God Is Our Refuge a Study Guide Through Psalm 46

Before the Bench Ministry © 1 God is our Refuge

A Study Guide Through Psalm 46

—Bonus— Printable Memory Verse Cards

Before the Bench Women’s Ministry Sandi Pierce

Before the Bench Ministry © copyright beforethebench.org I pray the Lord will use this study guide to encourage you, and to help you grow in your faith, and trust in Him . . . . God is our Refuge

In Christ, Sandi

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Before the Bench Ministry © copyright beforethebench.org I am the vine, you are the branches, he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

John 15:5 —God is our Refuge— A Study Guide Through Psalm 46

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Study Guide Outline

• A.C.T.S. Guide to Prayer • Introduction to Psalm 46 • Read Psalm 46 in Different Translations • If You Choose to go Deeper into Study Cross References Part 1 & 2 • Word Study • Pray the Word • Memorize the Word • Conclusion

BONUS—Printable Memory Verse Cards

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Before you begin reading and studying Psalm 46, take time to pray. Ask God through His Holy Spirit to speak to you, to teach you more about Himself and His word.

A prayer model is provided below to help lead your prayer time—

A.C.T.S. Guide to Prayer

• Adoration—Begin your prayer time with adoration. Praise God for who He is. Praying the Names of God by Tony Evans, is a great resource to help guide you in this step if needed. https://tonyevans.org/praying-and-pronouncing-the-names-of-god/

• Confession—Prayer should include confessing our sin, remembering that we are coming into God’s Holy presence and have need of His forgiveness

• Thanksgiving—When we pray, we should always give thanks, remembering the grace and mercy God has shown toward

• Supplication—Prayer includes supplication or petition, which simply means bringing our requests to God for the needs of others and ourselves

Before the Bench Ministry © copyright beforethebench.org 2 Before the Bench Ministry © copyright beforethebench.org 3 Introduction to Psalm 46

The Psalms—Psalms is a Hebrew title that simply means “Praises”. “A ftting title because the book of Psalms is about praising the Lord in every situation, on every occasion. It’s a book that gives not only exhortation to praise and inspiration for praise, but instruction about praise. Psalms is the defnitive workbook on worship. Therefore, if you desire to know how to worship the Lord, the book of Psalms is custom-made for you...”

Psalms 46, 47, and 48 are songs of celebration, delighting in God’s faithfulness in delivering the nation from a foreign enemy.

Theme of Psalm 46—God is always here to help, providing refuge, security, and peace. God’s power is complete and His ultimate victory is certain. He will not fail to rescue those who love Him and are His. • What we learn about God from Psalm 46 vv. 1-3 God is our Refuge. He alone is Suffcient vv. 4-7 God is our Security vv. 8-11 The Supremacy of God

NOTE—Most commentators and study Bibles agree that the foreign enemy mentioned in Psalm 46 is from which Israel was delivered in 2 Kings 18 and 19. “The Assyrian army of King Sennacherib, led by Rab-shakeh, his general, besieged the city of Jerusalem.” It very well seemed like a hopeless situation for God’s people with the great armies of Assyria camped right outside the walls of the city. But the prophet Isaiah stated that they did not need to worry, that not a single arrow from an Assyrian bow would fnd its way into Jerusalem (Isaiah 37: 33). Take a moment and look it up, you will see that is exactly what happened . . . . God is our Refuge. (Jon Courson and Life Application Study Bible)

Now, we are ready to begin our personal study time of Psalm 46 today and celebrate God’s amazing faithfulness, His suffciency, security, and supremacy. He is our refuge.

Fun Fact—This Psalm is one of the many Psalms that have inspired hymns. As noted in the Life Application Bible, Psalm 46 inspired the hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”

4 Before the Bench Ministry © copyright beforethebench.org 5 “God is real. He’s in our midst. He cares about us deeply. He’s going to see us through. So we can be still.”

Jon Courson

6 Read Psalm 46 in Different Translations

Psalm 46 New American Standard Bible Translation

1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah. 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, The holy dwelling places of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. 6 The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah. 8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, Who has wrought desolations in the earth. 9 He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fre. 10 “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” 11 The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.

Psalm 46 Holman Christian Standard Bible Translation

1 God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble. 2 Therefore we will not be afraid, though the earth trembles and the mountains topple into the depths of the seas, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with its turmoil. Selah 4 There is a river—its streams delight the city of God, the holy dwelling place of the Most 5 God is within her; she will not be toppled. God will help her when the morning dawns. 6 Nations rage, kingdoms topple; the earth melts when He lifts His voice. 7 The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah 8 Come, see the works of the Lord, who brings devastation on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease throughout the earth. He shatters bows and cuts spears to pieces; He burns up the chariots. 10 “Stop your fghting—and know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.” 11 Yahweh of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah

7 Psalm 46 New Living Translation

1 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. 2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. 3 Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Interlude 4 A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High. 5 God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very break of day, God will protect it. 6 The nations are in chaos, and their kingdoms crumble! God’s voice thunders, and the, earth melts! 7 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude 8 Come, see the glorious works of the Lord: See how He brings destruction upon the world. 9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and snaps the spear; He burns the shields with fre. 10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” 11 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude

Note how the different translations help us understand scripture—

Psalm 46:10a NASB “Cease striving and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10a HCSB “Stop your fghting—and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10a NLT “Be still, and know that I am God!“

8 If You Choose to Go Deeper Into Studying Part 1

- 9 If You Choose to Go Deeper Into Studying Part 2

Look up, read and write out the following verses below in the journal pages provided to better understand Psalm 46 and to go deeper into studying—

2 Timothy 1:7

John 7:37-38

Philippians 2:13

10 ______11 ______12 Word Study

13 Refuge

God is Our Refuge— God’s Word, the Bible, as we have been studying, teaches us that “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).

Refuge is also translated as Shelter, Stronghold, Hope, Dwelling Place, High Tower, Trust and Strength. God is all of these and more.

God is reassuring us that He is with us and we should not fear. We can take comfort in Him, being in His presence, trusting in the promise of eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ. He is on the throne.

• Refuge —To take refuge is to fnd a safe place. The safest “place” we can ever be is in The Lord • “Refuge comes from a French word meaning “to fee” and in most cases, a refuge is a place to fee to in order to get away from dangerous situations, people or places that are unsafe. • God as our Refuge, according to the Strong’s Concordance Number H4268, matches the machaceh), which occurs 20 times in 20 verses in the Hebrew concordance of the) מַחֲסֶה Hebrew NASB Translation misgab), which) מִ שְׂגָּב God as our Stronghold, according Strong's Number H4869, matches the Hebrew • occurs 18 times in 16 verses in the Hebrew concordance of the NASB

Whatever personal storm or trial you are going through, take refuge in Him. Take comfort In His Word . . . But the Lord sits enthroned forever; He has established His throne for justice, and He judges the world with righteousness; He judges the peoples with uprightness.

The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know Your name put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

Psalm 9:7-10 14 ______Word Study ______Choose your own ______word to study from Psalm 46 or ______one of the other correlating ______passages mentioned ______15 ______16 Pray the Word

17 “We know that the early church prayed back to God the very words that God had given them.”

John Piper

18 Did you know that a great portion of the Psalms are prayers??

19 ______Write out your own ______personal prayer using ______Psalm 46 ______20 Before the Bench Ministry © ______21 Before the Bench Ministry © Memorize the Word

22 ______Pick One or More of the Verses From ______Our Study to Write Out and Memorize ______— ______Review Daily Until Memorized ______23 ______24 ______25 Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.

Psalm 46:10

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God is our Refuge—

In Conclusion, take some time to review, pray and write out below what God taught you about Himself, about people, and about yourself

• What have you learned about God?

• What have you learned about people

• What have you learned about yourself

27 Action Steps—As we end out study time, pray and ask God to help you discern what action steps you are going to implement in your life to live out what He taught you through this study. Write out below what He brought to mind.

28 Bonus Memory Verse Cards

Before the Bench Ministry Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.

Psalm 46:10 Before the Bench Ministry

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Before the Bench Ministry Before the Bench Ministry Resources: Life Application Study Bible; John Piper, Jon Courson, Blue Letter Bible website; Strong’s Concordance; Dr J Vernon McGee