Psalm 46

Psalm 46

Choose To Trust God

I. Whatever our circumstances, we must choose to trust God, because He’s everything we need; He’s our only refuge and strength (Vv. 1-3)

a. God is our only true refuge and strength, whether He shields us from calamity or sees us through it. The psalmist describes a natural disaster, including a massive earthquake that shakes the whole earth and brings down mountains. Everyone will have the foundations of their lives shaken to the core, but even those events which are out of our control, aren’t beyond God’s control. He is always with us and is always everything we need. We must choose to trust Him, take refuge in Him, and depend on Him for strength at all times. He doesn’t always insulate us from difficulties, because He wants us to grow in Him and trust in Him, in order that we glorify Him and reveal Him to the world. He will be our faithful refuge, to hide us in our fear when we need to be hidden, but ultimately, He will strengthen us to face life’s challenges for our growth and His glory. (Vv. 1-3; Ps. 71:7; 91:7-10; Isa. 54:10; Josh. 1:9; Rom. 8:18-28; 2 Cor. 4:16-18; Heb. 4:14-16)

b. Even as followers of Christ, we build up walls to hide behind and wrongly choose to acquire our security in the wrong sources. We choose to find our security in life in any and everything but God, who alone is everything we need. We must get to know God through His Word and His faithful revelation in Christ. We must constantly evaluate our lives and honestly assess who we’re choosing to trust at all times, so we’ll choose correctly in times of trial, difficulty, uncertainty, and fear. (Ps. 119:70-80, 103-111; Prov. 3:5-8; Heb. 2:17-18)

II. Whatever our circumstances, we must choose to trust God, because He’s everything we need; He’s our only source of life and hope (Vv. 4-7)

a. Now the picture changes to God’s life-giving water which sustains His people. Only Christ provides us with living water, which quenches our spiritual thirst eternally. Water speaks of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, who indwells us through new life in Christ, and gives us a firm foundation and guidance through the very presence of God, in all circumstances. (Vv. 4-7; John 4:13-14; 7:37-39; Lam. 3:20-25; Ezek. 47:1-12; Zech. 14:8; Heb. 11:9-10; Rev. 22:1-6)

b. God alone, through His great grace, gives life and hope that springs eternal only through Christ. Those who live in the world without Christ are like those besieged in a city with no water supply, death slowly creeps in and overtakes them. As their world grows darker, they respond in fear, panic, bitterness, apathy, and indifference. We aren’t strong enough to overcome the world, but our deficiencies make room for the all-sufficiency of God. God’s strength is perfected in our weakness and the lifeless and hopeless world is blessed by the power of God’s Holy Spirit working in and through us. There is no escaping the reach of trial and difficulty in this world, but God is faithful, and we must choose to seek His strength and refuge at all times, because He’s everything we need. (Ps. 91:9-10; Isa. 7:14; 8:1-10; John 3:16-21, 36; 14:27; 16:33; Rom. 3:23; 6:23; 5:1-5; 2 Cor. 12:7-10; Eph. 2:8-9, 12)

III. Whatever our circumstances, we must choose to trust God, because He’s everything we need; He’s our only source of victory and peace (Vv. 8-11)

a. God alone is the conqueror who will bring peace and victory. We can trust confidently in Him as the commander of the heavenly hosts who has already won the victory over sin and death. We can trust humbly and amazingly in Him to be our strength, refuge, perfection, and victory, even in our sinful imperfection. We must choose to trust Him and His victory at all times and over all things, especially the unseen. (Vv. 8-9; Ps. 2:8-9; Rom. 8:31-39; 1 Cor. 15:54-58; 2 Cor. 6:1-10; 10:3-5; Eph. 6:10-18)

b. “Cease striving and know that I am God” is a call to surrender and lay down our arms, acknowledge that God has won the victory over His enemies for His glory, and is everything we need. It’s a call to choose to stop fighting and struggling and enjoy the only peace possible in life, a living relationship with Jesus Christ. We can have this peace, even in seasons of difficulty and uncertainty, only if we trust completely in Christ’s victory. We can rest quietly in God, trusting in His amazing grace and not our works or righteousness, because He is the God of the deceiver, conniver, schemer, supplanter, and sinner who trusts in Him. We have victory and peace in life by choosing to submit to and trust in who God is, the certainty of His plan for us, and His glory in the world. Then no matter what we face, we grow in certainty that God is everything we need! (Vv. 10-11; Ps. 2:1-4, 11-12; 110:1-2; Isa. 9:6-7; Acts 4:12; Rom. 9:10-13; 5:8; Eph. 1:18-23; Phil. 2:9-11; 4:6-7)