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Psalm 46: Our Ultimate Security
Joel Gillin // Standalone
“To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song.
1 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. 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 her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
how he has brought desolations 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 chariots with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
11 The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.” Selah”
1 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. 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 her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
how he has brought desolations 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 chariots with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
11 The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.” Selah”
— Psalm 46
I. The source of our securityII. The strength of our security
“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.”
— Hebrews 12:28
III. The results of our securityIV. The gospel and our security
“We sing this psalm to the praise of God, because He is with us and powerfully and miraculously preserves and defends His church and His word against all fanatical spirits, against the gates of hell, against the implacable hatred of the devil, and against all the assaults of the world, the flesh, and sin.”
— Martin Luther on Psalm 46
SMall group studyIntroduction
Begin with a general discussion of fear and insecurity. What are some of the biggest fears/insecurities people around you experience today?
Understand the text (observe + interpret)Read Psalm 46 together. Mention something which jumps out at you.
List the metaphors for God found in this text. Do any of them surprise you or particularly resonate?
Discuss the ways the psalm talks about water. How does this relate to significance of water in other parts of the Bible?
Jerusalem was repeatedly attacked successfully by other nations. So how should we understand verses 4 and 5?
Whom is God telling to “be still” in verse 10 and why?
How is the meaning of God-with-us (vv 7, 11) for Israelites different from the meaning of God-with-us for Christians today?
Is it always sinful to feel insecure?
Though we may know God is our fortress, we still experience fears. What we know with our head does not seem to reach our hearts. Why is that?
Discuss a specific fear or insecurity which you have struggled with. Can you identify an idol of the heart behind?
Discuss this quote by Blaise Pascal: “I have discovered that all the unhappiness of men arises from one single fact, that they are unable to stay quietly in their own room.”
In your devotional time, do ever spend time in “stillness” before the Lord? What benefit might it bring?
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By United Community ChurchJoel Gillin // Standalone
“To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song.
1 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. 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 her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
how he has brought desolations 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 chariots with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
11 The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.” Selah”
1 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. 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 her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
how he has brought desolations 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 chariots with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
11 The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.” Selah”
— Psalm 46
I. The source of our securityII. The strength of our security
“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.”
— Hebrews 12:28
III. The results of our securityIV. The gospel and our security
“We sing this psalm to the praise of God, because He is with us and powerfully and miraculously preserves and defends His church and His word against all fanatical spirits, against the gates of hell, against the implacable hatred of the devil, and against all the assaults of the world, the flesh, and sin.”
— Martin Luther on Psalm 46
SMall group studyIntroduction
Begin with a general discussion of fear and insecurity. What are some of the biggest fears/insecurities people around you experience today?
Understand the text (observe + interpret)Read Psalm 46 together. Mention something which jumps out at you.
List the metaphors for God found in this text. Do any of them surprise you or particularly resonate?
Discuss the ways the psalm talks about water. How does this relate to significance of water in other parts of the Bible?
Jerusalem was repeatedly attacked successfully by other nations. So how should we understand verses 4 and 5?
Whom is God telling to “be still” in verse 10 and why?
How is the meaning of God-with-us (vv 7, 11) for Israelites different from the meaning of God-with-us for Christians today?
Is it always sinful to feel insecure?
Though we may know God is our fortress, we still experience fears. What we know with our head does not seem to reach our hearts. Why is that?
Discuss a specific fear or insecurity which you have struggled with. Can you identify an idol of the heart behind?
Discuss this quote by Blaise Pascal: “I have discovered that all the unhappiness of men arises from one single fact, that they are unable to stay quietly in their own room.”
In your devotional time, do ever spend time in “stillness” before the Lord? What benefit might it bring?
Back to Bulletin