God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)
This verse is a great comfort for troubled hearts. It promises Divine help to see us through the difficult times of life. Three things are said in our verse about God’s help. They involve shelter, strength, and steadfastness.
Shelter. “God is our refuge.” Refuge here means shelter. God is a place where we can go for protection. One of the old hymns we used to sing was entitled, “Shelter in the Time of Storm.” That is exactly what God is. And the best shelter is the shelter He provides for our soul in Jesus Christ. This is the great shelter from the eternal judgment on sin. We can shelter in Christ and be spared that judgment storm.
Strength. “God is our . . . strength.” We really need Divine strength to live right and to keep going in time of trial. Temptations are many, and they are strong. They compass us about on every side. We wonder sometimes if we will survive. We feel so weak and so unable to overcome these temptations. Also trials threaten to overwhelm us, and we sometimes think we simply cannot keep going. But God will give us the strength we need to meet every temptation and trial in life. The Apostle Paul emphasized this truth when he said, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13). Paul faced many difficult situations in his life which would cause lesser men to give up and quit. But he sought strength in the Lord and that enabled him to stand faithful and keep going amidst the most difficult times.
Steadfastness. “A very present help in trouble.” So many things fail us when trouble comes. In the sunshine we do well, but when trouble comes it seems we are suddenly all alone and desolate. When trouble comes, friends and many other things which we thought would help in trouble fail us instead. But God will not fail us in our troubles. Trouble is when His help really shines. The words “a very present help” literally means that God is a very accessible help. He is close by to help. He is only a prayer away. We can obtain His help quickly. And in trouble that is very important.