D. Michael Turner

 

 

EXPOSITIONAL MESSAGE of Psalm 46

 

            Because the Lord of War is in Zion the nation is guaranteed prosperity and protection. The world is led to peace and the universal exaltation of God.

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

            Oppression, violence, and war scar the complexion of the present world.  The average man either places blind hope in perceptions of the goodness of man or falls into the pit of despair and insecurity with the realization of the direction mankind is heading. 

 

            In Psalm 46 the background is the same.  The implied circumstances of the Psalmist's words is war.  Rather than placing faith in man or giving into his desire, the Psalmist magnifies the God of Zion and in faith foresees the nations deliverance in Him.

 

            The faith of the common man finds substance only in his subjective being, and is thus blind; the faith of the Psalmist is solidly and objectively grounded in the character of God as He has revealed Himself to His people in His covenant.  The Psalmist has deep insights into the national implications of the Davidic covenant (2 Sam. 7:12-16; Ps. 89). Zion is the place of the Messiah whose kingdom is promised forever.  Protection and security are thus established to its inhabitants.

 

 

THE PROTECTOR

 

            God is compared with a place where protection and defense is dependently

available.  When the sun is intense a person can fine refuge in the shadow of a tree (Jud. 9:15).  He is always aware of the trees availability and expects it to be there when the heat is great.  As a refuge God is viewed as the one who hides and delivers His People from the external dangers of the enemy (Ps. 17:7).  Like the tree He is a reliable shelter, ever present when the heat is on.

 

            The protection is provided to the entire nation.  God has chosen the nation through His covenant with Abraham (Gen. 17:7, 8) and extends His promises to the total community.  This is also visible in God's blessing to Jacob.  In Gen. 35:9-18 Jacob is renamed Israel and told that "a nation and a company of nations shall come from you."  It is the nation that receives the name "Israel

and the descendants which inherits the promises and property rights of Jacob.  Thus what was given to an individual becomes a promise to the community.

 

            The result of God's constant presence is that the people can have courage in spite of the seriousness of their existing circumstances (vs. 3). The people need not fear anything as they rest in His covenantal care.  The Psalmist goes on to form a periphrastic statement qualifying and intensifying "anything".  Even though the complexion of the earth should go through a dramatic facial change the people are not to fear, for God's sovereignty extends even to the elements. God's presence guarantees their security from the enemy and from

The harshness of nature. Further discussion of verses 3 and 4 will be covered later.

 

  

THE PROVIDER

 

            In verses 2-4 the Psalmist declares the nations confidence in God's protection.  In verses 5-8 he now explains why they can have this confidence.  He is not their protector on the bases of mere external observations or internal subjective experience. The psalmist knows that God protects them because He is with them.  The belief in God's presence finds substance in the Davidic covenant.  In Psalm 132:13, 14 is stated, "For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for His habitation.  'this is my resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it'."

 

            Not only is He viewed as their protector, but He is also their "Provider".  Because He is present He provides.  The phrase "a river whose streams make glad" is understood figuratively as "the blessing of God to Zionmake its inhabitants rejoice."  This correlates with Psalm 132:15, 16 where the Davidic covenant is in view. The psalmist concludes the verse with "The holy dwelling place of the Most High".  The term for "dwelling places: is a plural of amplification and intensifies the idea of God's presence. God is not just present, but He is most definitely present and thus provides for His people.

 

  

OUR SECURITY

 

            God's presence assures the people of security.  He is the foundation

on which Zion rests. Zion can not fall because God can not fall. Even though the circumstances of the nation appears on the surface to be hopeless the knowledge of God's presence gives comfort and reassurance.  The nation will not fall; God will deliver them in the morning.

 

  

HIS SUPERIORITY

 

            Security and protection are assured by God's superiority over other gods.  A significant parallel exists between verses 3-4 and verse 7.  In vs. 3 the sea roars and the mountains fall. In verse 7 the nations roar and kingdoms fall.  In verse 4 the sea raises up and the mountains shake.  In verse 7 The Lord raises

His voice and the earth melts. Both mountains and kingdoms have the appearance of stability yet each is brought down.  In verse 3 the mountains are consumed into the heart of the sea by the roaring of the same, In this way the earth is said to change in complexion.  It is significant that in Jer. 51:42 the author uses the term "see" figuratively for invading nations.  The correlation then is, "the sea roars and the mountains shake' is almost synonymous to "nations roar and kingdoms fall".

 

            Verses 3 and 4 present a metaphor to a mythological allusion. The mountains refer to Baal and the sea is his great natural enemy.  This is a common scene of battle in near eastern religious literature.  In this scene the victor is the sea.  Verse 7 carries the battle a step further by including the Lord into the picture.  He is superior to both Baal and the sea (compare Ps. 89:8, 9).  "The Lord thunders His voice and the earth melts may be understood

literally or figuratively.  If taken literally then "melt" is understood to stand in contrast to "change" in verse 3.  Whereas the nations and their gods make surface changes in the earth's complexion by way of their wars, just the voice of the Lord melts it away.  If understood figuratively then "melt" refers to the hearts of the nations and their gods as they fall faint in terror by God's presence.  In either event the superiority of the Lord stands evident.

 

  

THE LORD OF WAR, THE GOD OF JACOB

 

            War is the background distress of the Psalm.  The term refuge and strength in verse 1, the mythological allusion in verses three and four with its parallel to nations and kingdoms in verse 7, the trust for help in the morning is verse 6, and now in verse 8 God is called the Lord of War all evidence a war motif for the psalm, The name "Lord of war" is first used in I Sam. 17:45 in David's battle against Goliath.  He calls out, "You come out to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of War the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted."  The psalmist sees the same natural odds against Israel as the Giant had with David.  Like David, the nation is not to put its confidence in external appearances but in the might of the God who fights their battles.  He knows the Lord of War will fight for them because He is 'with them'.

 

            The second section of the psalm closes with "The God of Jacob is our fortress".  This reemphasizes God's continual protection and provisions for the nation.  "God of War is parallel to "God of Jacob".  The psalms often use "God of Jacob" in the context of warfare or in judgment of the nations (59:13; 75:9; 76:6; 81:4; 84:8; 114:7; 132:2, 5).  Jacob's reception of divine protection and blessing in spite of personal faithfulness is unparalleled with any character in scripture.  Jacob received because God was with him.  The phrase "is with us" corresponds to "is our fortress". The presence of God thus guarantees the protection of Zion

 

THE DELIVERER

 

            God's greatness is demonstrated in two ways in the psalm.  His presence in Zion is manifested internally to the local inhabitants by his protection and provisions, and it is manifested externally by his military superiority towards the nations outside of Zion.

 

 

            The Psalmist instructs the people to see what the Lord of War has done outside of Zion.  In protecting Zion He has brought desolation on the rest of the earth.  In so doing He previously ceased wars to the ends of the earth.  The author probably has in view the nations previous, historical military accomplishments.  The result of these previous victories was the ""He broke the bow and cut the spear into; He burned the chariots with fire."  The destruction of opposing military armament was a general practice of the Jews which they did immediately after a victorious battle (Josh. 11:6; Ezek. 39:9).  By pointing to these previous victories the Psalmist intends to give Zion confidence for the future of their present distress.

 

THE COMFORTER

 

            At this point the Psalmist returns the focus back to the present distress.  Because God is with us, because He protects us, because He provides for us, because we know He fights our battles and has demonstrated it in the past and promised it for the future, let us relax and take comfort in knowing that He is God.  He is in control and will keep His covenant with Israel.  He will be exalted among the nations and in all the earth because He has promised it to His son David (Ps. 89, 132, & 2 Sam. 7).

 

            The Psalmist concludes with the chorus, "the Lord of War is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge."

 

  

CONCLUSION

 

            As a song of Zion the Psalmist praises the City as the dwelling place of God.  It is a city of central importance to the nation for God has chosen it (Ps. 132:13) to be the place of His inhabitants.  His presence guarantees protection from the surrounding nations and prosperity to its inhabitants.  God is viewed as the Lord of War who fights the nation’s battles to confident victory.  He is majestically superior in power to the gods of the other nations.

The God of War has demonstrated his superiority by defeating the enemy in previous battles and thus provides confidence to the people of future victories.  The central theme is that God's presence assures victory over the present distress.

 

  

APPLICATION TO THE CHURCH

 

            The application to the church can be applied either to God's positional relationship to each believer or eschatologically to the Church and the nation of Israel.

 

            Like Zion, the believer has become the dwelling place of the Lord (Eph. 1:13, 14; I Cor. 3:16).  Zion received this special relationship through a divine covenant with David; the believer has also been brought into a divine protection; the believer receives divine protection (JN. 17:14).  The city received God's abundant grace through prosperity to the inhabitants; the believer receives physical provisions but also spiritual grace (Matt. 6:25-34; Eph. 1:3. 18). The city received comfort through God's presence; the believer

receives a comforter.  God's relationship with the city is an excellent illustration of God's relationship to the believer through the person of the Holy Spirit.

 

            Eschatological the Lord of War is yet to be manifested and exalted universally at the second coming of Jesus Christ.  At that time He will judge the nations, bring universal peace, and be exalted by every living creature.  Zion will be established forever as the dwelling place of the Most High.  Prior to the exaltation the mountains will be leveled, the nations will rage, kingdoms will tumble, and war well be the rule rather than the exception.  Both the nation of Israel and the Church can find comfort by looking to the "Help which comes in the morning" for Zion will be established. "The Lord of War is with us."

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