Psalms 46
McGeePsalms 46THEME: God is our refuge, a song of the MillenniumThe next three psalms form a little cluster of prophetic pictures of the kingdom that is coming on this earth. Psalms 45 presented the coming of the King to establish His kingdom here upon this earth, the millennial kingdom. The following three psalms set before us this kingdom. This psalm is “To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth.” The word almah is used in Isa_7:14 which says, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Evidently the word alamoth means “with virgins” and in this instance speaks of maidens’ voices. This psalm is one of deliverance and will refer us to another great song of deliverance and victory that was sung when the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea. We are told that they sang the song of Moses, but who led the singing? I don’t think Moses was a better song leader than I am, and I am no good at all; so Miriam, the prophetess, the sister of Moses and Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand and led the singing. The women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. As Moses and the children of Israel sang, “…Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea” (Exo_15:21).
So the song leader and the soloist on that occasion was Miriam, the sister of Moses. It was the celebration of a great victory. Now when the future remnant of Israel is delivered from their enemies by the coming of Christ, they will celebrate a great victory. It is important to see this psalm in its proper setting. It belongs after Psalms 45 and with Psalms 47 and 48. To consider these psalms apart from each other is like the little boy who was asked to give a definition of a lie. In his explanation the little fellow put together two Scripture verses that were totally unrelated. He said, “A lie is an abomination unto the Lord, but a very present help in time of trouble.” He misinterpreted the Scripture. We smile at the little boy, but we do the same thing by taking this psalm out of context. Psalms 46 is a wonderful soprano solo. It is not the blues but a hallelujah chorus in which we see the sufficiency of God, the security of God, and the supremacy of God.
Psalms 46:1
THE SUFFICIENCY OF GODThis is a very wonderful promise. Someone may challenge it and ask, “But how do you know it is true?” Well, it is true because the Bible says so. But it is more than theory with me. I have tried it and found it to be true. We are told, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him” (Psa_34:8). Jesus said, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (Joh_7:17). In times of trouble you can count on God. Christians fail to trust God in times of trouble because they know nothing about His sufficiency. They have not learned that He is sufficient. We need a God who does not fail us. God is sufficient in any circumstance. “Though the earth be removed"the removal of the earth would be the most extreme circumstance I can think of. Has the earth ever been taken out from under you? Have you ever been suspended in space? Most people think they are the only ones who have ever had trouble. Everyone has trouble, but God’s people find God sufficient in time of trouble. Psalms 46 was Martin Luther’s favorite psalm. When he wrote that great Reformation hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” he probably had this in mind. God is our refuge, and our strength, and a very present help when we are in trouble. Men down through the ages have found this to be true.
Psalms 46:4
THE SECURITY OF GODSome expositors consider this river symbolic. I believe the river is a reality that speaks of the supply and the refreshment that God gives even today, and that river is the Word of God. In Psalms 1 we were told that the blessed man was planted by the rivers of water, which is the Word of God. Also the Scriptures mention a river that flows out from the house of God (Ezek. 47). And in the Book of the Revelation John saw “…a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God …” (Rev_22:1).
Psalms 46:5
“The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved” is looking back on the convulsions of the Great Tribulation period. At the darkest hour, when the enemy came in like a flood, “he uttered his voice, the earth melted.” Now the faithful remnant who were delivered sing His praises, “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”
Psalms 46:8
THE SUPREMACY OF GODThe Messiah has come to the earth in judgment. He is the One who makes wars to cease, breaks the bow, cuts the spear, and burns the chariot in the fire. This picture sets before us the last days on earth, when the One who is “…the stone cut out of the mountain without hands …” (whom Nebuchadnezzar saw in his vision in Dan_2:45) will deal an annihilating blow upon this earth. We are told that after the Battle of Armageddon is over, the wreckage of warfare and the dead will be strewn everywhere. The works of God ought to tell man that there is a God. The prediction of peace on earth is here a blessed reality. The King has come and has put down all unrighteousness on the earth.
Psalms 46:10
“I will be exalted among the heathen [nations], I will be exalted in the earth"this is God’s purpose for the earth. “Be still, and know that I am God.” With the knowledge of this blessed truth we can be calm in time of trouble. There are storms blowing outside today. We are living in a mean old world, a wicked world. Tremendous changes are taking place. There are even convulsions in nature today. He tells us to be calm in the time of storm. Christ, you remember, was in a storm with His disciples, and He went to sleep. When they roused Him from His sleep, He had more trouble calming the disciples than He had calming the storm. Many of us are like those men. We don’t know what it is to wait patiently before Him. This is a psalm that will be a great blessing in the future, but it also is a comfort and a blessing for all of God’s people today.