What does it mean that God is our refuge and strength and an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1)?
There are two groups of people described in Psalm 46. One group is protected by the Lord, and one group fights against the Lord. If we would experience God’s protection, we must belong to Him through faith in Jesus Christ. Have you been saved by God, through believing in the death and resurrection of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins and eternal life? Can you truly say, “God is my refuge”?
Psalm 46:1 is a description of God and a wonderful promise based on His character: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” The next verse continues with what should be our natural response: “Therefore we will not fear”. Through it all, we will not fear but trust God.
The world is unstable, but “the city of God”—His habitation—is established and secure (Psalm 46:4–6). No matter what happens in this world, God will be exalted, and those who are His will ultimately be safe (verses 10–11). We can “be still and know” that He is God (verse 10).
He is our strength. God gives us the power we need to endure hardship, as we serve Him, fight spiritual battles, resist temptation, and bear up under persecution. We are weak, but He is strong (2 Corinthians 12:10).
True peace will not come until we are with the Lord in “the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells” (Psalm 46:4). This means that, in this world, we may experience hurt and eventually, we will die. But in the midst of it all, God is working everything out for good (Romans 8:28). For those who belong to God, even the hardships we experience, shall have a good end! We are eternally safe. No matter what happens, trust Him. Even if things don’t seem to turn out as we would like, remember that we are not home yet.
We need not fear. There is no fear in perfect love, and God's love is perfect for us, in every way. Those who belong to Him, can commit their way to Him and take comfort and rest in him. God is saying, “Be still. Trust me. I’ve got this.”
Psalm 46:1 is a description of God and a wonderful promise based on His character: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” The next verse continues with what should be our natural response: “Therefore we will not fear”. Through it all, we will not fear but trust God.
The world is unstable, but “the city of God”—His habitation—is established and secure (Psalm 46:4–6). No matter what happens in this world, God will be exalted, and those who are His will ultimately be safe (verses 10–11). We can “be still and know” that He is God (verse 10).
He is our strength. God gives us the power we need to endure hardship, as we serve Him, fight spiritual battles, resist temptation, and bear up under persecution. We are weak, but He is strong (2 Corinthians 12:10).
True peace will not come until we are with the Lord in “the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells” (Psalm 46:4). This means that, in this world, we may experience hurt and eventually, we will die. But in the midst of it all, God is working everything out for good (Romans 8:28). For those who belong to God, even the hardships we experience, shall have a good end! We are eternally safe. No matter what happens, trust Him. Even if things don’t seem to turn out as we would like, remember that we are not home yet.
We need not fear. There is no fear in perfect love, and God's love is perfect for us, in every way. Those who belong to Him, can commit their way to Him and take comfort and rest in him. God is saying, “Be still. Trust me. I’ve got this.”
