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Psalm 46 God is our refuge and strength - a present help in trouble.

Well-known hymns inspired by this Psalm.

Familiar opening verse:  God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

3530 years of recorded history, only 286 years saw peace. Moreover, in excess of 8000 peace treaties were made--and broken.

The Bible tells us that there are forces of evil at large.

        We might, as Christians want an easy life, but there is a fight to be fought.

We need a well-defended place of retreat - God is our refuge,

And we need to be empowered for the struggle - God is our strength.

The Psalm goes on to speak of the Lord's power over:         1. Raging nature - natural disasters, 2. Those who attack Jerusalem. 3. The whole warring world.

1. Nature: 2&3: 2 therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

There have always been storms and earthquakes

- but only in recent years have we been warned of things, which could destroy the whole planet. -  Asteroids, greenhouse effect, etc

Now people seriously face the fact that our planet is itself insecure.

An experience of an earthquake.

        When Jesus died - earthquake -

not only is human life temporary but so is nature.

But after death came the beginning of the new creation - resurrection.

          Psalm 102:25-28 25 in the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. 26 they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. 27 but you remain the same, and your years will never end. 28 the children of your servants will      live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you." (niv)

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2.     God's power over those who attack his city - Jerusalem or Zion.

          5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day - when enemies attack.

What do you think of when you hear the name Jerusalem or Zion?

        3 meanings in the Bible and also in our hymn books.

        1. the actual city of Jerusalem.

        2.God's people - citizens of his kingdom throughout the world.

        3. Heavenly Jerusalem - centre of the new heaven and earth.

The actual city of Jerusalem is an amazing sign of the eternal city of God. - Evidence on earth.

Some say it is the oldest continually inhabited city on earth.

Other ancient cities: Ur, Ninevah, and Babylon - just ancient history.

        In spite of all its terrible troubles Jerusalem lives on.

        City of God is eternally secure.

        Other great world cities developed for natural reasons - sea ports (New York) - navigable rivers (London,  Glasgow, Paris.) - or ancient trade routes.

        Jerusalem has none of these natural advantages - not by the sea, not on a river, and not on a trade route.

So why was it chosen? Not chosen by men but by God:

Psalm 132:13-14 13 for the Lord has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling: 14 "this is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it-- (niv)

So you and me.

When God, by his Spirit, draws us to Christ (ie. He makes us spiritual citizens and children of Zion)

- He does so, not because we are clever, or good or strong - by his grace.

Because Jerusalem is significant in God's purposes, target of forces of evil.

Many great empires fought for her

- Assyrian, Egyptian, Babylonian, Greek, Roman, Arab, Crusaders, Tartars, Turks, British, Jordanians etc.

Many times laid waste - her suffering greater than any other city - but she has endured and outlived her much more powerful enemies.

Similarly God's people are continually a target for attack.

20th century - more people have died and are still dying for the name of Christ than in all the other centuries put together. And yet in the countries that are persecuting the Christians today - Christian church is growing at an enormous rate.

They know the meaning of the words: God is our refuge and strength.

It was to Jerusalem that the Son of God came - died and rose again.

 On the basis of that we who have accepted Christ wait for the New Jerusalem that will never be shaken.

Jerusalem has no river.

It does have a spring - Gihon spring - never let it down - Siloam.

 So in the New Jerusalem - river of water of life.

Here in Psalm 46 we read:

          4 there is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the most high dwells.

3.     God is victorious over the warring nations:

        so much of the world seems to be disintegrating.

        vs 6 nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

God's voice brought the world into being - his voice will summon its end!

8 come and see the works of the Lord, the desolation he has brought on the earth. 9 he makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.

Wonderful vision of peace!

 God will make wars to cease.

Now is the time for persuasion as we preach the gospel to all nations

- but at the end of time God will bring peace not by gentle persuasion but by forcibly disarming the warring and cruel nations.

10 "be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

This is God's rebuke to a turbulent and restless world. `Be Still!'.

Noise and rush of life, we cannot think of the things that matter for ever.

But we should.

2000 years ago God in Christ walked among us.

Little foretaste of the final coming of His kingdom.

Raging storm on Lake Galilee.

Disciples afraid that the boat would sink and they would perish.

People today are afraid that this earth will be overwhelmed by storms of nature and warring nations.

But then on lake Galilee the Lord said: "peace, be still" - waves died down - great calm.

 So this Psalm looks to the end of the age and finishes with:

          10 "be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." 11 the Lord almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

For you and me in our turbulent anxieties

-         worrying about our own lives -

-         our failures, disappointments and fears

-         - let us to hear that word from the Lord `be still and....'

Do you give time each day to be still before the Lord?

In the quietness of that time as you humbly look to him he is able to bring you to Christ, the Saviour of all and Prince of peace, who by his blood shed has given himself for our eternal welfare and good.

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