Help in Trouble- Psalm 18 and 46
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea,” Psalm 46:1,2
The verses above in Psalm 46 are the condensed version. Psalm 18 expands the same theme in detail.
Psalm 18
“I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my strength, in whom I will trust, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” vs 1,2
He states right at the beginning the truths he can stand on about God: He is his strength, rock, fortress, deliverer, shield, salvation and stronghold. These are powerful words of protection. A shield goes in front of a person and takes the blows of the oncoming danger, and a fortress and stronghold is something strong that a person can run into and be safe from the onslaught. This is protection on both fronts.
In the next verses we learn what he needed protection from. It was something big, where he was completely overwhelmed and distressed: “The pangs of death surrounded me, and the floods of ungodliness made me afraid. The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me, the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried out to my God. He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears.” vs 4-6
His situation was dire. He did the best thing he could do and called out to God who heard and acted.
In verses 7-17 it shows the furry of God in coming to His child’s defense in very vivid language of the earth being shaken, and God flying on the wings of the wind to come to his defense. We see that God had his back, and he would not be left alone or forsaken. God acted on his behalf.
“He sent from above, He took me, He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.”
“He also brought me out into a broad place, He delivered me because He delighted in me.” vs 18:19
Whatever or whoever it was that the psalmist faced, were too strong for him and that was why God’s strength had to come in and save. It was a complete deliverance to the extent that he was even brought out into a broad place.
The Psalmist exalts in the ways God strengthens him in verses 28-30, and there is that word shield again – protection.
“For You will light my lamp, The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop. By my God I can leap over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect, The Word of the Lord is proven: He is a shield to all who trust in Him.” vs 28-30
He goes on to say that there is no other help outside of God, there is no other rock we can run to and be safe. There is no other god who hears and acts on our behalf.
“For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect.” vs 21,22
“The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted.” vs 46