A Present Help in Trouble
By Lisa Leidenfrost (for the ladies)
Psalm 46:1-7
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. “There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. The nations 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.
God is a refuge and strength to you, a very present help in any type of trouble. He is right there during your trials whether you can feel it or not. He is present, right with you, and acts as a refuge that you can run to and be safe. We are safe because He is in control and He loves us. Because of this, we do not fear even if everything should fall apart. The Psalmist explains what type of situations we are not to be afraid in. He talks about cataclysmic scenarios where the earth is being removed, the mountains are being carried into the midst of the sea, the waters are troubled, the mountains are shaking, and everything is in utter turmoil. In other words, the foundations are being shaken, and yet, even in these horrific scenarios, he tells us not to fear. Why? Because God is. We are not left alone, and He is our refuge and strength, right when we need Him.
The theme of water often represents God’s kingdom taking over the earth like the water in Ezekiel 47. And in this Psalm, there is a reference of a river whose waters make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
“There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn” Ps. 46:4,5
And where is God? He is right there in the midst. Because of this she shall not be moved. We are in Christ and Christ is in God and because of this we shall not be moved. God is all powerful, all knowing, and loves us. And we are His. We are in His arms and no cataclysmic event shall move us. God promises help, and sometimes at the last moment. But it is help in His way, in His timing and with His purposes in mind for His glory. It may look different from what we expect, but we can trust Him because He is Lord and He promises to never leave us nor forsake us.
Heb. 13:5 “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
So even if our world falls seems to be falling apart, the Lord of hosts, the King of kings and Lord of lords is with us.
“The nations 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.” Ps. 46:6,7
And not only with us but carrying us with His everlasting arms underneath all the time.
“There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, Who rides the heavens to help you, and in His excellency on the clouds. The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” Deut. 33:26-27a
Image by Gianni Crestani from Pixabay