A Message to the Anxious (2)

Trust In God!

Psalm 46. A city unshaken

Luther’s battle-hymn, Ein’ feste Burg‚ took its starting-point from this psalm, catching its indomitable spirit but striking out in new directions. The psalm for its part proclaims the ascendancy of God in one sphere after another: his power over nature (1–3), over the attackers of his city (4–7) and over the whole warring world (8–11). Its robust, defiant tone suggests that it was composed at a time of crisis, which makes the confession of faith doubly impressive. But as the crisis is left unidentified, and the psalm ranges far beyond any local situation, there is little to be gained by historical speculation. On the theory that its origin is to be sought in a cultic drama, see Introduction, 3, pp. 21ff.

Title

God's Heartbeat: A Call to Defend the Defenseless

Summary: This theme highlights the pervasive biblical narrative of God's advocacy for the weak and oppressed, illustrating how His divine intervention often comes through His people. It challenges believers to engage with the stories of marginalized individuals in the Bible, emphasizing that God sees, hears, and acts for those who suffer injustice.

Application: This sermon encourages congregants to become advocates for the marginalized by recognizing their responsibility to respond to God's call to action. By understanding the importance of defending the weak both individually and corporately, Christians can foster communities of love and support while being the hands and feet of Jesus in the world.

Teaching: The sermon teaches that God’s character is revealed through His unwavering commitment to justice for the vulnerable. It emphasizes that followers of Christ are called to embody His compassion, actively working to uplift those who are downtrodden rather than remaining passive in the face of injustice.

How this passage could point to Christ: Throughout the Scriptures, Christ consistently demonstrates a heart for the weak, ultimately sacrificing Himself to bring salvation to all. His ministry was filled with acts of compassion towards the marginalized, positioning Him as the ultimate defender and an example for believers to emulate.

Big Idea: Empowering the faithful to challenge injustice reveals God's kingdom on earth and transforms communities by becoming defenders of the helpless.

Recommended Study: As you prepare this sermon, consider delving into historical interpretations of passages that showcase God’s justice, such as Deuteronomy 10:18-19 and Proverbs 22:22-23. It may also be beneficial to examine different theological arguments surrounding the intersection of faith and social justice using your Logos library, which can provide commentary on biblical examples of advocacy. Additionally, researching contemporary applications of these principles in today's context could enrich your message.

1. Defend with Diligence

Deuteronomy 10:18-19

You could explore how these verses reveal God's heart for the vulnerable, highlighting His commitment to justice for the oppressed, and calling believers to emulate His compassion. This point encourages Christians to intentionally care for the marginalized in their communities, as a reflection of God's love.

2. Plead for the Powerless

Proverbs 22:22-23

Perhaps this passage teaches that God is a fierce protector of the defenseless, promising to plead their cause. Believers can be inspired to trust that God takes up the cause of the oppressed and to be His agents of justice, ensuring fair treatment in their spheres of influence.

3. Rescue the Needy

Psalm 82:3-4

Maybe these verses emphasize God's expectation for His people to 'rescue the weak and needy.' Preachers can suggest that listeners actively engage in providing practical support and defense for the vulnerable, thereby witnessing to Christ's transformative love in the world.

4. Serve the Savior

Matthew 25:35-40

Possibly, this text highlights Jesus' identification with the marginalized, suggesting that serving them is serving Christ Himself. Believers are urged to recognize Christ's presence in the least of these, and to see every act of justice and mercy as an opportunity to express His love.

See Introduction, 6. c. 3, pp. 55f.

46:1–3. God in the tumult

Until recently, man has had few thoughts to spare for the possibility of a world catastrophe. But this psalm can face it unafraid, because its opening phrase means exactly what it says. Our true security is in God, not in God plus anything else. Both this confidence and the threat to it are now spelt out.

1. Refuge gives the defensive or external aspect of salvation: God the unchanging, in whom we find shelter. Strength probably implies the dynamic aspect: God within, to empower the weak for action. Both are summarized in the words a very present help in trouble, where the term very present has implications of his readiness to be ‘found’ (as the root is used in, e.g., Isa. 55:6) and of his being ‘enough’ for any situation (cf. the Heb. of Josh. 17:16; Zech. 10:10).

2, 3. This is not only a powerful word-picture, built up of the two things that are most immutable and impregnable, the earth and the mountains, over against the symbol of what is most restless and menacing, the sea; it begins to contemplate the end of the whole created scheme, by which the earth, the mountains and the waters were set in place, as described in, e.g., 104:5–9. This ultimate undoing, glimpsed darkly here, is made explicit in 102:25ff., where the final security of God’s servants is made equally clear.

46:4–7. God in his city

From the upheaval of nature the psalm turns to the raging of man, and a city under siege.

4. With God the waters are no longer menacing seas but a life-giving river; cf. the seas and floods (rivers) of 98:7f., welcoming their Maker; cf. too the picture of God’s help as the quiet water-supply of the besieged, in Isaiah 8:6. The city of God is one of the great themes of the Old Testament, and especially of the Psalms, where the present psalm and the next two form a memorable group. God’s choice of Zion, or Jerusalem, had been as striking as his choice of David, and the wonder of it keeps breaking through; for it is only as God’s abode that it is either strong (5) or of any consequence; yet as such it will be the envy of the world (68:15f.) and the mother-city of the nations (87). Indeed the Old Testament already points towards the New Testament’s vision of Zion as a heavenly community rather than a mere locality on earth (cf. on 48:2).

5. The promise she shall not be moved gains special force from the repetition of the same word, moved, used of the mountains (2; rsv ‘shake’) and of the kingdoms (6; rsv ‘totter’), impressive as these are in comparison with little Zion. Also the words right early (lit. ‘at break of day’; cf. neb) set up an echo of the greatest deliverance of all, the moment when ‘at break of day’ the Red Sea turned back to engulf the armies of Egypt (Exod. 14:27).

6. As in some other places, judgment is seen here in both its aspects: first the outworking of the inherent instability of evil, where the fitting sequel of to rage (or be in tumult) is to be insecure (to totter, on which see also on 5, above); and secondly the intervention of God, whose voice will be as decisive in dissolving the world as it was in creating it (cf. 33:6, 10).

7. The first line of this stirring refrain speaks of might (whether the hosts are the armies of Israel, as 1 Sam. 17:45 may suggest, or those of heaven, as in 1 Kgs 22:19), and the second line speaks of grace, by the mention of Jacob, God’s chosen. The word refuge, here and in verse 11, is distinct from that of verse 1, and implies inaccessible height: hence neb ‘our high stronghold’.

46:8–11. God exalted in the earth

This is a vision of things finally to come, although the victories of the present are a foretaste of them. The word for behold is generally used for seeing with the inward eye, as a ‘seer’ or prophet sees.

Although the outcome is peace, the process is judgment. The reassuring words, he makes wars cease …, are set in a context not of gentle persuasion but of a world devastated and forcibly disarmed (8, 9b). This sequence, with tranquillity on the far side of judgment, agrees with Old Testament prophecy and apocalypse, and with the New Testament (e.g. Isa. 6:10–13; 9:5; Dan. 12:1; 2 Pet. 3:12f.).

10, 11. So, too, the injunction Be still … is not in the first place comfort for the harassed but a rebuke to a restless and turbulent world: ‘Quiet!’—in fact, ‘Leave off!’ It resembles the command to another raging sea: ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the end in view is stated in terms not of man’s hopes but of God’s glory. His firm intention ‘I will be exalted’ (so av, rv, more accurately than rsv) is enough to arouse the resentment of the proud but the longing and resolve of the humble: ‘Be exalted, O God, above the heavens’ (57:11). But also their renewed confidence. The refrain comes back with added force, if such a God is ‘with us’, and if one so exalted is ‘our high stronghold’ (neb).

 Kidner, D. (1973). Psalms 1–72: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 15, pp. 191–194). InterVarsity Press.