[Biblemat] S) PSALM 46

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  Here is a study from my files.
Use to the glory of God.

PSALM 46

       My wife returned home after two months at the hospital tend-
ing to our son who was gravely ill following his birth.  He had en-
dured two major surgeries and a host of other medical problems
It had worked its fatigue and anguish on both of us.  She said, 
"The shunt is not working."  My heart sank and the pit of my 
stomach knotted.  "Now, what do we do?"  I wish I could tell you
a mesmerizing tale of resounding faith; of a stone slung to silen-
ce a giant who taunted the God of Israel.  All I can tell you is that 
I cried out to God for help -- in fear and doubt.

       Psalm 46 speaks to help us when our faith is sorely tested.
It exalts the power of God to protect us.  It gives us courage not
to fear.  It provides hope through the long night of trial that "God
will help when the morning dawns."  "The Lord of hosts is with
us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."

       The Psalm is laid out in three parts:  God's protection its cen-
tral theme -- over natural calamities (vss. 1-3), over national cala-
mities (vss. 4-7), over both natural and national powers (vss. 8-11).  The 
key word is "earth" (where natural powers and human
kingdoms exert their force) appearing in all three sections (vss.
2,6,8,9,10).  God's ability to protect over the powers of the earth
highlights each section.

       Some unnamed national calamity had elicited this Psalm.  The power 
arrayed against God's people was more than capab-
le of sweeping  them off the face of the earth.  Have you ever
been in an earthquake?  I don't know the first thing about fear-
ing a 9.0 quake on the Richter scale but I've witnessed images
of unbelievable devastation when "the earth gives way."  The
Psalmist used this imagery to people who were all too familiar
with such destruction.  He urged his readers to trust that though
"mountains be moved into the sea" and the sea issues forth its
tsunami ("mountains tremble at its swelling"), the God of Jacob
has proven Himself to be their help in time of trouble.  He bids
them: "Come, behold the works of the Lord" (vs. 8a).  His prodig-
ious deliverances in the Bible bear the unmistakable mark of His
faithful love.

History: -- Commentators have linked this Psalm to the national
calamity facing Hezekiah and Judah against the monolithic pow-
er of Assyria (2 Kgs. 18,19).  We don't know for sure, but nothing
else in biblical history fits as well.  No cities stood intact before
their massive army.  Isa. 8:6-8 records that because of Judah's
sin, the Lord was bringing against them the River (Assyrian Eup-
hrates).  It would overflow its banks sweeping into Judah "reach-
ing even to the neck."  Judah would stand on their tiptoes with 
their nostrils barely above water.

       All our modern wars have been fought on distant battlefields
We have witnessed but little suffering at home.  Until 9/11.  We
beheld but a glimpse of what is possible.  What would be our
reaction if they detonated an atomic weapon on our soil?  As 
the soldiers of Judah listened to the dire warnings of the Assyri-
ain emissary, they collectively gulped.  If 9/11 threw us into a tail-
spin, what would the real thing do?

       We, like Judah, are living in a fog.  When calamity strikes, to
whom shall we go?  Will we depend on Wall Street, Pennsylvan-
ia Avenue or Capitol Hill?  Or will our refuge be God, the Lord of
hosts?

       It is interesting that Isaiah says Judah rejected "the waters of
Shiloh that flow gently."  Psalm 46 says "there is a river whose 
streams make glad the city of God."  The imagery of life-giving
water flowing from Eden (Gen. 2:10); flowing from the temple
(Ezk. 47:1,9); and flowing from the throne of God (Rev. 22:1) be-
speak of God as the source of refreshment.  The psalmist says
that this city is the "holy habitation of the Most High" and "God
is in the midst of her."  It means where God dwells there is safety
life, and peace; and only where God dwells should we place our
trust.  The waters of Assyria came up to Judah's neck, almost
engulfing her.

       But 2 Kgs. 19:35 declares that the angel of the Lord struck
down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night.  "And when people
arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies."
Psalm 46 says, "God will help her when morning dawns; He 
breaks the bow and shatters the spear, He burns the chariots 
with fire."  Poetic imagery?  Yes.  The facts, however, fit.

At Wits End: -- The day is coming when we, too, will be at our wit's end and 
our strength will fail.  We may have no grocery
store to which to go.  We may watch our enemy march through
or land.  We may be tired and broken with the despair of persecu-
tion.  We will watch the boat fill with water, and in utter terror 
awake the sleeping Master, crying: "Carest Thou not that we per-
ish?"  But we would be fools indeed to think that He sleeps!  If
we jbiw ub wgin we trustm we should "be still, and know that I
am God" (vs. 10).  Have we not seen His mighty works again and
again in the pages of the Bible?  All it took to send the River of
Assyria reeling back to its channel in Mesopotamia was but one
from among the hosts.  Imagine if God sent twelve legions of 
angels!  If these great Bible stories do not resonate in our hearts,
then we will never cease our useless strivings.

       The God of Jacob is our fortress (vs. 7b).  Jacob started out
being conniving and selfish.  In time he came to his wits' end and his 
strength failed.  God said, "Let go of me."  Jacob responded, "I will not let go 
unless you bless me."  This time he
grasped for dear life to the One and only One.  We, like Jacob, 
must grasp Him, too.

       Our God is not just the Lord of hosts, but also the God of
individuals.  He molds each Jacob through their trials and tribu-
lations.  All the more reason to go again and again to the Psalms
that hammer and chisel away at us until we are formed into the
likeness of His Son.   --------- Chuck Durham in Biblical Insights,
Vol. 8, No. 1, Jan. 2008.   </HTML>
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