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OUR VERY PRESENT GOD (Psalm 46)

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

That is the opening verse of Psalm 46. Psalm 46 begins a trilogy of psalms that talk about the greatness of God. This psalm is so powerful because it reveals God not as a distant deity somewhere far away from us but as a very present God.

People love to quote verse 1, but the entire psalm is an explanation of that revelation. God has always desired to be with His people; that is the story of the Bible.

• In Eden, He came and talked with Adam in the cool of the day.
• In the wilderness, He was with His people in the Tabernacle.
• When they got to Jerusalem, He was with them in the temple.
• When the Lord Jesus Christ came to earth, His name was Emmanuel - “God with us.”
• All who are born again have the Holy Spirit living within them, abiding forever.

God has always wanted to be near His people and to have them consciously aware of His nearness. He is our very present God.

There are three ways in which God is present in Psalm 46, and each of them is set apart by a “Selah,” which is a reminder for us to stop and think about what we have just read.

1. He is very present in trouble.

That is announced in verse 1, but the thought is continued in verses 2-3. “Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.”

Friends, no matter what changes in this world, God is with us. He uses as an example the mountains, the most securely fixed structures you can imagine, to make the point that even if they were gone, He would still be there.

Water is another object lesson used here. Sometimes water can symbolize people, like a great tide of humanity coming against us. He is with us against whoever might come.

I love the use of the words “refuge” and “strength” in verse 1. He provides a place to hide us and the grace we need to fight the enemy. He works internally and externally, helping us in every way.

2. He is very present in eternity.

We see the end in verses 4-7.

“There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”

These verses are a picture of the New Jerusalem, God’s city, with the river flowing out of it. You can read all about it in Revelation 21. The river comes from the throne of God, so if you follow it back upstream it leads you straight to Him.

The thing that will make Heaven real for us is being very present with God, just as He is very present with us right now. What a mighty God we serve.

3. He is very present in this wicked world.

Verses 8-11: “Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”

Some people believe that God set this entire world in motion and then left us to ourselves. I am glad to report that the Word of God teaches us He is present in Heaven and on earth. The phrase “in the earth” is used twice here, in verses 8 and 10.

The word “refuge” is also used several times. We have seen it in verses 1, 7, and 11. "Refuge" means "a high place, beyond reach." God is a refuge where the world and the devil cannot hold you and sin cannot pull you back into its grasp.

God is right where He has always been, and if you will hide in Him you will be exactly where you need to be. This is not just about His omnipresence, which is real.

- It is about His personal presence. He is my refuge and strength.

- It is about His powerful and all-sufficient presence. He is greater than this world, greater than death, greater than Hell, greater than the devil.

He is our great God.

The word used for God in this psalm is Yahweh, the God of promise - who always keeps His Word and does exactly what He says He will do.

He is referred to here as “the God of Jacob.” Why not use Israel instead of that old name which reminds us of the trickster and deceiver? It is for us to remember that our God is the God of the weak ones. We may sometimes limp through life, halting and hesitating under a measure of strain, but God is strong and able to take care of us.

You do not have to find the refuge. It travels with you. I am reminded of Martin Luther’s famous hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” You can find Him today wherever you are.

Psalm 46 is not just scripture; it is a song. Our God will not only see you through the trial. He is enough that you can sing in your trouble. You can sing your way through this wicked world and into eternity. Another hymn that comes to mind contains these words:

Hiding in thee, hiding in thee;

Thou blest rock of ages, I am hiding in thee.

I want to encourage you today; wherever you are and whatever you may be dealing with, God is very present. He is not bound by geography, time, or circumstances. God is right where you are.

Remember His command in verse 10: “Be still, and know that I am God.” Maybe we just need to get quiet today so we can hear His voice in the stillness.

Many people believe Psalm 46 was written just after the invasion of Sennacherib during the reign of Hezekiah, one of God’s great deliverances of His people. Others attribute it to the time of Jehoshaphat. We don’t know exactly, but there is certainly a historical context. There is also prophetic meaning in that we know Jesus is coming back someday to carry us into eternity.

I love that Psalm 46 has a personal and present-tense meaning. His name is not “I was” or “I will be.” His name is “I AM” because He is a very present God. Rest in His presence today.