Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea;

3 Though its waters rage and foam, and though the mountains tremble at its tumult.

4 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

5 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.

6 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be overthrown; God shall help her at the break of day.

7 The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are shaken; God has spoken, and the earth shall melt away.

8 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

9 Come now and look upon the works of the Lord, what awesome things he has done on earth.

10 It is he who makes war to cease in all the world; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear, and burns the shields with fire.

11 "Be still, then, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth."

12 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

(This year, Monday Matters will focus on wisdom conveyed in the treasures of the book of Psalms. We'll look at the psalms read in church before Monday Matters comes to your screen. Please note that these days in the church, there are two tracks of readings in the lectionary, offering a choice of psalms. Your church may or may not have read the psalm included in this email.)

Where do you go for refuge? Where do you find strength these days? Those Monday morning questions lead directly to Psalm 46, which you may have heard in church yesterday.

Whenever I come across Psalm 46, it brings to mind my time serving in a parish in Manhattan, including that bright September day when the attacks of 9/11 took place. I suspect we all have some memory of where we were, how we heard and how the scope of that tragedy dawned on us. Whether you lived in lower Manhattan or on the other side of the globe, the events reverberated with deep personal impact.

The parish in which I served was located in midtown Manhattan. Over the autumn months, we hosted many memorial services. We had a service for two homeless men who collected recycling in the towers. A small service because no one knew how to contact any of their family members. We had SRO services for wealthy upper east siders. We had a candlelight service at the local fire station, which lost a dozen firefighters. We had services for a small Japanese company that lost 10 of 12 employees. And we had services for large corporations who also lost many employees. Those corporations came to us because of our hospitality to interfaith conversation. On our church staff, we had a rabbi who ran a continuing education program to encourage learning about various faith traditions. Included in that program were courses taught by a local imam.

Apparently, MBA programs had not prepared corporate leaders for planning memorial services. The executives came to us, asking for help, specifically for interfaith services, led not only by our clergy but also by this rabbi and this imam. We were careful to be as inclusive as we could be in our liturgy, honoring the many traditions that might be represented among the mourners. But I think in almost every service we offered, we included Psalm 46.

The psalm takes me back to that particular historical moment. But it has application in all kinds of situations. In each of our lives, there are moments of pain and loss that cause us to look for refuge. One rector I know echoes the wisdom of Buddhism and says: Suffering is the promise life always keeps. In those moments, which will come to us as sure as the sun rises, where do we look for strength? Where do we find refuge?

May I suggest Psalm 46.

In a relatively short psalm, the following phrase is repeated three times: The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our stronghold. It’s as if the psalmist is saying: Can you get it through your thick heads that we are not alone? Let me say it three times so you’re sure that we are not alone though earth be moved, though mountains topple and tremble, though waters rage, though kingdoms are shaken.

The tragedy visited on lower Manhattan almost 25 years ago is not an isolated event. Around the globe, since then, unspeakable events have occurred, many with none of the publicity afforded 9/11. Some are taking place right now in Gaza, in the Sudan, in Ukraine. In our own lives, unscripted, unimaginable events take place. In the face of those personal terrors, the psalmist offers this call: Be still and know that I am God.

If you’re in one of those moments now, hear the refrain of the psalmist. Carry it with you this day: The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. If you know someone in the midst of those moments, pray this psalm for them. And if occasion arises, pray this psalm with them. By grace, may we find strength and refuge.

-Jay Sidebotham