Psalm 46

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. 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 the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns. The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. “Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.” The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”

— Psalm 46

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My Two Cents….

Martin Luther was inspired by Psalm 46 to write his classic hymn, “A Mighty Fortress.” Both the psalm and the hymn have long been battle cries for facing adversity and trials. There is a boldness and strength that emanate from them.

There have been a few times in my life when I’ve sung the hymn and spoken these words with tears in my eyes. I wasn’t feeling all that strong as I watched my world crumble around me. The heart retching pain of losing a loved one; the sense under siege and attack by enemies; the despair as well crafted plans fall apart - all these scenarios have caused me to be anything but strong.

And yet, in the weakest moments of my life, faith has been a bulwark. This faith was not in memorized doctrines or beloved traditions or the correctness of theology. Instead it was more primitive. It was faith in God’s presence and promise. No matter what I faced, God was not going to leave me alone. Love, forgiveness, grace - these things remained in the mud and muck of what I was facing. They kept me breathing even when I couldn’t stand.

In Christ’s Light,

Walt

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