Showing posts with label Psalm 46. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Psalm 46. Show all posts
Monday, September 1, 2025
Psalm Meditation 1316
¶Proper 19
¶September 7, 2025
¶Psalm 46
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2046&version=NRSVUE
¶In these days of uncertainty and upheaval it is easy to lose hop by losing focus on what is going right. Folks with whom we disagree on politics, religion, or other big topics can talk about the weather, families, mutual friends, and past shared experience. We can see that we continue to have a meaningful connection to each other despite important differences in thinking, and acting. According to some, remembering our connections then makes it easier to talk about our disagreements without losing our friendship.
¶Uncertainty is a harbinger of change, and most of us don’t like change that we did not have a part in planning. The psalmist reminds us that we can weather change because God is with us as a refuge and strength. While not everyone believes the same things I do about God, I believe that God is with each one of us providing refuge and strength, without concern for out beliefs. That is because it is the nature of God to be present rather than being present only with those who believe.
¶To those who comment on the number of problems for which followers of God have been responsible, the psalmists points out the number of desolations God has brought upon the earth; wars cease, weapons of war are broken, shields are burned to nothing. Any who perpetuate these things are not of God, despite protestations to the contrary. ““Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations; I am exalted in the earth.”
¶September 1, 2025
¶LCM
Monday, April 17, 2023
Psalm Meditation 1192
¶Third Sunday of Easter
¶April 23, 2023
¶Psalm 46
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+46&version=NRSVUE
(NRSV)
¶There are times in which I am overwhelmed with fear for all that is going on around me. When that happens I am grateful for the folks who can calm me by their example of trust in God. When I am able to be that calming presence people tell me how glad they are that I was with them in their time of trial. Whether on the giving or receiving end it is good to know that someone can lead others to remember that God is a place of, to use the alternate translation, “refuge and strength, a well proved help in trouble.“
¶Because we are human, with our foibles and frailties, we can’t always be the one to remain calm in crisis. We each have our fears that make us nearly useless in the face of them. It is good that God has made us in such a way that most of us enjoy the company of others. When one falters, another can buoy up the group until such time that it falls to another to be the one to hold us in the presence of God. We each in turn lead the way as we make our way ever closer to, “the holy habitation of the Most High.”
¶If I believe that I am the only one who can be in the lead, I am bound to fail, as is any one of us who believes the same thing. Sometimes the best gift we can give another is to admit our weakness and depend on the strength they may or may not know they have to lead us forward. While we may often need a loud and forceful person in the lead, the psalmist reminds us that just as often we need to, “Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations; I am exalted in the earth.”
¶April 17, 2023
¶LCM
Tuesday, August 17, 2021
Psalm Meditation 1105
Proper 16
August 22, 2021
Psalm 46
1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns.
6 The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
(NRSV)
There are situations in which it is impossible to be still. There are times of great joy that need to be shouted from the rooftops, there are times of sadness that need to be wailed from the depths of our souls, there are times of rage that need to be raged wherever we are. These are but a few of the triumphs and traumas that are not meant to be held in or suffered in silence. These are not the times, places, situations in which we are to “Be still, and know that I am God!”
After we have expressed our joy, sadness, or rage, when we are sitting exhausted from the height and depth of our emotion, we can experience the presence of God in the stillness. When we sense that God is with us in the stillness, we can trace that presence back into our emotional experience as well. We can see, we can know that God is no stranger to heights and depth of emotion, that God is with us no matter what. From the stillness we learn that YHWH, the Lord, is with us in every time and place as a refuge.
God as our refuge is not a hiding place, tempting as it can be to hide from the world in God. God is a refuge who calls us into the world secure in the knowledge that we are not alone, that we are never abandoned, that we have gifts to give to and receive from the world in which we live. Even as nations are in an uproar and realms totter, God is with us, inviting us to “Be still, and know that I am God!”
August 16, 2021
LCM
Monday, December 3, 2018
Psalm Meditation 964
Second Sunday of Advent
December 9, 2018
Psalm 46
1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns.
6 The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the LORD; see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.”
11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
(NRSV)
“Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.” Some days the most important part of this verse is the reminder to be still. We can get so agitated, inside and out, by all that needs to be done that we lose track of God. Even when, especially when, what we are doing has great value to us and those around us, it is important to stop from time to time, take a deep breath, and know that we are in the presence of God. By taking a moment to be still we realize that God is with us and we gain a wider perspective on our lives.
Waters will continue to roar, nations will continue to totter, and wars will continue to rage around us. We will be impacted by these events directly and indirectly. We will know people who are in the way of devastating events. Some of us will know people who are responsible for the terrors that surround us. We can get caught up in the seriousness of all that is going on and feel the hope drain out of us as things spiral down and all seems lost. We may begin to wonder where God is in the midst of these trials. Is God cause or cure of the hardships of life?
Being still and knowing that YHWH is God gives us a long perspective. In the midst of all the suffering, we see God as a refuge from rather than the cause of all the devastation around us. In both life and death God will be with us in a way that is impossible for anyone or anything else. God will stand with us when we are able to stand up to, ‘the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.’ God will sit with us when our energy has faded and we are overwhelmed by the tiniest thing. “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”
December 3, 2018
LCM
Second Sunday of Advent
December 9, 2018
Psalm 46
1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns.
6 The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the LORD; see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.”
11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
(NRSV)
“Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.” Some days the most important part of this verse is the reminder to be still. We can get so agitated, inside and out, by all that needs to be done that we lose track of God. Even when, especially when, what we are doing has great value to us and those around us, it is important to stop from time to time, take a deep breath, and know that we are in the presence of God. By taking a moment to be still we realize that God is with us and we gain a wider perspective on our lives.
Waters will continue to roar, nations will continue to totter, and wars will continue to rage around us. We will be impacted by these events directly and indirectly. We will know people who are in the way of devastating events. Some of us will know people who are responsible for the terrors that surround us. We can get caught up in the seriousness of all that is going on and feel the hope drain out of us as things spiral down and all seems lost. We may begin to wonder where God is in the midst of these trials. Is God cause or cure of the hardships of life?
Being still and knowing that YHWH is God gives us a long perspective. In the midst of all the suffering, we see God as a refuge from rather than the cause of all the devastation around us. In both life and death God will be with us in a way that is impossible for anyone or anything else. God will stand with us when we are able to stand up to, ‘the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.’ God will sit with us when our energy has faded and we are overwhelmed by the tiniest thing. “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”
December 3, 2018
LCM
Monday, January 6, 2014
Psalm Meditation 708
First Sunday After Epiphany
January 12, 2014
Psalm 46
46
1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns.
6 The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the LORD; see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.”
11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
(NRSV)
At some point we each make a New Year’s resolution or two. And the next year we make the same resolution with the resolve that we will do it better and longer than we did the year before. If only we are tougher with ourselves and pushed longer and harder, we will actually accomplish what we set out to do. I imagine there are folks who can actually live out their resolutions, the rest of us are doomed to years of frustration until we give up making resolutions altogether. Many of us do that in our religious life as well. If only we try harder we can keep from sinning as we have in the past. And it never works.
It isn’t until we realize that God is our refuge and strength that we are able to make progress and move forward. Like any other accountability partner it is not God who makes the changes or does the work for us. We still have to do the work ourselves. Knowing that God is with us, offering us a safe environment for change and the strength to do, makes a lot of difference. From the vantage point of the presence of God many of the challenges that lie before us seem less intimidating. The presence of God is not magic, we still have to make the effort to grow and change. The presence of God is loving and supporting, calling us to move forward rather than to fall back into previous practices and habits.
Sometimes all we need to do is be still and know that God is with us, that God chooses to be with us. Knowing that someone loves us as we are, encourages us to grow in good and helpful ways makes a great deal of difference in how we live our lives. When all around us is unsettled we look to God who continues to stand firm in the face of all that comes our way. Take comfort in God and in the people who dwell in the presence of God.
January 6, 2014
First Sunday After Epiphany
January 12, 2014
Psalm 46
46
1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns.
6 The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the LORD; see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.”
11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
(NRSV)
At some point we each make a New Year’s resolution or two. And the next year we make the same resolution with the resolve that we will do it better and longer than we did the year before. If only we are tougher with ourselves and pushed longer and harder, we will actually accomplish what we set out to do. I imagine there are folks who can actually live out their resolutions, the rest of us are doomed to years of frustration until we give up making resolutions altogether. Many of us do that in our religious life as well. If only we try harder we can keep from sinning as we have in the past. And it never works.
It isn’t until we realize that God is our refuge and strength that we are able to make progress and move forward. Like any other accountability partner it is not God who makes the changes or does the work for us. We still have to do the work ourselves. Knowing that God is with us, offering us a safe environment for change and the strength to do, makes a lot of difference. From the vantage point of the presence of God many of the challenges that lie before us seem less intimidating. The presence of God is not magic, we still have to make the effort to grow and change. The presence of God is loving and supporting, calling us to move forward rather than to fall back into previous practices and habits.
Sometimes all we need to do is be still and know that God is with us, that God chooses to be with us. Knowing that someone loves us as we are, encourages us to grow in good and helpful ways makes a great deal of difference in how we live our lives. When all around us is unsettled we look to God who continues to stand firm in the face of all that comes our way. Take comfort in God and in the people who dwell in the presence of God.
January 6, 2014
Monday, February 6, 2012
Psalm Meditation 608
Sixth Sunday after Epiphany
February 12, 2012
Psalm 46
1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. (Selah)
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns.
6 The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. (Selah)
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
10 "Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth."
11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. (Selah) (NRSV)
When we are honest, most of us will admit to having a safe place, that place we go when the world seems to be crashing in on us. It can be a blanket fort, a place with more secure walls, and it can be a place in head or heart where we go to feel safe from the real and imagine cares and concerns of the world as we know it. It can also be the company of a person, whose love and care offers us shelter from the storms of life. The psalmist reminds us that God is one of those who offers a respite from all that the world presses on us.
It is possible that in God’s presence we may find new proddings to act in one direction or another, however the proddings from God seem to be infused with a different texture than the cares of the world. God seems to poke and prod with a concern for us that seems missing from the cares of the world. Whether we are prodded or held we feel the comfort and safety of being in the presence of God.
From an awareness of God as a source of refuge and strength we also hear the psalmist inviting us to hear God say, "Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth." As we are able to be still, to allow ourselves to trust God with our lives for a brief, shining moment, we will discover that many of our worries and concerns have no power over us. As we offer our lives to God in trust we discover that God is a refuge in all times and places of our lives in community with the people of God.
© February 6, 2012
Sixth Sunday after Epiphany
February 12, 2012
Psalm 46
1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. (Selah)
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns.
6 The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. (Selah)
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
10 "Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth."
11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. (Selah) (NRSV)
When we are honest, most of us will admit to having a safe place, that place we go when the world seems to be crashing in on us. It can be a blanket fort, a place with more secure walls, and it can be a place in head or heart where we go to feel safe from the real and imagine cares and concerns of the world as we know it. It can also be the company of a person, whose love and care offers us shelter from the storms of life. The psalmist reminds us that God is one of those who offers a respite from all that the world presses on us.
It is possible that in God’s presence we may find new proddings to act in one direction or another, however the proddings from God seem to be infused with a different texture than the cares of the world. God seems to poke and prod with a concern for us that seems missing from the cares of the world. Whether we are prodded or held we feel the comfort and safety of being in the presence of God.
From an awareness of God as a source of refuge and strength we also hear the psalmist inviting us to hear God say, "Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth." As we are able to be still, to allow ourselves to trust God with our lives for a brief, shining moment, we will discover that many of our worries and concerns have no power over us. As we offer our lives to God in trust we discover that God is a refuge in all times and places of our lives in community with the people of God.
© February 6, 2012
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