Have you read Psalm 46? My small “Bible lesson” is meaningless compared to the Word of God. After I copied the Psalm by hand I felt like something was missing, so I went and read the Psalm aloud and recorded it to share. But still something was missing. So I went back to look at my handwritten copy and compared it to the Bible text I was copying and sure enough I had left a word out. Did you catch it? “Interlude” at the end of verse 3. Missing the interlude has been a problem of mine for most of my life, since I can remember and I remember at one point in my life as a leader, around the year 2000, I purposed in my heart to change the habit of missing the interlude. This Psalm has three. Three moments to stop, pause, rest, consider and reflect on all that God has said and done. You too will miss the interludes if you don’t take time to read the Psalm and then pause before reading my words or any other devotional material.
I am a full time volunteer in a Christian bookstore. We sell lots of devotional books. Please don’t substitute this for the word of God. In fact, I know some of us are willing to listen to sermons, podcasts, read books, and listen to music all meant to build you up in your faith. And that is wonderful. But it is never a substitute for God’s Word and a good interlude as you read it and after you read it. Heart, I’m going to once again practise what I preach and go back again to celebrate the truth of who God is as it is revealed in Psalm 46.
God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. Ps 46v.1
28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.” Matthew 11
I know these are not direct parallel thoughts. I know this isn’t a quote or reference to the refuge that God is. I’m sure I am missing or not remembering a better link. But this is what comes to my mind when I read Psalm 46.
Matthew 11 tells us John the baptist, Jesus’ cousin, is in jail and of the unrepentant cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida, where Matthew tells us Jesus had done most of His miracles. And this chaotic world that rejects John and Jesus looks a lot like Psalm 46. They are either reaping the chaos of unbelief or the judgement due its rebellion. And in that context Jesus offers Himself as a refuge.
MAIN POINT: God is the only protection from the judgement of sin. Jesus is that judge and Jesus is that refuge.
I have a picture in my mind. A child is being very naughty, harming his siblings and it has come to the attention of mom. She is very very cross. As she storms into the room, the other children in the family are acutely aware of the impending wrath that is about to be unleashed as the war of the wills clashes in an epic confrontation. So the other children run and hide behind mom so as not to get swept up in the torrent of conflict and punishment. Those children wise enough to cling to mom and hide behind her apron have found a fortress.
The nations are in chaos, and their kingdoms crumble! God’s voice thunders, and the earth melts! The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. Ps 46vv6-7
In the parental protection picture I put forth, mom is both judge and fortress. Psalm 46 offers a choice. Be crushed, crumble and melt at the voice of the very present God or run and find refuge in the very present God. There are no innocent bystanders.
If you can grasp this picture then you might be able to understand Psalm 46:8 better.
Come, see the glorious works of the Lord: See how he brings destruction upon the world.
How can that be good news? How can judgement be a place of rest? It is because of what God’s presence does. His destruction is the end of war. He is destroying the chaos, He is putting an end to the reign of terror that your “little brother” in his naughtiness is unleashing on the world.
He causes wars to end throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and snaps the spear; he burns the shields with fire. Ps 46v.9
Once again I have this image of mom rushing in and saying, “Alright, enough of this!”, she grabs the little stick your little brother is using to torment you and while you hide behind her, she swoops down upon the offending oppressor, snatches the stick from his hand and deftly breaks it in two and tosses it it on the wood pile as kindling while grabbing the little rotter by the ear. The beginning of peace and protection has come.
This whole scene in Psalm 46 looks a lot like what I see of Jesus in Revelation 15:3-4:
And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,
“Great and amazing are your deeds,
O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations![a]
4 Who will not fear, O Lord,
and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
Conclusion: Are you tired of all the chaos and rebellion of your heart warring in a weary world cruising for a bruising? Then drop your weapons and run and hide behind Jesus the righteous Judge so that you are safe from His wrath, for He is among us.
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| Handwritten Psalm 46 |
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