God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change
And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;
Though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
The holy dwelling places of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.
The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted.
The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.
Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has wrought desolations in the earth.
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 fire.
“Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.
The Setting – The invasion of Israel by Sennacherib (2 Kings 18:13-19:37) Hezekiah became king in Judah. Some 5 years later Assyria comes in and takes the northern half of Israel and after a few years after that comes to Hezekiah in Jerusalem and says he will take Jerusalem and the southern kingdom as well. The general says to not believe that Hezekiah and his God will deliver them. He speaks in the common language of the people so they hear his challenges and promises of destruction if they don’t surrender. Imagine you are in a walled city and some 250,000 enemy soldiers are surrounding you. They mock what you have confidence in, and say the easiest route out is to not fight but give up. All this happens after they had given some 11 tons of silver and a ton of gold to Assyria as tribute. Read more…
