“A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High. God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very break of day, God will protect it. The nations are in chaos, and their kingdoms crumble! God’s voice thunders, and the earth melts! The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.” (Psalm 46:4-7 NLT)
God is our Refuge, so we need not fear. But He is also our River, so we need not faint. Verse 4 says, "A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High." Until one visits the Holy Land, it is hard to understand how critical water is there. Without water almost nothing can exist there. Jerusalem is one of the great ancient cities that was not founded on a river. It wasn't until Hezekiah dug his famous tunnel that Jerusalem had a water source within the city walls. The psalmist says here that though Jerusalem is not situated beside a river, it has a River. And it comes from the Holy Place, from the throne of God. Verse 5 says, “God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very break of day, God will protect it.”
Jesus said, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!" (John 7:37 NLT) The rivers of Living Water, the rivers of joy, flow out from His throne. In the Bible, water for washing is a picture of the Word of God. But water for drinking is a picture of the Spirit of God. We may drink from this hidden River. And because we drink at this River, we have the joy, the refreshment and the empowerment of the Lord.
The psalmist continues in verse 7, "The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress." He is the Lord of the armies. All the armies of heaven and earth belong to the Lord Jesus Christ because He has all authority. He is with us, not against us. He is Immanuel, "God with us."
Take time to drink at the River. Allow God to refresh us, restore us and strengthen us every day. Strength from within is as critical to spiritual well-being as it is to physical well-being. If we want to work and not faint, we must depend on God to provide everything we need. His people have the Holy Spirit within them to refresh and strengthen them. When we drink from the rivers of water He provides, we find strength and the joy of the Lord.
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