Psalm 46 - Encouragement Amidst Difficulties

The him that many of you were familiar with come from Psalm 46 in regards to the him grab some of you don't know that wasn't him that was written by Martin Luther. In fact, Martin Luther was prolific in his writings. He has over 600 titles and 36 of those titles are hims But A Mighty Fortress Is Our God is Far and Away the most well-known and popular those hymns. It was indeed based on Psalm 46 and it's a celebration of The Sovereign power of God over all Earthly and spiritual forces and of the sure hope that we have in him because of Christ now following its publication during the time of the Reformation it became very popular and it's still popular to this day. There are different series on why he wrote that particular him but most historians agree that he wrote that him because of the circumstances that he was facing and it wasn't the circumstances of reformation. He was facing but rather in October of 1527. There was the plague approaching where he live and cyc. It is God's Providence that we have a line the preaching of this song with the State of Affairs in our country and in our world and I don't think we should overlook that we have experienced a global pandemic which has given rise to fears and apprehensions. Perhaps like some of us have never seen before. This song is one that is particularly appropriate and Times of large-scale fear. In which we as the people of God and the people around us and the citizens of this world. Look for something that will provide a sense of Safety and Security. What Psalm 46 teaches us and reminds us and exhorts us with is the truth the Safety and Security are not found in something. They're not found somewhere, but they're found rather in somebody. Main idea for the sermon this morning coming out of Psalm 46 is very simply this God is present as a strong refuge for his people. They need not fear. God is present as a strong refuge for his people. They need not fear. Let's read Psalm 46 together. I know you've already read it this morning and unasyn follow along in your bibles are on your devices as I read Psalm 46. This is the word of the Lord to the choirmaster of the sons of Korah according to a Llamar a song God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble. Therefore. We will not fear though. The Earth gives way though, the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea though. Its Waters Roar in full know the mountains tremble at its swelling. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God the holy habitation of the most high God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved. God will help her when morning dawns. The nation's rage the Kingdom's totter. He utters his voice the Earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us. The god of Jacob is our Fortress come Behold The Works of the Lord how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes Wars cease to the end of the Earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spirit. He burns the Chariots with fire. Be still 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 Fortress. Let's pray father God. We thank you for this song and I would pray right now that father got as we consider the Declarations of trust. Not a part of this song in the face of the difficulties in the face of the fear that those troubles have brought. I pray father God you would by your spirit help us to understand these and embrace them. I pray that you would take these trues and penetrate them deep into our mind and our hearts. Let it in our times of trial when we face fear. We will we will be able to speak as the psalmist it and declare that God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble. When I pray father God by your spirit that you would help us to see Jesus help us to understand how Jesus and all that. He did is the Fulfillment of what we read in Psalm 46. It's in his name. I pray amen. Let's start by looking at the first three verses where we see that God is a refuge in a strength and a hope. We see in these first three verses of this song may a general Declaration of trust in the midst of fearful circumstances. In fact 1 commentary knows that this song begins with a burst of confidence. And notes three things in which we find that confidence. That is that God is a refuge. God is our strength and he is our help. What is a refuge of Refuge has any type of shelter that provides protection from nature or war or any other difficulty and Psalm 46 tells us that God is our shelter that she protects us. And it also indicates that to take refuge in God is to trust him for his protection.

And so God being a refuge is part of this burst of confidence. We see in these first three verses but God strength is another thing. Another word strength is less concrete than refuges. It can denote any material physical personal social or political might. In regards to whatever sphere is under consideration to have strength is to have vitality and vigor in power and potency in regards to that sphere. That's why odors can be strong but so can opinions that's why someone's influence can be powerful. But so can someone's bench press. We need to understand that God and all situations in all scenarios in all circumstances is strong. In fact his vitality and vigor his potency and power are immeasurably great. And that strength his strength is employed for the protection and care of his people and their Lies We State this or sing it in a song. It is a declaration of trust.

The third part of this foundation in which the Samus gives this burst of confidence is the fact that God is our help. What a lovely memorable impactful phrase a very present help in trouble. More literally it would be said like this in trouble. He will be found a help exceedingly. Or a helping troubles he is to be found abundantly. But our translators gave us something wonderful here. He is a very present help in trouble. Well to Hell according to the Bible according to Psalm 46 is to provide what someone likes or to do for someone what they cannot do for themselves. That's not how we use the term help usually or the term helper when we use this word. We often consider the one who is helping us to be weaker less able and less confident. They're just giving us a hand while we do the brunt of the work. If I'm going to lift a piece of furniture and ask my kids to help in my mind, they are providing less of the work and I am providing more of it. I am the chief worker. They are coming alongside to help me. We need to understand that God is not a help in that way. God is a help in that we looked at him to do what we cannot do we look to him to accomplish. What is beyond us. We trust him to protect us because we are at the mercy of the trouble and the difficulty that we are facing. When we think of God helping us don't think of little Johnny helping dad with a choice drawers think of Einstein helping you with a mask B quation. Think of Martin Luther helping you to understand Grace think of Michael Jordan being your teammate and a two-on-two game of pick-up basketball and then multiply that many many times over that is how God helps us. So he is a refuge and he is our strength and he is a help. What do we need those things for? Well, we need them for troubles. God is help God is strength. God is a refuge in the midst of troubles. What are the troubles? Well in this song we get three images from the natural world and they're given to demonstrate God's protective power in a general way. There's a disintegrating Earth. There's movable mountains. There's chaotic Seas. And these images this imagery of Nature's upheaval portrays the many different troubles. We might face from which only Divine protection will suffice the Earth which is foundational for our living. is giving way the mountains which are normally Nature's representation of all that is secure and immovable are being tossed about and the Seas often a symbol of the world in scripture are roaring and foaming and swelling. These images depicting trouble are a gentle representation of the many trials. We might walkthrough. They represent natural disasters and Global conflicts political chaos in relational upheaval personal uncertainty or danger whether that be physical spiritual emotion emotional or mental.

These are the troubles we face.

But in the space of these troubles there's a declaration. We will not fear.

God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble. Therefore. We will not fear. I'll remind you again when we see the word. Therefore. We need to ask ourselves a question. What is the therefore there for? Therefore we will not fear why why will we not fear? It's because of who God is he is our refuge and our strength and our help he's present. As we Face these troubles is because God is present being that strong refuge for his people that we will not fear. Another Samus moves in the next 3 verses Verses 4 through 7 from the general idea is conveyed in verses 1 through 3 to more specific situation that he speaks about in Verses 4 through 7. We see in and another Declaration of trust as the psalmist has moved from generalities to specifics and in this specific situation. We see that God provides his protection through his presence of a specific situation involves. The city of God Jerusalem God's presence was closely associated with the city Jerusalem. This is where God's holy dwelling the temple was built and it's where the Tappan Tabernacle eventually arrested in the time of David Jerusalem was the dwelling place of the most high. Now Jerusalem had a source of water a spring which is almost certainly the river that the psalmist is talking about here. Waterwood gush forth from this spring and the Israelites would direct that water into pools like a pool of Salome that we read about in the New Testament. Are these pools would ensure the citizens of the city would always have water? Thus the water and God City represented God's provision for God's people in difficult times times of drought or when their city was under siege and Justice that river that Springmaid the people of God cityglide for the provision. So God was the source of provision for his people that would Glide in their hearts with his protection and tumultuous times. And God's provision of protection is linked to his present presents because God was present in his City. The people would have protection provided for them. No, Jerusalem is a specific example and its specific example in the mind of the song Melissa to another Declaration of trust. He says God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved. God will help her when morning Dawns. The Lord of hosts is with us. The god of Jacob is our Fortress. We seeing eye decoration another image the image of Dawn and the psalmist uses this image of Don to connect the presence of God and his provision of protection. Which leads to this declaration? You know that imagery that we think about with Dawn as a picture or a representation of coming salvation is very common. Are many different instances where you can think of dawn representing the coming of salvation, but one that I thought immediately comes from the Epic Story by JRR Tolkien The Lord of the Rings and he employs this symbol in talking about a great battle during that epic story called The Battle of the hornburg. The battle has been waged all through the night in a protagonist were in peril. This is what tolking rights and Aragorn leaned wearily on their swords away on the left the crash and clamour of the battle on the Rock Rose loud again, but the hornburg still held fast like an island in the sea its Gates laying ruin, but over the barricade of beans and Stones within no enemy as yet at pass. Aragorn looked at the pale stars and the moon now sloping behind the Western Hills then close the valley. This is a night as long as years. He said how long will the day Terry? Dawn is not far off said gambling. He would now climbed up beside him, but Don will not help us I fear yet Dawn is ever the hope of men so they are going and that's so true. Don is that which brings light into the darkness of our situation is a picture of hope. It was a symbol of Hope of Salvation in the trilogy of the ring and it is so in scriptures as well. Think of Genesis 1 the very first Dawn and which the chaos and darkness were dispelled by the Light. Go to Exodus 14 where it was at dawn when the Israelites cross the Red Sea and were delivered from the pursuing Egyptians. In fact, the Messianic expectations of Israel are also connected to Don and we can see that in Matthew Chapter 4 verses 12 through 16 we read now when he that is Jesus heard the John have been arrested. He was Drew into Galilee and leaving Nazareth. He went and lived in Capernaum by the sea in that area territory of zebulun. And so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled. The land of zebulun in the land of naphtali the way of the sea beyond the Jordan Galilee of the Gentiles the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death on them a light has dawned this picture of the Dawn is a picture of the hope of coming salvation and specifically in regards to what does Samus has written in a specific situation. They're in there in the middle of menacing Earthly Powers the Raging Nations who have threatened God's people and yet they look to God who like the rising of the Sun.

Will rise in his presence and dispel the darkness of danger in the chaos of Crisis this the protective presence of God is behind the Declarations of trust. We see in verse 4 through 7. And then the Samus moves 2 verse 8 through 11 come behold. And these versus we here yet another Declaration of trust which now points do an example of God's protecting work is very likely that this song was written in response to a military battle experienced by the Israelites a battle that took place at Jerusalem. The song missed calls all people to come Behold The Works of the Lord. Natasha works are his distinctive actions that only he performs especially in Saving and sustaining his people. The call to come behold goes out to God's people as well as to those who are God's enemies for God's people to call to come and see is a call to observe his workings of what's called desolations against the enemy who it endangered his people in Jerusalem. They were to see that he brought peace and demonstrated his protective present teeth breaks the bow and shatters the spear he burns the Chariots with fire god destroyed the enemy and all other means of making War But this call come behold is also called that goes out to God's enemies. They're to acknowledge the powerful protection of God for his people. And with this knowledge. They are to worship him even as his people do God speaks to those who are not his people be still. Stop your fighting stop your raging be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the Nations. I will be exalted. on the Earth and this morning the call still goes out to those who are part of God's people as well as those who are not a call still goes out to those who have believed and trusted in Christ. And to those who have not in the call is to come Behold The Works of the Lord Behold The Works of the Lord in the life and the death and the resurrection of Jesus both believer and unbeliever this morning are called to come and see what the Lord has done.

dangerous wasn't as we talked about fear as we talked about this song We're God's character and actions are extolled. He is our refuge our strength a very present help in trouble. The Declaration is made. We will not fear. Where is one fear that is universal among human beings. It's a fear that we have seen most clearly at least in my lifetime in the last five months and that's the fear of death. around the world The real concern isn't about catching a virus is it it's about dying.

in this Universal fear brings this song home this morning a song in which great dick difficulties are faced. But in which the psalmist declares the truth about who God is and declares his trust in God saying we will not fear this morning. We look to the works of the Lord for the life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the same way. We looked at him. As our help and our strength and our present help in regards to the trouble send it through him. We will not fear Hebrews 2 14 and 15 tells us this since there for the children Sharon flesh-and-blood. He that is Jesus himself likewise partook of the same things that through death. He might destroy the one who has the power of death. That is the devil and deliver all those who through fear of death work subject to lifelong slavery. Both of Believers and unbelievers this morning are called to come and behold the works of the Lord in the life and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ did and his sacrificial death and then in his resurrection was destroying that which every human being fierce. death and he delivered his people from the fear of death and the enslavement. They had no we don't just behold his works, but we believe and trust in them as well. And if you're here this morning and you're a Believer the call goes out to you this morning to come Behold The Works of the Lord in the Life Death and resurrection of the son Jesus Christ and put your faith and trust in him. And if you're an unbeliever this morning the same call goes out to you. Come Behold The Works of the Lord in the life and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And put your faith and trust in him.

Let me finish this morning with three applications. And all three of these applications are in regards to the fears that we face. Whatever it is you're struggling with this morning. Whether it is this Global pandemic for many people. This is still a very difficult thing. But perhaps you have relational issues or mental health issues are physical ailments. Which are causing you fear, perhaps there's something going on at work or at school. Which is causing you to fear, let's take some 46 and apply at this morning. First of all, let me encourage you in the face of fear to make Declarations of trust. I can't tell you how many times I have quoted these exact versus as I faced some fear. God is my refuge and my strength a very present help in trouble. Therefore. I will not fear. I repeated those words to myself walking into a hospital to meet a friend who had cancer.

I've repeated those words to myself walking into a room to meet with parents who have lost a young child. In situations where I got to be honest, I was scared out of my wits. I made these Declarations of trust. Remember when my youngest daughter was born? And as we were my wife was in labor in the hospital and we had a doctor but it was one of his residence who was actually preparing to catch my daughter. And I saw the doctor get agitated and I saw him shove the intern out of the way. And I remember being scared what's going on here? I remember thinking God is my refuge. And God is my strength a very present help in trouble. Therefore. I will not fear understand. This isn't Magic. It's not an incantation what you just saying. It happens know this is preaching to yourself. This is reminding yourself of the truth of who God is and the promises God has made to you from scripture. And I want to encourage you as you face difficult situations to make these scriptural Declarations of trust so that the Great shrews and the great promises that are inherent in them become reality for you. Secondly. We need to patiently look for the dawn of our final salvation.

We haven't arrived yet. There are still brutally difficult things that people go through. I shared with first service a discussion I had earlier on this morning. Justin recognizing that NorthPark one of the churches in the city had nine people die from covid-19. This world is still a difficult place. There are trials there are difficulties and we need to patiently keep our eyes on the horizon waiting for the dawn of salvation. Which will happen when Christ returns and at that time there will be no more Darkness. There will be no more sickness. There will be no more pain and no more suffering. And they'll be nothing to fear. We need to patiently wait for that day.

third, behold we need to constantly be coming and be holding the works of the Lord in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We need to Anchor our hearts and our minds and our souls to what God has done in Jesus Christ. And we do that by looking at them over and over and over again daily coming and be holding the works of the Lord.

Is it wasn't that great work of Jesus Christ on the cross of calvary?

We're really the summation of all that we fear was dealt with. I was dealt with finally in his resurrection proved in since we need to constantly come and behold the works of the Lord. So in regards to fear make Declarations of trust preach to yourself patiently wait and look for the dawn of our final salvation and come Behold The Works of the Lord in Jesus Christ. Let's pray father God. We thank you for this song. We thank you for these wonderful Declarations of trust in the face of fear. That are built on the foundation of who you are. You are our refuge and our strength and our present help in trouble.

In the Declaration that we will not fear is based on you and who you are and what you've done. And I pray that you by your spirit would help us.

To understand that this is seen most prominently in most gloriously in the works of Jesus Christ The Works of Salvation the the gospel. When I pray father God that you would help us do as we face fear make those Declarations of trust and who you are and what you've done the father God we would patiently wait for the dawn of our final salvation which Christ as promised Forest when he returns and in the meantime that we would come and behold all your glorious works. I pray this in Christ's name we man.