Psalm 46:1-11
‘God is our refuge!… Therefore we will not fear, though the Earth be removed!… The Heathen raged; the kingdoms were moved. He uttered His Voice — the Earth melted!… What desolations He has made on the Earth!… The Lord of hosts is with us! The God of Jacob is our refuge!’ Psalm 46:1-11.
Calvin comments: “God is sufficiently able to protect His Own people…. He gives them sufficient ground to expect it….
“The faithful have no reason to be afraid, since God is always ready to deliver them. Nay, (He) is also armed with invincible power….
“When things are so confused that the Heavens seem…to fall with great violence; the Earth to remove out of its place; and the mountains to be torn up from their very foundations — we nevertheless continue to preserve and maintain calmness and tranquillity of heart!… ‘Though the Earth be moved and the mountains fall into the midst of the sea’…, denote a revolution and turning
upside down of the whole world!…
“‘The peoples (or Heathen) raged!… The Church of God is never without enemies, and these are very powerful…. It belongs to God continually to restrain…. His arm is strong enough to break all the efforts of the enemy…. The enemies of the Church came with a dreadful host to waste and destroy it…. Immediately, by ‘the Voice of God’ — they…’melted’ and vanished away…. Although the whole world rise up against us and confound all things by their increased madness, they can be brought to nought in a moment — as soon as God shows Himself favourable toward us!…
“‘Jehovah of armies is with us!’… That our faith may rest truly and firmly in God, we must take into consideration at the same time these two parts of His character — His immeasurable power, by which He is able to subject the whole world under Him; and His fatherly love, which He has manifested in His Word…. There is nothing which can hinder our faith from defying all the enemies which may rise up against us!…
“He therefore sets before them the desolations of countries, and marvellous devastations…. We should look for peace from Him — even when the whole world is in uproar…. The Psalmist exhorts the world to subdue and restrain their turbulent affections, and to yield to…God…the glory which He deserves…. If they proceed to act like madmen…, it will be no difficult matter for Him to stretch forth His arm afar to the Gentiles and Heathen nations, so that He may glorify Himself in every land!”
Calvin adds in his Institutes III:2:37 & IV:1:3: “Faith finds…protection in the words of…Psalm 46:1-5 — ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble; therefore we will not fear, though the Earth be removed and the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea!… God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved!'” He is our refuge, even when the Earth melts down!
