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Exams. Friendship drama. Family changes. War in the news. Worries about climate, health or the future. There's plenty that can shake people your age. And when things shake, people grab hold of something.
In the last lesson we learned that the Bible lets us say "How long, Lord?" honestly. In this lesson, we look at two psalms that show what God's people hold on to when they can't see the end yet. They show where hope stands when everything shakes: on who God is, what he has done, and the fact that he is with us.
What you'll learn
- How Psalm 46 builds trust on God's presence and power when the world shakes
- What "Be still and know that I am God" really means in context
- How Psalm 103 calls us to remember what God has done, and how the whole term fits together
Psalm 46: a fortress when the world shakes
Psalm 46 was written by the sons of Korah, the same family of musicians as Psalm 42. It was probably written when Jerusalem was under threat, perhaps when the Assyrian army surrounded the city.
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth is transformed and the mountains are toppled into the depths of the seas, though their waters roar and foam and the mountains quake in the surge. Selah" (Psalm 46:1–3)
| Stanza | What shakes | What stays firm |
|---|---|---|
| 46:1–3 | The earth, mountains and sea: nature in chaos | God is a safe place and a source of strength |
| 46:4–7 | Nations in uproar, kingdoms falling | God is in the city; he is with us |
| 46:8–11 | War | God brings wars to an end and will be honoured by all nations |
Notice that the psalm doesn't say nothing bad will happen. It names the worst things it can imagine: earthquakes, floods, wars. It says God's people don't need to fear even then.
The refrain (verses 7 and 11) joins two names for God. The LORD of Hosts is the commander of heaven's armies: he's powerful. The God of Jacob is the God who stuck with Jacob, a flawed and struggling man: he's close. God is both mighty and near.
"Be still" in context
Like Jeremiah 29:11, this verse often turns up on calm pictures of lakes, as if it means "relax, take some me-time":
"‘Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted over the earth.’" (Psalm 46:10)
But in the psalm, God speaks these words in the middle of a war. The Hebrew word at the start means to let go, stop, or drop your hands. It's said first to the warring nations: stand down; I am God. And it speaks to God's people too: stop panicking; remember who is in charge. The calm it brings is real, but it rests on God's rule, not on relaxation techniques.
Psalm 103: don't forget
In Psalm 42, the writer talked to his own soul to give it hope. In Psalm 103, David talks to his soul again, this time to tell it to praise:
"Bless the LORD, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all His kind deeds." (Psalm 103:1–2)
If you read Psalm 103:1–14, you'll find a long list of God's "benefits": he forgives all our sins, heals, rescues, crowns us with love and compassion, satisfies us with good things, renews our strength, works justice for the oppressed, is patient, doesn't treat us as our sins deserve, and has a father's compassion.
"The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion." (Psalm 103:8)
This is the same description of God from Exodus 34:6 that Jonah complained about (Jonah 4:2). David celebrates what Jonah resented. Same truth, different heart.
"As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:12)
David also admits that our lives are fragile, like grass, but God's love lasts for ever (103:14–17). Hope doesn't depend on us being strong. And notice the danger he's guarding against: forgetting. Hard times make us forget what God has done. Praise is partly an act of memory.
The whole book of Psalms moves like this, from "How long?" towards praise. It ends with five psalms that begin and end with Hallelujah, "praise the LORD" (Psalms 146–150). It gets there not by ignoring pain but by carrying it to God.
Hope in hard times: the whole term
| Lesson | The hard time | Where hope is found |
|---|---|---|
| Who were the prophets? | Israel heading for exile | God keeps sending messengers, and finally his Son |
| Elijah | Drought and divided hearts | The LORD is the living God who answers |
| Isaiah 6 | The king has died | The true King is on the throne, and he cleanses |
| The suffering servant | Unfair suffering | The servant suffers for us and is lifted up |
| Jeremiah | Seventy years in exile | God is with them and can be found |
| Jonah | Hatred of enemies | God's mercy is wider than ours |
| Psalms of lament | Grief and despair | Honest prayer; talking back to our soul |
| Psalms of trust and praise | Everything shakes | God with us; remembering his benefits |
Optimism says, "It'll probably be fine." Biblical hope trusts a God who keeps his promises, even when it isn't fine yet.
Key words
- Refuge: a safe place to run to.
- Fortress: a strong, protected place that can't easily be attacked.
- LORD of Hosts: God as commander of heaven's armies.
- Benefits: good gifts; in Psalm 103, the good things God does for his people.
- Hallelujah: Hebrew for "praise the LORD".
How this points to Jesus
Psalm 46 says God is with us. Matthew calls Jesus "Immanuel", which means "God with us" (Matthew 1:23). And when a storm hit the disciples' boat and they panicked, Jesus spoke to the wind and waves and they obeyed him (Mark 4:35–41), doing exactly what Psalm 46 says God does. Christians believe the complete forgiveness of Psalm 103 is secured at the cross, and its promise of healing will be fully kept when God makes all things new (Revelation 21:4).
Think about it
What's the difference between "God will stop every storm" and "God is with us in the storm"?Show answer
The first promises nothing bad will happen, which the Bible doesn't say; the second promises God's presence and strength even when bad things do happen, which is what Psalm 46 says.
What does Psalm 46:10 mean in its context?Show answer
It's God telling warring nations, and his anxious people, to stop and drop their hands because he is God and in charge; it's not mainly about relaxing.
Why do we need both lament psalms and praise psalms?Show answer
Because real life has both pain and joy; lament lets us be honest about pain, and praise helps us remember who God is and what he has done.
Take it further
Write your own "Don't forget" list this week: three to five good things God has done for you, or things you're grateful for. Keep it somewhere you'll see it on a hard day. Your worksheet helps you work through both psalms and look back over the whole term.
If you'd like to, you could pray: God, my refuge and strength, when everything shakes, you stay the same. Thank you for all your benefits, and most of all for Jesus, God with us. Help me not to forget. Amen.