His mind was usually crystal clear, open for impressions, warnings, dangers. His instincts were alive to every change of sunlight or shadow, to every hint of movement.”
–Louis L’Amour (How the West Was Won)
“Terrors overtake him like a flood; A tempest steals him away in the night.”
–Job 27:20 (NKJV)
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Psalm 46 is a psalm of victory, a song of faith in the Lord Who is our fortress and refuge. The psalm is one in which we are simply to stop and look at God. Look at Him and expect Him to do great things. Today, we finish Psalm 46.
8 – Come, see the works of the Lord, who brings devastation on the earth.
9 – He makes wars cease throughout the earth. He shatters bows and cuts spears to pieces; He burns up the chariots.
10 – “Stop your fighting—and know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.”
11 – Yahweh of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah (HCSB)
The first part of the Psalm should leave us trembling, especially those who do not know the Lord. However, even believers should take warning and be in wonder for the Lord will bring “devastation” to this world. That time is nearly upon us. It will be a dreadful day when that takes place. Hurricanes, tornadoes, storms, disease, viruses, will be nothing compared to the devastation of the Lord.
At that time He will make wars to cease. He will finally reign over the earth as the Prince of Peace. Then verse 10 is a very familiar and important verse. I really like the KJV and NKJV and with other versions which puts the first part like this, “Be still and know that I am God”. We get so busy that we don’t take time to see what God is doing. Be still, or as the NASB states, “quit striving.” Quit fighting, quit striving, quit being so caught up with yourself and so busy that you cannot see what the Lord is doing.
Derek Kidner stated, “Resembles the command to another raging sea: ‘Peace be still!’ and the end in view is stated in terms not of man’s hopes but of God’s glory.” We get caught up with our own struggles and fights that we far too often forget to look at the larger picture. Jesus is there to calm our storm, but He is also concerned with the larger storm that worsens and is loosed upon humanity.
“Be still, my soul:
Thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways
Leads to a joyful end.”
–Katharina von Schlegel
He continues to remind us that He is there with us. He is there in our struggles. He is there in the midst of the calamity and the terror that may come our way. He is there in the hidden spiritual fight. No matter what He is with us. One other note, “Yahweh of Hosts”, or the “LORD Almighty” as in some versions means the “Commander of the Armies of Heaven.” He is the supreme commander-in-chief of the universe, and that includes those in the spiritual realm.