Psalm 46 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 46 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Verse 2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
Verse 3though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah
Verse 4There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
Verse 5God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns.
Verse 6The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
Verse 7The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
Verse 8Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
Verse 9He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
Verse 10"Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth."
Verse 11The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
Devotion
The coming year will bring many celebrations of the Reformation. As Lutheran Christians, witnesses to a particular confession within the body of Christ, we are understandably proud of our heritage and witness to God's freely given grace. Psalm 46, upon which Luther's great hymn, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, is based, demonstrates once again the biblical foundations upon which our confession stands. Celebrations of such a heritage are important and yet can be dangerous for a community. The temptation to look back can make heritage and institutions more an anchor than a foundation for growth. The psalmist reminds us that though kingdoms come and kingdoms go, God’s word remains and God is invested in the people. God desires peace and prosperity for us—not given cheaply as if by magic, but by the power of the one willing to give himself for us as our fortress, our "refuge and strength." Thanks be to the God of history for the Reformation witness.
Prayer
God of inspiration, you moved in the reformers to challenge the church. Stir up in us confidence in your Spirit's presence that we might remember that you, not the works of our hands, are our mighty fortress and sure defense. In Christ our Lord. Amen.