Day 100

Pslam 46: Read here – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2046&version=NASB

—How relevant is this Psalm today!

For the storms of life, it sets forth perfectly the experience of trusting souls in all ages and all tumultuous times, (covid19 included.) Its historical background was the siege of Sennacharib king of Assyria in 722BC. The account of the siege is in Isa 36-38, 2Kings 10-19 & 2Chron 32. As you read it remember Rev 21:2-4 & Rev 22:1-3 when, “no longer will there be any curse.” When the Psalmist likens the upheavals of life to the catastrophes of nature (V:1-3) we can also see the similarity of Paul’s words in Romans 8:31-39. Nothing can separate you from God except your own choice.

 Many of the other psalms begin with a description of the psalmist’s crisis. In Ps46, the poet begins with God’s provision. He looked to God for help in difficult times and found it. He could say these things by experience: The secret of confidence in a crisis is the consciousness of the nearness of God. The psalmist applied the logic of faith. If God is a real refuge, strength, and help to His people, then there is no logical reason to fear – even in the biggest crisis (though the earth be moved).

This defiant tone suggests that it was composed at a time of crisis, which makes the confession of faith doubly impressive.

This was Luther’s Psalm during the massive upheaval of the reformation. Luther, when in greatest distress, would call for this psalm, saying, “Let us sing the forty-sixth psalm in concert; and then let the devil do his worst.” Psalm 46 is a psalm for every kind of trouble.

In v2-3The psalmist considered the most frightening, humbling natural phenomenon imaginable. He then made the reasoned estimation that God was greater than them all, and fear before these in some way robbed God of some of His honour.

‘Selah:’ These great thoughts are worthy of pause and careful thought. If only we could always say ‘selah’ amidst our tempestuous trials, but we too often speak in haste questioning the Almighty and thereby lay our bewildered and trembling hands on the instrument of praise and mar the melody of our life song.