Psalm 46 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 46 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Verse 2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
Verse 3though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah
Verse 4There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
Verse 5God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns.
Verse 6The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
Verse 7The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
Verse 8Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
Verse 9He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
Verse 10"Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth."
Verse 11The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
Devotion
Tumult, division, and war! These are frightening realities. Just read the newspaper or turn on the evening news and your mind will be filled with it. Throughout the world and at home, it sometimes seems there is no peace anywhere. Many people, even those most involved in the work of helping others, grow discouraged and afraid.
But this situation is not new — it is common to every age. The psalmist in his day also experienced these harsh realities. How did he overcome his fears and find remedy? He took comfort in God's promises to help in the present moment and in the future. Because of confidence that God is ultimately in charge and "makes wars cease to the end of the earth," the psalmist is able to find a way into a stillness of the soul. The night of our anxiety is sometimes long. When that time comes, remember the promise that God will help at the break of day.
Prayer
Oh, God, when the night is long and our fears threaten to overcome us, grant us the peace that passes understanding, the peace of knowing that our hope is in you, the one who loves and saves us. Amen.