the most beautiful part of this verse to me though? It opens by not only telling us He can be our refuge and strength, but that He is a very present help in trouble. He isn’t just out there somewhere offering vague promises of protection. You’ve probably heard God referred to as omnipresent—being in all places at all times. Though this is completely true, I think sometimes it comes across a bit cold, almost as if God is just really big, so His substance is all around us. However, verses like this remind us He’s not just around. He’s very present. In a way more intimate than any reassuring hug I could ever give my children, God is here. And He is here for you specifically. His love isn’t poured out in general terms. Jesus came so you would know He loves you, individually, with a passion beyond comprehension. You want to feel safe, and He’s here offering amazing grace…even when everything seems to be falling apart.
Look at where the psalm goes next. “2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah” Because He is our very present refuge and strength, we don’t have to be afraid…even though there will be plenty of reasons to! The implication of this verse is that the earth will shake. Disasters will happen. You will feel broken. Salvation is not a promise of ease. However—and I know I say this a lot, but it really resonates with me—we can face hardship with hope because God, our refuge and strength, is our very present help in trouble!
II. If He Is Our Life-giving Source of Joy, We Can Trust That—Though Attacks Will Come—He’s The Overcomer! (4-9)
I know that’s a mouthful of a point ☺️, but there are several things happening in these next few verses. First, we see this→“4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.”
These verses, like the ones above them and the ones that follow, focus on God’s presence among His people. Here, the imagery starts with this picture of a river flowing in the middle of the city of God. Interestingly, if we were looking at the “city of God” as referring to Jerusalem, this wouldn’t be true. There wasn’t a physical river in Jerusalem, but both Ezekiel and Revelation talk about spiritual rivers that seem very reminiscent of this one. In every scenario, the river is→
Life-Giving. In this context, we can really get that picture because a river in the midst of a besieged city would provide security and literally keep people alive. If you couldn’t leave, but there was a constant supply of water, maybe even fish, you could last for a long time. This metaphor explodes, in a positive way, when we realize that what is in the middle of this city providing life is actually a who—it’s God who is in our midst. Rivers can be cut out or dried up. The life God provides never runs dry! If this is true, then not only is it a source of life, but it’s our ultimate→
Source of Joy. This river was making people happy! God’s presence should make a joyous difference in our lives! Does it? Guys, I know this is one of my soapboxes, but it’s because it convicts me as much as it does you. If I have Jesus actively working in my life, why do I let frustration and despair move into my heart so readily?
The psalm continues these thoughts in the next verses. “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 8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, how He has brought desolations on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the chariots with fire.” What’s going on here? At least two things. First→
Attacks Will Come. Again, the implication is that nations will rage and wars will come, but in all this→
He Overcomes. He is all-powerful and always victorious…even when we don’t immediately see His movement. We can trust His life-giving source of joy, even when we’re facing persecution and destruction.
III. If He’s Our God, We Can Calm Down & Praise.
Now, let’s look at the most famous portion of this psalm, and the source of the title of this message ☺️. “10 "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" 11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah"
So, what if the context of this phrase we see plastered on every other Hobby Lobby decoration?
If All This Is True… We Can Chill. If God is really our very present source of refuge and strength— if He’s our life-giving source of joy— our doubts, and complaints, and fear, and arguments should all fade away in His presence. If He is our God, we can lay all that down, we can take a deep breath, we can calm down→
And Praise. Redirect your heart from fear to faith, and from dread to exaltation! That’s what this psalm is telling us we can do!
Now, let’s recap in our→
TAKEAWAYS
If God is our very present refuge and strength, we don’t have to be afraid even in the face of devastation.
If He’s our life-giving source of joy, we can trust that—though attacks will come—He’s the overcomer!
If He’s our God, we can calm down & praise.
IF. This is all true if we belong to Him, if our hope is in Him, if we’re no longer trying to do this on our own, if we’ve given Him control. If not… there are no such promises. Please, come to Him today! “9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ... 13 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."” (Romans 10:9, 13)
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