A Mighty Fortress is Our God

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Psalm 46

If I were to ask you about Martin Luther most people would rightly associate Luther with the Scripture text of Romans 1:17— “The just shall live by faith”.  But one often overlooked element of Luther’s life and testimony is the key role which the Psalms played in his salvation.  Luther taught the Psalms for many years and loved them dearly.

Luther said, “We sing this psalm to the praise of God, because God 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.”

Perhaps no other Psalm captures the intensity, severity and hope of the Great Protestant Reformation than the 46^th.

Let us come unto this great poem to be strengthened in our confidence in the Lord whilst we are fraught with many dangers on every side, so we, like the early Reformers of the Church may persevere in faith for the kingdom and glory of God!

What was it about Psalm 46 that stirred such great faith and works from the Reformation Christians?  In our study, we will consider several key points that will hopefully help us to live as faithful believers in a contemporary church desperately in need of Reforming!

1. A Mighty Fortress is Our God in Verses 1-3 & 7
   1. God Himself is the Mighty Fortress—Just as the Hebrew text and Luther says in the hymn, God alone is our refuge and fortress, He Himself and no other. Nothing or no one else in heaven or on earth can protect like God.
      1. The Glasshouse of Riches
      2. The Glasshouse of Self-Reliance
      3. The Glasshouse of Relationships — Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also; The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still; His kingdom is forever.
   2. God is a Fortress in Even the Most Unfathomable Catastrophes in Verses 2-3.
      1. Application:  Elizabeth Elliot endured the death of not 1 but 2 husbands.
      2. When unimaginable calamities hit us in the face we must be reminded of the Psalmists words in verse 10—“Be still, and know that I am God.”  When we rest our fledgling souls on God alone, He will infuse our hearts with His strength so we may endure. 
2. The City of God in Verses 4-7—Whilst verses 1-3 emphasize God alone is our refuge, verses 4-7 show us the City of God is our defense.   
   1. Dual Imagery—
   2. Historical Setting—
   3. Application:  
3. The Lord of Hosts in Verses 8-11—This stanza does not look to the past as the previous one did but rather looks to the future whereby God will defeat all armies and establish His eternal kingdom in righteousness.
   1. God as Conqueror in Verse 9.  The peace which God says He will bring is not because He will sign treaties with His enemies but rather God will pound His enemies into submission.
      1. Illustration—After his victorious conquests of Italy and other places, the emperor Vespasian’s campaigns were commemorated on a medal which pictured the goddess of peace holding an olive branch in one hand and a torch setting fire to armor on the other.  The olive branch represents negotiated peace.  The torch and destroyed armor represent imposed peace.  Both are peace, but it’s the imposed peace pictured in Psalm 46.
      2. “Be Still and Know that I am God”—This phrase does not necessarily mean to lead a quiet and contemplative life in the midst of our emotional defeats. Like Elizabeth Elliot suggested it can be used like she did; but this needs to be nuanced slightly.  Rather, this Psalm is saying we need to lay down our arms and surrender to God and His perfect will for our lives.  God’s peace is available to us through the work of Christ upon the Cross but it will not always be available to us.  If we don’t surrender and lay down our weapons now we will be met with the justice of God upon the battlefield and we will not stand.  We can meet Him today at the Cross and make peace with Him on His terms.
   2. Who is this “Lord of Hosts”? — “Hosts” refers both to the armies of Israel but also to God’s heavenly hosts, the armies of heaven.  Here we have another dual meaning.  The name for God usually found in the 2^nd book of Psalms is “Elohim”. But here we have Yahweh.
      1. Illustration—While Elisha was at Dothan, that city was surrounded by BenHadad and the army of the Syrians.  They were attempting to capture Elisha and one morning Elisha’s young servant saw the many horses and chariots positioned around the city, he was afraid and cried to Elisha “Ohmy lord, what shall we do?” in II Kings 6:15. 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 shall win the battle.
   3. Who is this “God of Jacob”? — Jacob was a trickster and schemer as his name implies.  The great Alexander Maclaren wrote “The Lord of Hosts is the God of Jacob.  More wonderous still, the God of Jacob is the Lord of Hosts”
      1. Conclusion:  Is this your God? —As He was the God of Luther, Elizabeth Elliot and St. Augustine?—Is the God Who is a Mighty Fortress your God?