PSALM 46:4-7

BIG IDEA 

EVEN WHEN THE YOUR WORLD IS BEING RIPPED APART, THERE IS A REASON. WHEN YOU DON’T FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD IS DOING, REFLECT ON WHAT GOD HAS ALREADY DONE.

INTRODUCTION: “STOP WORKING”

We have been walking through Psalm 46. We have seen that this Psalm is a song that was to be sung to remind us that even when our world is being ripped apart, we have a refuge to run to, and there is a river to rely on. The first message reminded us of God’s protection, and the second reminded us of God’s presence. Today, in our final installment, we will be reminded that there is a reason. This will serve as a reminder of God’s purpose.

EXPLANATION

I. THE SIGHT THAT IS NEEDED.

“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 SPEAR; HE BURNS THE CHARIOTS WITH FIRE.” PSALM 46:8, 9

The opening word “come” in our text literally means “walk with me.” God is saying, “I know you think your world is being ripped apart, but let’s take a walk.” What an invitation. Listen, when you are tempted to worry, walk with God.

“Behold” means “to gaze upon.” While you are walking with God, gaze upon His goodness. Gaze upon His grace. Have a clear vision of what God has done.  Come, walk with God and consider His works.

When your problems seem like an impossibility, consider the possibility that you have a perspective problem. Perhaps your perspective is focused on the problem and not the Powerful Personal God that is walking with you. When you focus your vision on the presence of God in your life, your problems won’t seem that big because your problems are not a problem to God.

Remember a couple of weeks ago, I told you how King Sennacherib was attempting to lay siege to Jerusalem. With 185,000 battle-hardened soldiers, Sennacherib surrounded the city to try and force a surrender. The problem seemed insurmountable. The problem seemed impossible.

The battles of this life, the real wars, are not won with what our hands can build; they are won by the God we hold in our hearts. This highlights the critical decision that King Hezekiah made. He prayed that God would make His power known.

O LORD THE GOD OF ISRAEL, WHO IS ENTHRONED ABOVE THE CHERUBIM, YOU ARE THE GOD, YOU ALONE, OF ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE EARTH. INCLINE YOUR EAR, O LORD, AND HEAR; OPEN YOUR EYES, O LORD, AND SEE; AND HEAR THE WORDS OF SENNACHERIB, WHICH HE HAS SENT TO MOCK THE LIVING GOD. TRULY, O LORD, THE KINGS OF ASSYRIA HAVE LAID WASTE THE NATIONS AND THEIR LANDS AND HAVE CAST THEIR GODS INTO THE FIRE, FOR THEY WERE NOT GODS, BUT THE WORK’S OF MEN’S HANDS, WOOD AND STONE. THEREFORE THEY WERE DESTROYED. SO NOW, O LORD GOD, SAVE US, PLEASE, FROM HIS HAND THAT ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE EARTH MAY KNOW THAT YOU, O LORD, ARE GOD ALONE.” 2 KINGS 19:15-19

But God had another plan. Jerusalem went to bed thinking there was going to be a war in the morning, but by the time the sun came up, the war had been won. God, as prophesied by Isaiah, had struck down the enemy.

What a sight it must have been. As far as the eye could see, there were corpses and chariots no longer ready for battle but being picked over by the birds. 

Only the presence of God can provide your provision.

HE MAKES WARS CEASE TO THE END OF THE EARTH; HE BREAKS THE BOW AND SHATTERS THE SPEAR; HE BURNS THE CHARIOTS WITH FIRE. PSALM 46:9

Hezekiah made the critical decision to fight on his knees and not with his hands. When Hezekiah chose to pray, God displayed His power.

Notice a few things about Hezekiah:

1. Hezekiah assumed a penitent position. He humbled himself. He gave up on being the solution to his own problems. 2 Kings 19:1 says, “King Hezekiah tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth.” He took on the position of humility. Humility is admitting that God is God and you are not.
2. Hezekiah allowed God to assume His proper position. “God, you are higher than high. There is no one like you. You are King over all the kingdoms.”
3. Hezekiah announced a prayerful petition. “Listen. See. Hear. Help. Save us please.”
4. Hezekiah allowed God to receive proper praise. “Please, do this, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O LORD, are God alone.”

This is a pattern for you. When you make the critical decision to stop fighting and allow God to fight, God will display His power, and He will gain the glory he deserved.

II. THE STILLNESS THAT IS NEEDED

“BE STILL, AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD, I WILL BE EXALTED AMONG THE NATIONS, I WILL BE EXALTED IN THE EARTH.” PSALM 46:10

I often hear this verse used as if it means, “be quiet.” Sometimes it is used as a key verse for contemplative or spiritual retreats. But the idea here is not silence but stillness. It doesn’t mean “stop talking,” it means “stop walking.”

It would be easy to look at this verse in the English language and get the wrong impression. On the surface, it could appear the verse is saying, “Be quiet! I’m God. Just accept it.” But nothing could be further from the truth. Remember, this verse follows the invitation given by God for us to walk with Him.

Let’s look at four possible definitions of the Hebrew word. I think all of them give wonderful nuances.

1. Relax. If you look up this Hebrew word in a lexicon or a concordance, “relax” is one of the first definitions given! Relax. Yes, the mountains may tumble into the sea, the oceans may roar, the earth may tremble, but you can relax. Sure the nations will rage, the kingdoms will totter, the earth may melt, but you can relax. Yes, war may rage, bows and spears may be hurled, and chariots may speed towards you, but you can relax when you know that God is God.
2. Surrender. Another possible definition of the word translated “be still,” is to surrender. This does not mean you give in to your problems; it means you give your problems to God. Wave your white flag! Put your hands in the air. Give it over to God. Why? He deserves to be exalted over the nations. He deserves to be exalted in the earth, because He is God!
3. Be weak. One translation of this word is “to limp.” Why does one limp? Because they are hurting. Because their body is not functioning properly. Be weak. No matter what comes against you, you don’t have to be strong if you have a strong God.
4. Let go. This is of course related to surrender, but again, I think the nuances are important. If your load is too heavy, lay it down. Let it go. Give it to God. He is mighty. He is able. He is strong enough. He is powerful enough. Simply let go and let God carry it for you. You see, you cannot hold your Savior if your hands are full of stuff. Empty your hands of your stuff and hold the hand of your Savior.

Stop striving, and then you will know that He is God.

Stop straining, and then you will know that He is God.

Stop struggling, and then you will know that He is God.

Be still and know that I am God. That’s what Hezekiah did, and God destroyed a whole army.

You see, the rest of verse 10 is God’s declaration of victory. He knows that when we surrender to Him, He will cause our enemies to surrender. He knows that when we declare our weakness, our enemies will become weak. Then, and only then will He be seen as He deserves, exalted above the nations, exalted above the earth.

III. THE SAVIOR THAT IS NEEDED.

“THE LORD OF HOSTS IS WITH US; THE GOD OF JACOB IS OUR REFUGE.” PSALM 46:5C

The phrase “Lord of Hosts” means “the leader of the army of angels.” When your world is being ripped apart, remember that you have the Commander of the Angelic Army on your side. You not only have God, which by itself would be enough, but you also have the countless angels of heaven on your side. What a friend we have in Jesus.

When you are in a helpless situation, what you need more than anything is a Savior. And that is what we have in Jesus Christ. Emmanuel, which means “God with us.” In the person of Jesus Christ, God became man.

He lived a perfect life. He met people in the midst of their catastrophes and ministered to them. He delivered them from sickness, fed their hungry bellies, and calmed the storms in their lives.

But most importantly, Jesus delivered them from their greatest threat: the eternal wrath of God.

To do so, Jesus suffered on our behalf. Two nations conspired to kill God’s Beloved Son. They tore His body and nailed Him to a tree. The earth trembled. Darkness fell upon the land. Having accomplished the work He came to do, Jesus gave up His Spirit in death. They laid Him in a tomb. Hope seemed to have died. But on the third day, He rose again, proving to all mankind that Jesus is our Redeemer and our Refuge.

CONCLUSION:

Where is your hope? Where have you placed your trust? Is it in the tunnels you have built with your own hands? Is it in the walls that you have built with your own strength? REMEMBER:

BEHOLD THE WORKS OF GOD. THE ONE WHO CONQUERED SIN AND DEATH AND THE GRAVE IS A REFUGE YOU CAN RUN TO WHEN YOUR WORLD IS BEING RIPPED APART.

• When you don’t know what to do, reflect on the work of God. “Come, behold the works of the LORD.”
• When you don’t know what to do, relax and let God do the work. “Be still and know that I am God.”
• When you don’t know what to do, rejoice that God is still at work. “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

As the Black Plague continued to rage against Germany, Martin Luther was being driven to despair. He was forlorn, ashen-faced, and worn out as he came to the breakfast table. He noted that she was dressed in all black. He asked her who had died. His wife Katie said, “Well, apparently, God, the way you are acting.”

Listen, you can either live your life acting like God is dead or you can live like Jesus has died but now has been raised again.

Likewise, when we are confronted with mounting trials, we must stop despairing, as if God is no longer on the throne. Let us cease striving and know that God is God over the nations of the earth.

God continues to be seated on His lofty throne of sovereignty, raised up over every circumstance. Upon His head are many diadems. In His right hand, He upholds His scepter by which He rules the nations. He is lifted up, high above the trials and tribulations that threaten us. From His exalted position, God is causing all things to work together for our good. Let us take great comfort from this reassuring truth—the Lord reigns!