Psalm 46

Read Psalm 46.

Explain purpose of Selah. When the singer said “Selah”, he stopped singing for a moment so that the audience could meditate/reflect upon the words he sang.

1) What is the context of this psalm? That is, why do you think it was written? What do you think it was written in response to? Look at some of the phrases in the psalm. God is our refuge/our strength, help in trouble; we will not fear though the world should crumble around us. One gets the sense that Jerusalem was being threatened by an outside power. Speculation that it was Assyria (II Kings 18, II Chronicles 32, Isaiah 36) mightiest empire of that time. Feared by all peoples in the Middle East. Used a combination of brutality/terror and advanced military technology (battering ram – break down towering walls). Imagine you are a citizen in Jerusalem. Your city is surrounded. Walls are being pounded day after day. Once walls come down who knows what will happen to you. For the people of Jerusalem, their world was crashing down around them. As a consequence, people were fearful/panicking. They were like the fable of the little chick screaming “The sky is falling! The sky is falling!” The sons of Korah wrote this psalm in order to calm the people/to reassure the people they had nothing to fear.

2) What terms did the author of the psalm associate with God? Refuge, strength, ever-present help, Most High, Lord of host (NASB)/Almighty (NIV), stronghold (NASB)/fortress (NIV), God of Jacob (refers to God being a keeper of promises)

3) Why would the city of God not fall? Verse 4 & 5 - God is within her. Jerusalem is his city. It is where He dwells. I can imagine people in Jerusalem running around asking “Where is God?” Sons of Korah telling them He is right here. When you are going through a hard time, ever ask the question “Where is God?” as if God is a million miles away or He’s busy with someone else. In truth, for a believer, God is not way out there. He’s right here. Not a church building. God’s house is in your heart. Read John 15:5-7

4) In verse 8, the sons of Korah wrote “Come and see ..”

Who were to come and see? The people of Jerusalem.

What were they to see? see the works of God

By saying “Come and see …” the sons of Korah were striving to get the people’s attention. To get them to stop whatever they were doing/to take their focus off their fears and see the works of God, specifically the desolations God has brought on the earth.

Define the word “desolation” – utter destruction. Can you think of examples of "desolations" God brought upon the earth that the people would remember?

Flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, Plagues on Egypt, Jericho are a few

5) List examples of God's power found in this psalm. He speaks the earth melts; makes wars to cease, breaks the bow; shatters spears, burns chariots with fire (In NIV its shields).

6) Read verse 10. REALLY, REALLY, REALLY think about what this verse is saying.

a) In your own words, what does "Be still and know that I am God" mean?

Stop whatever you are doing externally (physical) and internally (emotional and spiritual) and recognize/understand God and who He is. And know that no matter how dire the situation is in the end God will be exalted, he will receive the glory. Bad news for the heathens, good news for the people of God

b) What did the sons of Korah know about God? Repeat the answers to questions 2-5.

c) How did they know it? They were still. They did not get caught up in the panic and fear prevalent in Jerusalem. They ceased striving and sought God and God revealed himself. They remembered who God is and how in the past He was the Savior of Jerusalem. The army threatening Jerusalem may be powerful and fearful. But the sons of Korah knew God to be more powerful and more fearful.

Read to class this summary of what sons of Korah were saying in Psalm 46:

Though our world comes crashing down around us, we will not fear. God is our refuge, our strength, our ever present help in times of trouble. God lives with us. This is His home. He will protect us. He will defend us with his awesome power. God has done it before. He will do it again. God will bring us peace.

The reason why the sons of Korah could sing this is because they stopped (stopped being fearful/being anxious/panicking) and took the time to know/recognize/understand God. As a consequence, they were know longer afraid, but filled with boldness and courage.

7) a) When your world comes crashing down around you, what is your initial response?

Examples: running away, fear, anger, anxiety, blame God or others for the situation you are in, feel abandoned by God, doubt God’s power, forget the past times He has helped you through difficult situations.

What is God telling you to do? Be still, know who I am.

Does that make sense? Rationally, no it doesn’t. It doesn’t make sense to stand still with no fear in front of a crumbling mountain or a tidal wave. But the sons of Korah said they could. Verses 2 and 3. Why? They knew God - His power and His promises.

8) What can prevent us from being still and knowing God? Schedule, stress, questions about the future, job, school, worry, anxiety, activities, entertainment, ministry

If your Assyria is despair; be still; know God's hope.
If your Assyria is unconfessed sin; be still; know God's forgiveness.
If your Assyria is drugs/alcoholism/pornography; be still; know God's freedom from addiction.
If your Assyria is unemployment; be still; know God's provision.
If your Assyria is uncertainty about the future; be still; know God's patience/trust.
If your Assyria is stress; be still; know God's peace.
If your Assyria is grief; be still; know God's comfort.
If your Assyria is pain; be still; know God's healing.

APPLICATION:

Take time to be still/cease striving and know God through prayer, worship, His Word, reflection/remembering. Whatever the situation is, take focus of it and put it on God and He will reveal Himself to you. You will gain the boldness and the courage to confront the situation you are in. In the end, when it is all said and done, God will be exalted.