Daily Devotional Monday 31st January 2022
by William Moody
Psalms 46–47
God Is Our Fortress
To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth.1 A Song.
46:1 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present2 help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the chariots with fire.
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 of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
God Is King over All the Earth
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.
47:1 Clap your hands, all peoples!
Shout to God with loud songs of joy!
2 For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared,
a great king over all the earth.
3 He subdued peoples under us,
and nations under our feet.
4 He chose our heritage for us,
the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah
5 God has gone up with a shout,
the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is the King of all the earth;
sing praises with a psalm!3
8 God reigns over the nations;
God sits on his holy throne.
9 The princes of the peoples gather
as the people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
he is highly exalted!Footnotes
[1] 46:1
Probably a musical or liturgical term
[2] 46:1Or well proved
[3] 47:7Hebrew maskil (ESV)
Psalm 46 speaks of hope in a world that is falling apart. God is our refuge and strength (v1) and one we can hope in even as the most secure things in the world crumble around us (v2-3).
The focus moves from this disintegrating world to the city above where God dwells among His people (v4-7). Here in heaven there is total security and the river which brings blessing is the spirit of God (Revelation22). The world can do its worse (v6) but God’s people remain secure.
The wonderful truth is that as soon as a believer embraces Christ they belong to heaven where their souls are secure forever and beyond the reach of evil to destroy (Ephesians 2 v6).
The Psalms encourage to look at the great deeds of the Lord (v8) as He makes wars to cease (v9). One day we will see the reality of this as Christ returns in glory. In the meantime we’re called to be still and focus on God and the glory He deserves (v10).
When this God is for us who can be against us (v11; Romans 8 v31)? In times of concern we need to take time and be still before this glorious, amazing, almighty and loving God.
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