God Speaks
46 For the choir director: A song of the descendants of Korah, to be sung by soprano voices.
1 God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3 Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Interlude
4 A river brings joy to the city of our God,
the sacred home of the Most High.
5 God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
From the very break of day, God will protect it.
6 The nations are in chaos,
and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
and the earth melts!
7 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude
8 Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
See how he brings destruction upon the world.
9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”
11 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude
47 For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah.
1 Come, everyone! Clap your hands!
Shout to God with joyful praise!
2 For the Lord Most High is awesome.
He is the great King of all the earth.
3 He subdues the nations before us,
putting our enemies beneath our feet.
4 He chose the Promised Land as our inheritance,
the proud possession of Jacob’s descendants, whom he loves. Interlude
5 God has ascended with a mighty shout.
The Lord has ascended with trumpets blaring.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is the King over all the earth.
Praise him with a psalm.
8 God reigns above the nations,
sitting on his holy throne.
9 The rulers of the world have gathered together
with the people of the God of Abraham.
For all the kings of the earth belong to God.
He is highly honored everywhere.
Source: New Living Translation: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
Reflection: Psalm 46: In Christ in the Psalms, Patrick Henry Reardon* relates that the opening words of this psalm are the basis for Fredric Henry Hedge’s 1852 English translation of Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.” He certainly is the source of refuge and strength, protection, and security to all who run to Him in faith. Even in our day, our God is our bomb shelter or plexiglass shield protecting us from all kinds of harm as we trust in Him. He is with His people both individually and collectively as we rely on and obey Him. We can experience rivers of steady peace and solid hope as He whispers in our inner being or speaks to us in His Word. In His way and time, He will make the wars in our lives to cease and break the weapons formed against us. We can say to our souls, “Be still and know that He is God. The LORD of Hosts is with us. Don’t be afraid.”
Psalm 47: This psalmist is saying something like, “Come on people, let’s get excited about the LORD! Let’s joyfully praise Him! Our God is AWESOME! He is the great creator and king of all the earth. Our God subdues the enemies of the people He loves (and who love Him in return) whether these enemies are physical or spiritual. He has a promised land set aside for us. He ascended with a shout of triumph after conquering Satan by His death and resurrection. Keep on singing praises to our King! All the rulers of the world will eventually gather together and honor the LORD God!”
*Christ in the Psalms Patrick Henry Reardon, pp. 89-92
Prayer: Dear Father God, You truly are my refuge and strength in times of trouble. You have used even the earthquakes and overwhelming floods in my life ultimately to bring me joy and peace in Christ Jesus. Your Holy Spirit does dwell in me and protect me from the world, my own flesh, and the devil with all his schemes. When Your voice thunders, they must flee, screaming in fear and running away. Especially when I unite with other believers, we appreciate even more that You are with and among us. I can say to my soul, “Don’t be afraid. Be still and know that He is God.” Eventually, in Your time and in Your way all the world will honor You, LORD God. Like the psalmist I urge the people I’m in contact with, “Come on people, let’s get excited about the LORD! Let’s joyfully praise Him! Our God is AWESOME! You, O LORD, are the great creator and king of all the earth. You, God, subdue the enemies of the people You love and who love You in return, whether these enemies are physical or spiritual. You have a promised land set aside for us. Jesus ascended with a shout of triumph after conquering Satan by His death and resurrection. May people keep on singing praises to You, our King! All the rulers of the world will eventually gather together and honor You, LORD God! AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will google “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” then listen and meditate on it.
- I will thank God in prayer for the ways He has been my help and strength this week.
- I will write down at least ten ways that God is awesome, then combine them with someone else’s list.
- I will gather together with other believers to praise and thank God for all that He is and has been doing in our families, communities, nations, and world.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.