PSALM 46:4-7

Let us look again at this great Psalm 46, which I have entitled “A Mighty Fortress”.  This Psalm can be divided in three stanzas by the word ‘Selah’.  I turn our study to verses 4-7 which says, “There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”

            I want to look at this section under the thought of ‘The Stream Of The Mighty Fortress’.  Let us see in verse 4 that it is ‘An Unending Stream’.  In a time of war the first thing the enemy would do from without is cut off the water supply.  This is the city of God.  He is the designer, the creator, and chooser of its inhabitants.  He has placed within the city a river of water that cannot be cut off.  Jesus told the woman at the well, ‘I will put a well of water in you, ever gushing forth and you will never thirst again’.  This city is a holy place and the habitation of God.  This city is none other than the church.  To have God in us makes us the church as powerful as the church in heaven.  The stream speaks of the fullness of God, the filling of the Spirit, and the furthering work of sanctification.  Lord, give me a thirst for this stream.

            In verse 5 we are told it is ‘An Unseen Stream’.  The text says God is in the midst of ‘her’.   The gender is feminine.  The church is always referred to as His bride.  He is the unseen power that dwells in the church.  We are told she cannot be ‘moved’.  Martin Luther said to the Pope, “If we in the reformation fall so shall He that dwells within us”.  We are assured of His help.  We are slow to meet Him, but He is never tardy to help us.  He stands within to help us with strength or without to destroy as he did in one night a 185,000 who arose against His people.  It may be dark all around His church but rest assured He will soon arise as the Bright and Morning Star.  It is always darkest before the dawn of the Day Star.

            In verse 6 we find ‘An Uttered Stream’.  There is a place in these verses, which is so powerful. (“…he uttered his voice,”) The word ‘uttered’ speaks of a word from the mouth.  At just a word from our Lord we are told the heathen rage, kingdoms are moved, and the earth melted.  Oh, what a powerful Word we have in this book we call the Bible. May we preach and proclaim this powerful Word.  The Bible is such a neglected book.  May we receive it willingly, study it fervently, and live it habitually.

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