Day Twenty

One of the most interesting pictures of water drawn in the pages of Scripture happens in Psalm 46. It begins with a declaration of God’s sheltering strength in the midst of chaos, using the image of water as a frightening and destructive force:

“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”—Psalm 46:1-3 (ESV)

In verse 3 the waters “roar” and “foam.” They have the power to swallow entire mountains, and their power can seem foreboding. But God is declared to be a fortress in the midst of those stormy waters, a “present help” who enables his people to live without fear even as the seas churn and threaten them with destruction.

What a good image for us in these turbulent times. But it doesn’t stop there. The psalmist continues to use water as a symbolic tool in the verses that follow:

“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 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”—Psalm 46:4-7 (ESV)

The storms may be chaotic, the seas may rage, but there is another image of water for God’s people: a joyful river in the midst of God’s holy city. As the Voice translation puts it:

“A pure stream flows—never to be cut off—
bringing joy to the city where God makes His home,
the sacred site where the Most High chooses to live.”—Psalm 46:4 (VOICE)

This river echoes passages we studied earlier this week from Ezekiel and Zechariah, depicting a river that flows from Jerusalem and brings life to God’s people and the world far beyond. What the psalmist brings to that image is the idea of security and stability: in the midst of the chaos we encounter in this world, we can come to the river of God and drink deeply of his peace and joy. God is there, and he provides protection for his people as they come to dwell in his presence.

For me it is an image similar to an oasis in the desert: a source of life that springs forth in the midst of desolation and death. The psalmist reminds us that the forces of destruction are going to plunder this world—the nations will rage and their power will rise and fall—but they ultimately do not have sway over God’s people. The are safe in the oasis of God’s presence. As one commentator puts it:

“When we dwell in Jerusalem, the chaos of history with the din of battle cannot carry us away.”—Donald Williams

Indeed. The battles of this world cannot carry God’s people away. The waves of chaos cannot sweep us out to sea. We have a safe and secure place in the presence of God, sitting by the river of life, finding in him peace and stability that only he can provide.

The Lord of hosts is with us
The God of Jacob is our fortress
The Lord of hosts is with us
The God of Jacob is our fortress

Read the rest of the lyrics here.

Questions for Reflection

1) What chaotic waters are present in your life right now? How do you experience God as your refuge and strength in the midst of them? If they seem to be overwhelming you right now, spend some time asking God to reveal himself anew to you as your fortress, who takes away your fear.

2) Where do you find yourself able to drink deeply of God’s peaceful river? For you, what places or experiences become the “holy place of the Most High God?” How does God meet you there?

3) Part of the invitation in Psalm 46 is to “be still.” Is that something you find easy to do, or difficult? What about being still helps us to know that he is God? How can you practice being still in your life right now?

4) Read and reflect on this passage of Scripture. Let it lead you into prayerful worship and gratitude:

“The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.”—Isaiah 58:11 (NIV)