A Journey Through The Psalms Wisdom From God A Journey Through The Psalms

Psalm 46– Our Deliverer God Based upon internal evidence psalm was most likely written shortly after the defeat of the army of Sennacherib. 701 B.C. Recorded in 2 Kings 19:35 and Isaiah 29- 31, 33, and 37. Angel of the Lord destroyed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night with Israel’s help at all. How do you praise God after that?

God Over All Disasters Our God is greater than, and even uses, natural disasters. However, this is metaphor for the power of God in times of war or unrest.

Psalm 46:1-3 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.”

God During Times Of Upheaval Upheaval of the earth is metaphor for times of political unrest or war. Such unrest also related to roaring, foaming waters as of a raging ocean. Mountains quaking/ earthquake/ volcanoes Such language speaks of great cosmic events.

Joel 2:30-31 “I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, blood, fire and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.” Revelation 12:3-4 – “Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great read dragon having seven heads and ten horns…and his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth.”

Global Retribution In Metaphor Zephaniah 1:2-3 – “I will completely remove all tings from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord. “I will remove man and beast; I will remove the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea, and the ruins along with the wicked; and I will cut off man from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.”

God Is Over All Our Enemies The God who shakes the mountains is our God. He is the God who blesses those who are in His favor and crushes those who are His enemies.

Psalm 46:4-7 “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.”

Tracing The River Imagery Either the calmly flowing blessing river of God or the raging destructive river of God depending on application. Here it corresponds to the river of God’s blessings. It “makes glad the city of God” – being Jerusalem

River Imagery Revelation 22:1-2 -- “Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”

Judgment River Isaiah 8:6-8 – “Inasmuch as these people have rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah and rejoice in Rezin and the son of Remaliah; Now therefore, behold, the Lord is about to bring on them the strong and abundant waters of the Euphrates, even the king of Assyria and all his glory; and it will rise up over all its channels and go over all its banks. Then it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass through….”

The Pool Of Siloam John 9:7 – (Of the blind man): “…and said to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which is translated Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing.” River, stream, pool, raging river – water imagery demonstrating God’s blessing and God’s judgment.

The Tabernacles Of God The streams make glad, “the holy dwelling places of the Most High”. Tabernacles – places where God symbolically dwelt. In this reference Jerusalem. “God will help her when morning dawns.” Direct reference to the time of the discovery of God’s destruction of Sennacherib’s army.

God Is Powerful Over All The Earth “He raised His voice, the earth melted…” Only God can melt the earth with His voice. “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.”

God Is Over All Havoc Come, behold the works of the Lord, Who has wrought desolations in the earth. He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth, He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire. “Cease striving 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 stronghold.”

God wreaks desolations God uses the armies of the world to bring about His plans for the earth. He also brings about peace when the time comes. “He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire.” God is greater than any enemy army.

Hush! Verse 10: “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth.”

God Our Stronghold Repeat in verse 11 from verse 7. We can find rest, contentment, help in God. What havoc is in your world right now? What turmoil? What distress? God is over it all!