Finding Wisdom in the PsalmsSample

The Comfort of Knowing that God is With Us

Psalm 46 begins with this wonderful assurance: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging” (NIV).

And it concludes with this wonderful command: “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (NIV).

When I read this psalm, I think of a small child who wanders into a crowd and panics, thinking she's lost. From her perspective, it’s as terrible as if the earth is trembling and the mountains are toppling into the sea. Tears stream down her face, and fear fills her heart until she looks up and realizes that her father has been at her side all the time. He’s never left her. Lifting her into his arms, he says, “Be still. I'm here. I've had my eye on you the whole time. Nothing is going to separate us. I'm in charge.”

When our problems seem huge, and fear begins to set in, we need to do the same thing as this small child. We need to "look up" and climb into our Father’s arms. He can “still” our souls, relieve our fears, and let us know that He's in charge.

Reflect

What insights into God’s character are found in Psalm 68:5 and Psalm 103:13?

Thanks for reading!

Thank you for reading this plan based on the book Wisdom for Life Devotional: 100 One-Minute Reflections from Psalms and Proverbs(B&H Publishing, February 2023). by Gail Purath.