God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
—Psalm 46:1–3
The metaphor of God as a refuge assumes a threat. There was an occasion for this psalm’s composition and that occasion was trouble. God is a refuge, strength, and help in… trouble. Knowing the covenant God of Israel doesn’t eliminate trouble. Trouble will be, but in trouble, the people of God have a refuge.
And it is for this reason, we do not fear. Not because there is no trouble, but because in trouble there is a refuge. “Therefore, we will not fear.” Perhaps it is better to say, that in trouble, the saints understand that they should not fear and therefore they resolve not to fear. “God is our refuge” this is our confession. “Therefore we will not fear,” this is our resolution.
Theology is practical. Theology therefores. The darkness of fear dissipates as the flame of faith in our refuge grows. This flame of faith is fed by God’s truth, doctrine, teaching as to who He is. The more you know God, the less you will know of carnal fear. Spurgeon comments, “How fond the Psalmist is of therefores! his poetry is no poetic rapture without reason, it is as logical as a mathematical demonstration. The next words are a necessary inference from these. ‘Will not we fear.’ With God on our side, how irrational would fear be! Where he is all power is, and all love, why therefore should we quail?”
We will not fear though… though what? Though trouble! Though anything. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35–39).
We will not fear “though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.”
We will not fear though towers burn and fall, though terrorists attack, though viruses threaten, though wars rage.
We will not fear though the wicked dominate the media, though drag queens seek to target children, though we are silenced and arrested for righteousness sake, though we are ridiculed, mocked, and laughed at.
God is our refuge therefore, we will not fear.
No Other Boast 