Psalms 46

Psalms 46:6-11

This plain encourages us to hope in God in the wretzy of times; to praise him for the past, and trust him for future mercies. We are here taught, 1. To take comfort in God when things look very black and threatening, ver. 1-5. 2. To mention to his praise the great things he has wrought for his church against its enemies, ver. 6-9. 3. To allow ourselves that God, who hath glorified his own name, will glorify it yet again, and to comfort ourselves with that, ver. 10, 11. And thus, though our spiritual enemies are mighty, or our endowed foes threatening, we have a faithful God to trust, and this pleasant song to sing.

7 T ¶ To ¶ To the chief musician for the sons of Korah. A song upon ¹ Alamoth. a 1 Chron. xx. 10. b Thos. ix. 2. Pl. colx. 15. Heb. Heart of the four. c Psal. xxii. 3. a. Ber. v. xx. Mos. xx. 11. d Rev. ii. 1. e Psal. When the men are appears. See Ps. xx. 12. xx. Pl. xxx. 5.

1. GOD is our refuge and strength, ² a very present help in trouble. 2. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. 3. ³ Though the waters thereof rare, and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. 4. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make good the city of God: the holy place of the tabernaries of the most High. 5. ⁴ God is in the midst of her; the shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

2. 1—5. Amidst the furious attacks of enraged foes, the name of our God is a strong tower, into which the righteous runneth and is safe. We have here David professing his own and the church’s confidence in God, amidst the most threatening appearances, and giving his reasons for such his hope.

3. They are safe amidst all the tumults of this disordered world. God is our refuge, who shall pluck us thence? our strength, who shall be able to stand before us thus supported? a very perfect help in trouble, to extricate from every difficulties, and ever near to succour and face us. Therefore will not we fear; there is no shadow of ground for it, trying by who is for us, is most High, so infinitely surpassing in power all that are against us. And in the midst of her, his church, taking up his relations, and manifesting his precious in the believer’s heart. In vain, therefore, the earth trembles and is disloyal, the mountains leap from their holes, the thorny billions roar and lath the rocky shores, in vain are all the attacks; in vain the threatnings of earth or hell; the church, and every faithful shall, is founded on a rock; not only safe from rain, but secure from every terrifying fear; the shall not be moved: God shall help her, and make her adverbs, and that right early; quickly, to whom the morning appears; the night of trouble shall be short, and the welcome morning of deliverance and per arctic. Note. (1.) When danger is most alarming, faith should be most in exercise. (2.) The changes and revolutions of this stationary globe, can little affect those whole souls are found on things above. (3.) They need not fear, and shall not fall, who make God their refuge and strength.

4. They are comforted as well as secure. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make good the city of our God: a river of never-ceating confidations, that springs from the fountain of God’s eternal love, whose streams no foe can interrupt; these, like the waters of Silom, swastily flow into the faithful soul in the midst of every trial, and fill him with joy as well as peace in believing: he is the city where God delights to dwell, and the holy place of the tabernaries of the most High, being made the habitation of God through the spirit. Now, if we enjoy divine communications of grace and comfort, we are amply repaid for all the forms and tempests raised by a world that hath in wickedness.

5. 7 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. 7. ¹ The LORD of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. 8. ² Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desitations he hath made in the earth. 9. ³ He makes ours to cease unto the end of the earth, he breaketh the bow, and cutterth the spear in funder, ⁴ he borneth the chariot in the fire. 10. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathers, I will be exalted in the earth. 11. ⁵ The LORD of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Who can stand when God appeared?

1. His foes are routed and destroyed. The heathen raged against his church and people; of old, Rome pagan, and at present Rome papal, and all the antecubation enemies of his Redeemed; and the kingdoms are moved, stirred up to war against the saints of the most High: but he uttered his voice, and as the breath of his lips the earth melted; all these collected forces dissolved as the fowl before the sun. Thus, under the wings of Jacob’s God, the God of hosts, we are not only protected, but by his power triumphant. Come and behold the works of the Lord, with wonder for his glorious interposition, when desirability is held up—yet in the earth upon all his furious adversaries: the desirability of the Roman monarchy; must his keeping rod: and from their we may be afflicted the present powers of Antichrist, whether poplite or malamanian, shall abide with their carcasses; throw the ground; nor will he cease till all his enemies are made his foehood; when, their power utterly broken, and all their armour, wherein they utter, spoiled and continued, the war shall cease, and his

people enjoy for ever the fruits of that glorious and eternal peace he hath obtained for them. For.

2. They are but only to be still, to wait upon the Lord without destruction, and know that I am God; believe my power and love, and ye shall assuredly see my great salvation; and that displayed not more for their comfort and safety, than for his own glory: I will be exalted among the heathen, who oppose his kingdom and interests, by their destruction; I will be exalted in the earth, by subduing the nations of the world to the obedience of the faith, and setting up the throne of the Redeemer from able to point. Such promises may therefore well silence all our fears, and confirm our confidence. The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge.