Psalms 46:1
“God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.”
A refuge is a shelter or protection from danger or trouble. It is not uncommon in places that are threatened with severe weather to build rooms designed for refuge. The idea is that when danger arises the family can flee to a room that is designed to withstand the storm. A few years ago I was traveling in Israel and stayed in a local apartment. There were several of us so we spread out, filling each of the rooms. My bed was located in the bomb shelter; A small concrete room fitted with air purification and stocked with basic supplies in case of attack. I learned that these type of rooms are common in buildings because of the eminent threat of attack.
The psalmist found a place of refuge where he could hide when calamity struck. His place of refuge could withstand any danger no matter how severe. His place of refuge was not a building and did not require a change of location in order to access it. His refuge was the Lord and the key to enter in were the promises of God. In grand poetic fashion he describes the earth melting and the mountains being cast into the sea and yet his place of refuge being unaffected by the storms. He speaks of a river of water flowing into his place of refuge where he is being strengthened and refreshed regardless of the danger all around him. And he speaks of the word of the Lord being stronger than the storm itself.
What are the current circumstances you are facing? Are they bigger than you can handle? Do they make you wonder if you will make it another day? What a joy it is to know that God is our refuge, strength and our help. We can hide in Him and find the strength to face the battles before us. Perhaps the best way to access the refuge He provides is to grab hold of one of His precious promises and decide to trust it over the storm you are facing. After all when He speaks the earth melts.
Pastor Jim
Questions for Psalm 46
- Write out verse 1 and put it to memory.
- What happens to the person who takes refuge in God?
- Look at verse 6, how does God deal with rising ungodliness?
- What are we exhorted to do in verse 8? How do we do that?
- Take some time to put verse 10 into practice.
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Jim Gallagher 