Psalm chapter 46 in your pew Bibles, that's on 471. Before we read God's word, let's go to Him in prayer. Let's ask for His help. Gracious and almighty God, triune Father, Son, Holy Ghost, Lord, we give You thanks for this day that we can come together Brothers and sisters in Christ and united with one voice, with one common spirit, lift up to you not only morning but evening sacrifices. Lord, we do pray that the sacrifice of our praise and worship would be one pleasing and acceptable, Lord, that it would bring a rich aroma before you which satisfies you, Lord. Father, we ask now as we come to Your Word, as we hear it read and preached, Father, we pray that You would do what You have promised in Your Word that You would do. Lord, that when Your Word goes forth, that it would this evening in this place accomplish every purpose for which You have purposed it. God, that it would not return to You void or empty. Lord, we pray that You would work all things we do here this evening especially the preaching of your word, God, to your glory, the growth of your kingdom, and the good of your people. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. Psalm chapter 46. Let's hear now, church, God's authoritative word. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her. She shall not be moved. God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage. The kingdoms totter. He utters His voice. The earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. Come, behold the works of the Lord, how He has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear. He burns the chariots with fire. Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. The grass withers and the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever. Amen. Tonight, we're considering the 46th Psalm, the Psalm which many have referred to as the battle hymn of the Reformation. This is, of course, the Psalm which was the inspiration for Martin Luther's great hymn, A Mighty Fortress is Our God. Here today in the Bible, we will see three pictures that the psalmist, inspired by the Holy Spirit, paints for us. In verses 1 through 3, we'll see a picture of a world turned upside down. In verses 4 through 6, of a city under siege. And in 7 through 11, of the earth laid desolate. In all three, in all three pictures, the main point is that we as Christians, as God's people, should not be afraid. We shouldn't be worried. We shouldn't be stressed or sleepless or anxious, but rather confident. joyful, and trusting in the Lord, our God. And so again, our three points this evening, be sure, be secure, and be still. Be sure, be secure, and be still. First, let us see in verses one through three that we should be sure. We should be sure even in the world all around us is turned upside down. Look with me again at Psalm 46, verses one through three. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Here, church, the psalmist begins with something that sounds like a scene out of a Michael Bay film. He writes of cataclysmic earthquakes, earthquakes so bad the mountains are falling into the very waters of the sea. He writes of those chaotic waves, stormy waters, tumultuous seas, rising so high as to make the very tips of the mountains afraid. It brings to mind a tsunami, waves so high they threaten the peaks of the mountains. In many ways, it's actually Genesis chapter one reversed. It's a picture of the world being uncreated, unmade. In Genesis one, God there brought order to chaos. He separated the land from the water and clearly set boundaries. But now the psalmist pictures that separation being done away with. and being done away with in a most terrifying way. The whole world is being turned upside down and shaken at its core. Every time I read Psalm 46, it reminds me of that movie 2012. Maybe some of you saw that movie. It came out all the way back in 2009. It was about the apocalypse, the end of the world. There was a few years there where I feel like we had an apocalypse movie every six to seven months coming out, and they all kind of blur together. But if you recall that movie 2012 there, supposedly the Mayans had predicted the end of the world as taking place in 2012, and the movie had scenes of tsunamis so large they were toppling skyscrapers, of earthquakes so severe that entire cities like Los Angeles were being swallowed up. Well, to an extent, that's a little bit, it seems, of what the psalmist is picturing here. And he's saying that even when that sort of thing is happening, even when the whole world around us seems to be falling apart, we as God's people can be sure. and not afraid. Now, how is that possible? How can everything all around you be falling apart and giving away, and yet you remain confident without fear? How is such a thing possible? The psalmist tells us it has nothing to do at the end of the day with you or with me. It all has to do with who God is. He is our refuge. He is our strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, always when you see that word, what is the therefore? Therefore, he tells us, therefore we will not fear. Why? Because of who God is. He tells us first here that God is our refuge. That means he's our defense. He's our shelter. He is the one that makes us secure. And don't miss here that the text tells us that God himself is our refuge. It doesn't say He provides you with refuge, but that He Himself is our refuge. We take refuge in the Lord Himself. He is our refuge. He is our shelter. He is our defense. And the psalmist isn't done. No, it's still here in our first point. He goes on to tell us that God is also our strength. This means that God is not only our defense, He's also our offense. He makes us secure. And don't miss it here. Don't don't miss it here. The psalmist isn't saying that God gives us inner strength, though to an extent, of course, that is true. Now here, the point is not that God makes us strong, but that God is strong for us. God is our strength. God is the one who is strong even when we are weak. If there were any doubt as to that being the point, remember the picture the psalmist just painted. The whole world has been turned topsy-turvy. It's a full-blown apocalypse being pictured here. And when mountains are giving way into the ocean, when tidal waves are crushing peaks, it doesn't matter how strong you are. When mountains are falling and waves are crushing towers, your bench press numbers aren't going to make a difference. You won't be strong enough, but God is and God will be and he will be for you. God is strong when we are weak and he is strong for us, even when there's no way that we can face our current circumstances. Not only is he our refuge, not only is he our strength, but also see here in our first point that the text says he's a very present help in trouble. This church speaks of God's nearness, his exceeding closeness to us, especially when times are hard. Now, of course, God is omnipresent. Even as our children know from the children's catechism, where is God? You'll hear the kiddos say, God is everywhere. Of course, absolutely. But the psalmist is going beyond that here. He's telling us that while, yes, God is omnipresent, he's especially near to his people in times of trouble. He makes Himself especially close to you when the world is turned upside down. Sometimes people act funny about someone praying that God would be with us or close to us. But I want you to see that that is a perfectly biblical and good thing to pray. Yes, God is omnipresent, but He's especially near at times, especially in times of trouble. It's no different than how, of course, I as a father, there's a sense, of course, in which I'm always there for my children. But when my four-year-old, Sammy, a few months back, he came running into our room at 2 a.m., crying about a giant spider. And I said, how big, buddy? And he said, this big. this big, a spider this big is in my room. Of course, it was just a nightmare. I took the blame for it. I've been reading The Hobbit to my children, the illustrated version, no less. And we had just the night before, I mean, that night as they went to bed, read that scene where they're in the woods and the giant spiders come out and I get really into it and do the voices and, you know, really try to get them into it. And so he comes in, he's terrified, he's pictured some giant, monstrous spider in his bed. And so when he comes in and he asks me to come in there, of course I answer my son's request. I went and I went speedily. I went immediately. And I showed him nothing was in his bed. And I laid down beside him to comfort him. Church, our Heavenly Father loves us no less. Of course, He's always there. But like any good dad, He's especially close when we're afraid. He's especially near in times of trouble. He is a very present help in trouble. And so we should be sure, be sure even when the world is turned upside down. But secondly, secondly this evening, let's see here that we should be secure, that we should be secure when the city is under siege. Look with me at Psalm 46 verses four through seven. There we're told, that there is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitations of the Most High. God is in the midst of her. She shall not be moved. God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter. He utters his voice and the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. Now, here the psalmist gives us two seemingly contradictory scenes, at least at first glance. In verses 4 through 5, a scene of a serene, idyllic city. And yet in verses 6 through 7, it's a city at war, a city under siege. Verses 4 through 5, we're told first of this beautiful, idyllic city. It's the city of God, of course. Here, the Most High himself habitats. This is where God lives. And what greater city could you ask for? And then in verses six through seven, we're told it's the very same city, but that enemies have surrounded her. And so it's a picture that seems a little contradictory. It's a city under siege and yet a city secure. How can you have both? The city is surrounded by her enemies, but the city is going to hold. She's not going to even be moved even a little bit. The walls will not fall. That's because God is with her. He's in her midst. God will help her. Remember, He is her refuge. He is her strength. He is her very present help in trouble. And the Lord isn't going to tarry. He's going to help her soon. The text says God will help her when morning dawns. If I can be allowed two Tolkien references in one evening, I try to not make a habit of it, but you'll have to give me this. It reminds me of the battle of Helm's Deep in the Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers. They've fought all night, and though they've fought valiantly, bravely, they are simply ridiculously outnumbered. There's too many of the enemy, there's too many orcs, it looks grim. It seems like surely in any moment they're going to sack the city and kill everybody inside. And then there, right at the last moment, right as the sun is starting to peak over the horizon, one comes over the top of the hill. And it's Gandalf, robed in white. And then they remember what he had said. Look to my coming at the first light of the fifth day. On dawn, look to the east. And from that moment, the battle completely turns, completely changes. The heroes not only win, they crush the enemy. They win a decisive and lasting victory. And the psalmist, to some extent, is painting a similar picture. Actually, in fact, I think it would be more accurate to say that Tolkien was attempting to paint a similar picture to Psalm 46. Things can often look pretty grim at night. but then the morning dawns. Brothers and sisters, know that no matter how dark things get in the night, morning will come and God will help us and not just help us survive, but help us win and crush his and our enemies. He'll not only win, but he will win an easy and a decisive victory over all his and our enemies. Look at what Psalm 46, six says after all. Look with me at the text. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter. Is the Lord up in heaven wringing his hands? Oh no, what will we do? No, he utters his voice and the earth melts. Effortless. effortless. God simply speaks. God speaks the rebellious heathens into oblivion. With the same power that he spoke the cosmos into existence, God will speak all his and our enemies into destruction. As Luther wrote in the third stanza of that great hymn, and though this world with devils filled should threaten to undo us, we will not fear for God hath willed his truth to triumph through us. The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him. His rage we can endure. How, how Luther? How can we endure his rage? How on earth is this possible that we wouldn't be afraid of not just demons, but the devil himself? Of all the heathen nations in the world standing against his church? Stanza four, that word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them abideth. Church, not only will God win, but he will win an easy. a decisive victory over all his and our enemies. He simply speaks. He speaks the rebellious into oblivion. It should be no surprise then that this psalm was the battle hymn of the Reformation. When times got rough, Martin Luther would say to his student, Philip Melanchthon, come Philip, let us sing the 46th. Luther was onto something here. This is a psalm worth memorizing. This is a psalm worth turning to regularly. This is a psalm worth singing. I hope you brothers and sisters sing the psalms regularly. You should. This is a psalm worth singing. It's a psalm worth praying. And he continues into verse seven and says, The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. And here we get yet another meditation from the psalmist on God and who he is. And here the psalmist reminds us of four truths about God. For you diligent note takers, I see many of you writing. These are all under our second point. Four truths about God here under our second point. We'll go through them quickly. First, He is the God of armies. Jehovah savah. It reminds me of when Elisha and his servant were surrounded on all sides. The servant goes and he sees them all around them and comes back and he's terrified. And he asked Elisha, what shall we do? Fair question, honestly. Valid question, what are we gonna do, Elisha? And Elisha says, those who are with us are more than those who are against us or with them. At that moment, the servant's eyes are opened to the reality at play, and he sees as though through the veil for a moment, and he sees the hills all around them filled with horses and chariots of fire. God's heavenly hosts of angels are with them. God is the God of armies, Jehovah-Savah. And not only that, but we're told that He's with us. He has countless hosts of armies of angels that will defend and protect His people, His city. He's on our side. He's our King. We His people. Even better, He our Father and we His children. Then we're told He's the God of Jacob. that He's the covenant-making, covenant-keeping God, the God of our fathers and our fathers before them. He has pledged His faithfulness to His people, and He is a God who keeps His word. He is not a man that He should lie. And then finally, we're reminded again that He is God, our fortress. Unlike the walls of Troy, these shall never be breached. A mighty fortress is our God. a bulwark never failing. And so, church, we should be sure, sure when the world is turned upside down. We should be secure, secure even when the city be under siege. And third and lastly, we should be still. We should be still even when the earth is laid desolate. Look with me at what the psalmist proclaims in verses 8 through 11. Psalm 46, verses 8 through 11. Come, behold the works of the Lord, how He has brought desolations upon the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear. He burns the chariots with fire. Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress." This is the final picture, and it's a future picture, and it's a victorious picture. Verses 8 through 11 serve and function almost like a mini-revelation. The main point here is the main point of the whole book of Revelation, and spoiler alert, it's the whole point of the entire Bible. Christ wins. Christ wins, and therefore we win. God is victorious, and therefore we are victorious. God's enemies are absolutely desolated, and therefore, church, our enemies are absolutely desolated. God will reign. And you guessed it, therefore we will reign with Him. This is why the Reformers had an eschatology of victory. Sadly, too many modern Christians have an eschatology of defeat. They think and oftentimes as a result act as though things are just going to get worse and worse and worse until the end. Maybe we're just going to sort of barely scrape by as the church until the end. It's an eschatology influenced more by books like Left Behind than the Word of God. Because if you look here at Psalm 46, or really any of the Psalms, consider Psalm 2. Consider Psalm 110. That's why we should read the Psalms. That's why we should sing them. The main point here is the main point of the whole book of Revelation. Christ wins, therefore we win. God is victorious, therefore we too are victorious. His enemy is desolated, therefore our enemy is desolated. He reigns, therefore we reign. Psalm 46, verses eight through 11, gives us a picture of the battlefield after war. It gives us a picture of the aftermath of God's devastating destruction of His and our enemies. Verse nine, He makes war cease to the end of the earth. He makes war cease, church, not by negotiations, but by desolations, by obliterations. Verse 10, so often taken out of context, it doesn't say what you think it says. Be still and know that I am God. This doesn't say what Hobby Lobby thinks it says when they etch it onto pillowcases. This is a call to repentance. This is God saying, I'm warning you. Look, look ahead and know that I will not hesitate to do to all of my enemies and all of the enemies of my people, the church, I will utterly destroy you. I will destroy you. I will obliterate you. Be scared. Be scared enough to be still and stop. Repent of your striving against God and His church. Repent. Stop. Cease. That's what the text is saying. Be still of your strivings against Me, the Lord is saying. Be still of your strivings against His people. Know that I am the King and I will reign and I will destroy all mine and my people's enemies. That's what that verse, be still and know that I am God, is saying. Each of us here today should heed this warning. Be still, brothers and sisters, and know that He is God. Know that He reigns right now. Right now, He reigns in victory. And that He will come in terrifying judgment one day upon His enemies. Be still and know. Be still and know that even the smallest of our sins are cosmic treason against His crown and covenant. Stop, put them to death, and rejoice. Rejoice. How can you read a psalm like this and not rejoice? Rejoice, Christian, knowing that He reigns, and He will reign, and not just in our hearts, not just spiritually, not just in the church, but over every nation, over all the earth, over every corner, over every name. Rejoice, knowing that the Lord of armies is with us. Rejoice. Rejoice in victory, brothers and sisters. Let's pray. Almighty, sovereign, victorious God, we give You thanks. Thanks, Lord, that You reign right now. Right now, You are seated upon Your throne, ruling, reigning, sovereignly, controlling all to Your glory, the growth of Your kingdom, Your people's good. Father, You turn even the hearts of wicked kings in Your hand as easily as You do a stream of water. You're not worried about the outcome. There is no plan B. Father, You are in charge, working, directing, guiding every aspect, every ounce, every decision of human history to Your victory. to Your glory, to the growth, the expansion of Your kingdom. Father, help us. Help us as we go forth into a new week in our homes, in our schools, in our places of employment, in our communities, to walk, to speak, to think, to act as Christians aware of this victory. Father, help us to go forth in confidence as we proclaim the gospel, as we make disciples, As we love our spouses and raise up our children, help us to do so as Christians, Christians knowing the end, knowing your victory, knowing your reign, knowing your authoritative power. Father, we pray all this for your glory, all this for the growth, the expansion, the dominion-taking of your kingdom. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. Let's take our hymnals, church. Let's turn together to hymn number 691. Hymn 691.