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. Selah
(Psalm 46:1-3 ESV)
Fear Not because GOD is our Refuge and Strength
Earthquakes, mountains falling into the sea, and tsunamis are pretty scary. I’ve never really experienced any of them, but my imagination can bridge the gap between the tremors, road construction avalanches, and stormy seas that I HAVE experienced and the terror that this Psalm describes.
The Psalm begins by declaring that God is both refuge and strength. A place to hide and the source of all strength. But it’s not just a listing of God’s statistics, like the back of a baseball card. The point of a refuge and strength is that God helps.
In trouble… a very present help.
Because as terrifying as earthquakes, mountains moving, and tsunamis are, those things are also referencing some bigger troubles. The symbols in this Psalm are as rich for the Israelites as a Bald Eagle, Uncle Sam, and a blind lady holding a set of scales might be for us today. The Sea, the Mountains, and Shaking Earth brought more to mind for them than geological or meteorological events.
The Sea was the place of chaos and evil. It was separated from the good earth early during creation week. The Sea was where God’s Orderliness was least visible. Jonah’s retreat into the Sea was not just a vacation, it was a rejection and desertion of God’s Way, and a setting of Jonah’s face and will against God.
The Mountains are not just any old snow-crusted peaks. These are the Hills of Jerusalem, especially Zion itself. The place that most clearly represents God’s power and presence. It’s God’s apparent headquarters. THAT Mountain slipping into the Sea drew a picture of God’s Way, God’s People, God’s Rule slipping away into chaos, evil, and darkness.
It meant that God appears to lose.
This is even more clear when another Mountain is mentioned. A shaking Mountain for the Israelites refers to Sinai itself. The place and time of God’s MAKING of His people. The place and time of God’s PRESENTATION of His Law and Laws. And here, in this Psalm, we see that very place and time overwhelmed by the swelling Sea.
Sometimes it does seem that God is losing. His Symbols falling, His institutions flailing, His people faithless. But these words are meant to remind us that God is bigger and better and stronger and safer than His Symbols. That HE is our refuge. That HE is our strength.
The Selah at the end is intended for us to move away from trusting in anything but God Himself. He usually does use His usual methods to help, to assist, to fix, to lift. But don’t mistake those things with God Himself.
Because Mountains will sometimes fall into the Sea. Because the Mountain will seem to tremble at the power of chaos.
But God Himself is our refuge. God Himself is our Strength.
And remember that Jesus established Himself over the Mountains by His cleansing the Temple… by the transfiguration… by Satan’s temptations… by His fulfillment of the Law… Remember that Jesus established Himself over the Sea by His calming of the storm(S!)… by His walking on the water… by His turning water into Wine.
Fear not… because even over the Sea and the Mountain is Christ Jesus.