Psalm 46:8-9 "Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought..."

 "Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shield with fire" (Psalm 46:8-9).

Comment:

Sandwiched between the two great spiritual statements that begin and end this psalm, this passage anchors their universal truth to a specific situation—the successful end of a war against the enemies of Judah. The psalmist is giving credit and praise to God—the Lord of hosts—for the victory. The psalm begins with the majestic affirmation "God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in time of trouble." And it moves on to the even greater directive "Be still, and know that I am God." No matter how conflicted life can seem, the Presence of God is our constant, unfailing assurance that we cannot be lost, cannot be spiritually defeated. If we call upon the Presence of God, our victory is assured. Sometimes a spiritual victory can look like desolation from an earthly perspective; but beneath the appearances a great, supportive Love is always available to us.   Blessings!

Rev. Ed