Psalm 46 – A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
We have noted already the preponderance of lament psalms in the Psalter. More than a third of the Psalter’s 150 poems are laments (complaints), all written within a certain structure that we have noted and studied.
But sometimes, in the midst of lamenting and complaining, in the midst of shaking your fist at G-d, you have a day where you recognize the power and might of the G-d we serve. You wake up, the sun is shining, it’s not too humid out, the coffee is especially comforting, there is peace amidst chaos … and you step back from the daily grind and remember “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.” (v. 1) He is in control. He is Sovereign. He is with us. Life is GOOD!
Psalm 46 is a psalm for those times when you feel especially cognizant of His power and presence in your life. This one is classified as a “Zion Psalm” because the presence of G-d (the face of G-d) in the midst of His people is best articulated by His dwelling place on the holy hill, which is Mt. Zion in Jerusalem: “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.” (v. 4) Some of you have been there! I would love to take the rest of you there to experience that holy place!
You will note the psalm progresses from G-d’s transcendent power over His Creation to militaristic language describing His power and might over the nations. These stanzas are punctuated by a refrain: “The LORD Almighty is with us; the G-d of Jacob is our fortress.” (v. 7 and 11) This refrain inspired Martin Luther to write the famous hymn “A Mighty Fortress is our God.”
The psalm’s declarations about G-d’s power reach a crescendo at verse 10, and the psalmist, quoting G-d, demands on G-d’s behalf, “Be still, and know that I am God.” This is a famous verse often taken out of context. The command is not directed at the faith community. No, G-d’s imperative is actually directed to the those making war against Israel and to those who are rejecting the reality of G-d’s power and transcendence. The command is much stronger than “to be still,” which implies a sort of meditative and passive pause. A better translation, one which many commentators and some translations have adopted is “desist” or “stop” or “yield” or “let go” or “submit” and “know that I am God.”
And that’s the exhortation for today: stop resisting G-d’s presence and power in your life; He is with you; He is for you (even in your times of pain and suffering); submit to G-d Most High, the Creator of heaven and earth.
Shalom שָׁלוֹם
DWach
