God's People's Confidence Is In Him Even In The Face Of Raging Waters (Psalms 46:1-3).
‘God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.'
The Psalmist commences with an expression of confidence in God as our place of safety, our certain refuge. Once we are in God we are therefore truly safe. Indeed He is the source of our very strength, (or alternately is our stronghold). The words may well have had in mind how stoutly the walls of Jerusalem had kept out the Assyrians. But they were also well aware that if God had not stepped in eventually those mighty walls would have fallen, whereas they can know that the walls of God will never be breached, even in the face of the battering of the mightiest of seas. To Israel particularly the seas were seen as an enemy of inestimable proportions because they had little to do with the sea and only saw its awesomeness from the land. Despite their coastline they had few secure ports.
‘A very present help in trouble.' This should literally be translated, ‘a help in troubles has He let Himself be found exceedingly', expressing the wonderful deliverance that they had experienced, and their consciousness that God had abundantly stepped in and supplied it. But its presence in a Psalm indicates that His massive help is available for all continually, whilst they are faithful to the covenant. It was not just a one off.
‘Therefore will we not fear, though the earth do change,
And though the mountains be shaken into the heart of the seas,
Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains tremble with the swelling thereof.' [Selah
As a result we will not be filled with fear, and will not be shaken, whatever happens. The earth itself may be subject to change, the fierce waters may batter against the great cliffs causing them to fall into the sea, the waters may roar and be troubled as the storm rages, the mountains may tremble at their impact. But none of this will move us, for we will know that God is our refuge.
In mind in the picture may well have been the impact of invading forces, and the fierce onslaughts of enemy warriors, as they battered the people, and the walls with battering rams, but it is equally as true when we have to face spiritual enemies. Then, when the world seems in turmoil, we can be sure that God will be our refuge and stronghold. He will be ‘our strength'.
We note that each section ends with the word ‘selah', which probably denotes a musical pause. From our point of view it is saying dramatically, ‘think of that!'