Psa 46:8-11 | KingComments | STEP | The psalmist calls for us to “come” and “behold the works of the LORD” ( ). “Behold” means to ponder, resulting in the abandonment of resistance to God followed by wise action. It is about looking over the battlefield. There lie the defeated enemies as the result of His actions (cf. ). Because of the great tribulation, He “has wrought desolations in the earth”, the results of which will be visible ( ). As the stone loosened without the intervention of human hands, He has destroyed the statue of states representing the world’s empires ( ; cf. ). When that time comes, the time of judgment will be over. In bringing about His destructions, the LORD has made “the wars to cease to the end of the earth” ( ; ). The Prince of peace is seated on the throne in Jerusalem. The time of peace has come. What meetings and conferences of whatever powerful rulers have never been able to accomplish, He has brought about: world peace. He has also brought about total disarmament, something governments have always tried to achieve. They never succeeded because they did so on the basis of a misplaced trust in man. Through the Lord Jesus, all military means are broken or shattered and turned into useful instruments ( ; ). He has burned “the chariots with fire” and thus rendered useless ( ; cf. ). They are also no longer required. To this perspective God attaches the message for man to cease his efforts to arrange things himself ( ). He must give up in the realization that he is only a man and that God alone is God. Man must stop thinking in his pride that he can contribute anything to world peace, let alone work it out. Any attempt by man to do so is a denial of the existence and government of God. God is the Only One Who will be praised among the nations and on the earth. The knowledge that He is God must not be merely an intellectual knowing. It must lead to entrusting yourself to Him ( ), that you take refuge in Him, that He is your stronghold. Whatever may befall believers, whatever opposition they may experience, they can confidently say that “the LORD of hosts” is with them ( ). The Captain of all the earthly and heavenly hosts, both good and evil, is with them. Why then and for what will they still fear? Added to that, they may know that “the God of Jacob” is “a stronghold” for them. The name “Jacob” refers to the people in their weakness. But if God is their stronghold, it means that they are untouchable, for who can do anything against Him?

‏ Psalms 46:8-11

God Makes Wars to Cease

The psalmist calls for us to “come” and “behold the works of the LORD” (Psa 46:8). “Behold” means to ponder, resulting in the abandonment of resistance to God followed by wise action. It is about looking over the battlefield. There lie the defeated enemies as the result of His actions (cf. Isa 37:36). Because of the great tribulation, He “has wrought desolations in the earth”, the results of which will be visible (Isa 66:23-24). As the stone loosened without the intervention of human hands, He has destroyed the statue of states representing the world’s empires (Dan 2:44-45; cf. Isa 34:2-4). When that time comes, the time of judgment will be over.

In bringing about His destructions, the LORD has made “the wars to cease to the end of the earth” (Psa 46:9; Zec 9:10). The Prince of peace is seated on the throne in Jerusalem. The time of peace has come. What meetings and conferences of whatever powerful rulers have never been able to accomplish, He has brought about: world peace.

He has also brought about total disarmament, something governments have always tried to achieve. They never succeeded because they did so on the basis of a misplaced trust in man. Through the Lord Jesus, all military means are broken or shattered and turned into useful instruments (Isa 2:4; Mic 4:3). He has burned “the chariots with fire” and thus rendered useless (Isa 9:4; cf. Eze 39:9). They are also no longer required.

To this perspective God attaches the message for man to cease his efforts to arrange things himself (Psa 46:10). He must give up in the realization that he is only a man and that God alone is God. Man must stop thinking in his pride that he can contribute anything to world peace, let alone work it out. Any attempt by man to do so is a denial of the existence and government of God.

God is the Only One Who will be praised among the nations and on the earth. The knowledge that He is God must not be merely an intellectual knowing. It must lead to entrusting yourself to Him (Psa 46:11), that you take refuge in Him, that He is your stronghold.

Whatever may befall believers, whatever opposition they may experience, they can confidently say that “the LORD of hosts” is with them (Rom 8:31-39). The Captain of all the earthly and heavenly hosts, both good and evil, is with them. Why then and for what will they still fear? Added to that, they may know that “the God of Jacob” is “a stronghold” for them. The name “Jacob” refers to the people in their weakness. But if God is their stronghold, it means that they are untouchable, for who can do anything against Him?