A Mighty Fortress
“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
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when the morning dawns.
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
He burns the chariots with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah”
It is said that this Psalm was the inspiration for Martin Luther’s famous hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” It is not hard to see why. What better way to dispel fear and anxiety than to reflect on how this psalm describes God as our “refuge,” our “strength,” our “fortress,” and “our very present help in trouble.” It reminds us that, “The LORD of hosts is with us.” It also reminds us that this same God – the One who is with us and is our fortress – is all-powerful (omnipotent) and has ultimate authority and control over the things of earth and man.
It is quite easy to get caught up in the frenzy of all the fear-inducing things going on in the world today. Violent crime and theft – especially in our major cities – are running rampant. We are faced with the question, “Are we going to be in a war with Russia in the near future?” We might feel anxious about the economy, and whether or not we will be able to survive in retirement (or the next year). And what about COVID? As the Omicron variant spreads rapidly throughout the United States and the number of new cases skyrockets to all-time highs, do we let fear consume us and rob us of our joy and peace?
It seems that now is the time to meditate on and cling to the truths we read in Psalm 46 and other Scripture passages that remind us of God’s sovereignty, His power, and His desire to be our shelter – to be our “fortress.” Our lives are truly in His hands. I will not fear COVID (or any otherworldly terror, for that matter), because I am convinced by the Word of God that I will not die one moment sooner or one moment later than He has ordained for me. I say along with David, “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.” (Ps 139:16) Jesus tells me in Mt 10:30, “But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.” And again, in Mt 6:27 He says, “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”
God was not caught off guard or surprised by COVID, nor is He unaware of the evils going on all around us. He is not fretting over the current economy, and He is certainly aware of the situation in eastern Europe, and what – if any – role we as a nation will play in it. And none of it is happening outside of the bounds of His ultimate authority. Sometimes that is a hard pill to swallow, especially if we have lost a loved one to violence or COVID, but God’s sovereignty has not been compromised. Nor will it ever be. God has never indicated that our lives are supposed to always be carefree and without trouble (not since the first man and woman sinned in the garden of Eden, anyway). On the contrary, He gives us fair warning that we will have challenges.
“[Jesus] ‘I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.’”
His promise is not that we will be protected from any and all problems or difficulties in this life, but rather that He will carry us through them and give us His peace during our trials and tribulations. That’s the wonderful thing about having Almighty God as our shelter and our fortress. A fortress can still come under attack, but the ones inside its walls have a clear advantage. Psalm 34 has many great reminders of this:
Ps 34:19 – Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
Ps 34:6 – This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.
Ps 34:7 – The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Ps 34:8 – Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Ps 34:17 – When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.
And finally, in verse 4 of Psalm 34 we see David say, “I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” That’s where the joy comes in. That’s where peace takes over. Even in the midst of our troubles, we are safe in Him. He won’t let anything completely overwhelm us. He will walk with us through the trials, holding our hand, and delivering us from our worst enemy – fear. Though troubles come furiously pounding on the walls, He is our impenetrable fortress – in Him we are safe.
Prayer
Lord God Almighty, I thank you that I am fearfully and wonderfully made, and that each day of my life has been ordained by You, and is protected by You. Forgive me for the times that I give in to fear and allow it to rule over my thoughts and emotions. In You I have peace, and I shall be eternally grateful! Amen.
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Martin Luther, ca. 1529
A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and pow’r are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.
Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing,
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.
And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us;
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.
That word above all earthly pow’rs, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth;
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.
