Scripture is abundantly clear that the life of faith will never be a trouble-free existence. Far from it.
God is the God of promises, and one of his promises is that we will experience many hardships in this life.
Yes, a stressful life is something God has guaranteed for us. “Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7). Jesus himself predicted that “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33).
Even though God has made it clear that our lives will be filled with suffering, when it comes, our response can be one of surprise, anger, frustration, and despair. “Why me, Lord? What did I do to deserve this? This is not fair.”
What do you do when faced with a difficult situation? The question isn’t whether we will face turmoil, but what will be our response. How will we handle it? Can we be thankful and even joyful in the heat of battle, or will we be bitter, resentful, and mad at our Maker?
Psalm 46 offers a solution to the pain that is sure to come. Verse one begins with some of the most hope-filled words in the Bible: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (v. 1). For centuries the people of God have turned to these words for comfort in times of calamity.
According to Psalm 46:1, the antidote to the certainty of hardship is the presence of God. The psalmist describes God as our refuge, our strength, and our ever-present help in trouble. The never-failing presence of God is a recurring theme in this psalm, for the psalmist refers to it by repeating these words in verses 7 and 11: “The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”
What is a refuge? It is a shelter, a place to go during a storm to find protection from danger. This word is used often in the book of Psalms, and its frequent use helps us to better understand its meaning.
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
(Psalm 9:9)
For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.
(Psalm 61:3)
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
(Psalm 91:2).
I cry to you, Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”
(Psalm 142:5)
When facing the storms of life, the primary issue is not so much the type of storm or how long it will last, but where we go during the storm. God wants us to know that he is always there for us in the pain – to be our stronghold, strong tower, fortress, and portion. He wants to be the place to which we go – before, during, and after the trial.
It is relatively easy to trust God when things are going well. The test of true faith is whether we continue to trust him when the tide turns against us. This is the message of Psalm 46. Is God your refuge and strength, your ever-present help in trouble? I pray that he is for me, and I pray that he is for you.
Questions for Further Study, Reflection, and Discussion
- Jesus predicted, even promised, that “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). Yet when trouble comes our way, we are often surprised, disappointed, frustrated, and even mad. Why is that?
- This psalm is filled with several descriptions of trouble. Make a list of all the specific references to trouble in this psalm. How many of these “troubles” do you see in our world today? What form do they take? In terms of current events, what do they look like?
- Verse 2 mentions a common response to trouble: fear. Why are we so prone to fear? What causes you to fear? And why?
- Verse 2 makes the bold statement that in the midst of trouble, “we will not fear.” How can the psalmist say that? What is the psalmist’s antidote for fear? In your own words, how would the psalmist finish this sentence: “We will not fear because ______________________________.” (Go ahead and fill in the blank.)
- This psalm is filled with descriptions of God. Make a list of all the words and phrases used in this psalm to describe God: both what He is and what He does.
- Which of your answers to Question 5 is most meaningful and precious to you lately? And why?
- This psalm is filled with the voice of God. In verse 10, when God speaks, what does he say? What two commands are found in verse 10? Specifically, what do you do to put these two commands into practice? When you obey these instructions, what does it look like? When trouble and fear dominate us, what role should listening to God play in our lives?
- This psalm is filled with the presence of God. What verse is repeated twice? Make a list of all the words and phrases used to describe God’s presence with his people. What can you do to cultivate a greater awareness of the presence of God?
- This psalm is filled with the praise of God. What phrase is repeated in verse 10? Take time now to write out a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God for all that this psalm teaches us about him: who he is, what he does, what he says, and how he is with us always.
NOTE: The above content is an excerpt from Wayne’s book How to Pray Like David, Volume 2 (A Bible Study on Psalms 42-72), available on Amazon in Kindle or paperback here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJMG8S1F
For a free PDF of this book, visit https://payhip.com/GodWroteTheBook
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