Instruction
Scripture: Psalm 46
Psalm 46 is the basis for Martin Luther’s hymn, “A Mighty
Fortress is our God.”
This psalm, like many of the psalms, focuses on God’s
salvation and describes His power and glory in relationship to the weakness of
earthly powers. The main message is that God is our savior and we need Him to
rescue us, and we are encouraged to wait for Him. The psalm serves God’s people
by revealing that God uses His strength on behalf of His people and urging them
to wait with faith.
Teaching
The psalmist proclaims that God is his people’s refuge and
strength, and he supports that belief by describing God’s power over creation
and the political forces of the world. He melts the earth with a word. He dismays
the nations bringing desolation, causing wars to cease. This is the God the
psalmist’s confidence is placed in; the God who demands exaltation from nations
and all the earth.
The beginning of the psalm declares God to be a refuge and
strength, and the psalmist returns to that theme in the end remembering that
the Lord of hosts (the armies of heaven) is with them and God is their
fortress. We don’t often think of God in this way, but He is a warrior who
defends His people.
Life
Where do you turn when everything seems to be going wrong in
life? Have you ever felt like the earth was giving way beneath your feet, or
that the things or people or dreams that you thought were so permanent were
just crumbling around you? These are moments when we can take great comfort in
a God who defends us and fights for us. He defends us from sins’ accusations,
pointing us back to the cross. He defends us from death, pointing us to Jesus’
empty tomb. He defends us from illness, suffering, persecution, and more;
sometimes with healing or mighty interventions and other times by bring us to
our eternal home with Him so that in the end we are delivered from every evil
of body and soul.
Prayer
God, You are our refuge and strength a very present help in
trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, and everything
we ever counted on crumbles around us, for You will still be there with us to
be our mighty fortress.
Thank You for protecting us in so many ways in this life:
for rescuing us from sin and death; for defending us amid the raging nations
and tottering kingdoms of the earth; for bringing desolation to those who work
sin; and frustrating those who wage war unjustly.
Forgive us, Lord, for the times that we were overwhelmed by
our fears because of what we see in the world. Forgive us for looking for our
protection from the government, money, or other earthly powers. Forgive us for
forgetting that You are God and that You will be exalted among the nations and
in all the earth, even if at this time all of these things seem to be in
rebellion against You.
Be with us, O God! Defend Your people and protect us from
the powers of this earth that would do us harm. Deliver us from every evil of
body and soul. You are the Lord of the hosts of the armies of heaven, the
angels serve You, and we pray that You would deploy them to guard us so we may
proclaim all that You have done for us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
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