I will be exalted among the nations. Psalms 46:10 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/psa.46.10.NIVUK
The first force ranged against the people of God is the nations. The Hebrew word used here means all nations of the world, but is more commonly used to refer to the non-Jewish nations. The sons of Korah who wrote this psalm would know all about this. Their ancestor Korah lived through the Exodus from Egypt. He didn't make it through the desert to the Promised Land, but the Bible tells us that some of his ancestors did and became gate-keepers (1 Chronicles 9:19, 26:19) for the Tent of Meeting and then the Temple, at least until the time of David. They lived through all the battles to take the Promised Land and every trauma Israel had been through right up until the time when David ruled. That would have included the supernatural victories over Pharoah and the Egyptian army (Exodus 14:10-31), the Amalekites (Exodus 17:8-13) and David's famous victory over the Philistines (1 Samuel 17). That certainly gives us some background to some of the verses about the nations in this psalm. This verse, for example, appears to talk about the experience of being beseiged: God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Psalms 46:5 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/psa.46.5.NIVUK
Daybreak would be a good time to attack. Especially if you attacked before the guards on duty had changed. Low light. Tired defenders. All day to battle and win. This was the time when a city would be most vulnerable. Yet the psalmist says that as God is within the city, it will not fall. Is this how you feel? Do you feel beseiged: by demands from your boss, your children, your finances? Do you feel pressured? Do you feel vulnerable? Do you feel strained by past mistakes? The name Korah was previously connected with one thing in history: a failed rebellion against Moses (Numbers 16). This would be a stain on their family that would remain for generations. Yet they had this as their comfort: God is within us. We will not fall. Provided we trust in Him. And then we see this: Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. Psalms 46:6 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/psa.46.6.NIVUK
They are talking about the complete folly of being scared of a human power, because they rise and fall like the waves of the sea. But again, we see an interesting phrase from the psalmist: He lifts his voice, the earth melts. Look what happened to Korah and his band of rebels: As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. They went down alive into the realm of the dead, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. Numbers 16:31-33 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/num.16.31-33.NIVUK
Everyone who sided with Korah perished when the ground gave way beneath them! The Korahites who were tainted by this but had not sided with their ancestor and now sung of God doing this to those who opposed them. And there is yet still more: Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. Psalms 46:8-9 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/psa.46.8-9.NIVUK
The weapons used against God's people are captured and destroyed! The armies ranged against them are defeated and completely disarmed! I was encouraged lately by the work of a South African pastor who had persuaded the gangs in his city to lay down their weapons and deliver aid to those affected by Covid-19 instead. This is a fulfilment in a small way of this prophecy: He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Micah 4:3 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/mic.4.3.NIVUK
If you feel beseiged and under pressure because of what people are doing to you, I want you to take heart from this. If we make God our fortress then He will break the weapons ranged against us. He will stop them from harming us. And one day, He will finish them for good. Having seen God and the nations, in my next post to the second force ranged against the people of God: NATURE.
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