God Our Victory
Finding Peace in Chaos: God’s Ultimate Victory in Psalm 46
In a world of constant unrest—nations at war, political division, and personal struggles—where can we find peace and hope? Psalm 46 provides a powerful answer, pointing us beyond our present troubles to God’s ultimate victory.
Last week, we explored how God is our refuge in times of trouble, through His presence, and in His power. Today, we’ll see how the Psalmist lifts our eyes to a future where God’s purposes prevail, His glory fills the earth, and His people rest secure.
How Does Psalm 46 Point to God’s Ultimate Victory?
The final stanza of Psalm 46 (verses 8-11) reveals four ways this psalm points us to God’s final victory.
1. See God’s Mighty Works
“Come, behold the works of the Lord. How he has brought desolations on the earth.” (v.8)
The psalmist invites us to shift our perspective—to take our eyes off the chaos around us and look at what God has done. This psalm was likely written after God miraculously defeated 185,000 Assyrian soldiers while the people of Judah slept. From a hopeless situation, God displayed His power and brought overwhelming peace.
We can see God’s works in three ways:
- In Israel’s history – The Exodus from Egypt, the walls of Jericho falling, Gideon’s small army defeating thousands—each story proves no enemy is too strong and no obstacle too great for God.
- At the cross – The ultimate display of God’s power came when Jesus conquered sin and death. What looked like defeat became the greatest victory when the stone rolled away and Jesus rose from the dead.
- In our personal lives – Every answered prayer, every provision, every moment of peace in our storms is evidence that God is still working today.
2. Trust God’s Final Triumph
“He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire.” (v.9)
The psalmist shifts from past works to future triumph. Notice it’s God who makes war cease—not nations negotiating peace or leaders figuring things out. Human attempts at peace always fail because sin remains in human hearts. Only God brings lasting peace because only He can deal with the root problem of sin.
This verse points to decisive victory: broken bows will never shoot arrows again; burnt chariots will never roll back into battle. Revelation 19 confirms that Christ will return and with the word of His mouth defeat all enemies—not temporarily, but finally and completely.
We don’t need to place our hope in politics, military strength, or human power. We can rest confidently knowing God’s victory is final.
3. Obey His Call to Stillness
“Be still, and know that I am God.” (v.10a)
This well-known verse is often misunderstood. While we often apply it to personal quiet time, in context it’s more than that. The Hebrew term carries the idea of ceasing to struggle—dropping your arms. It’s essentially a military command: “Stop fighting!”
For Israel, God was saying, “I’ve got this”—just as He had defeated the Assyrians while they slept. For us, He’s saying to let go of our illusion of control. We think we have control, but we don’t. God does.
Being still isn’t doing nothing—it’s actively trusting God. It’s hard because our minds are filled with to-do lists, job tasks, family pressures, and church activities. We get busy, and when challenges come, we try to handle everything ourselves. The psalmist reminds us that sometimes the best action is to stop trying to do it alone and remember that God is in control.
4. Rest in God’s Certain Exaltation
“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 fortress.” (v.10b-11)
This is the psalm’s climax. God declares the certainty of His ultimate glory: “I will be exalted.” Not “I might” or “I hope to”—but “I will.” This echoes Philippians 2:10-11, where Paul writes that at Jesus’ name, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
The psalm closes by repeating: “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” He is both the commander of heaven’s armies (powerful) and the covenant God of His people (personal)—both almighty King and personal protector.
Because His exaltation is certain, we don’t need to live anxiously about the future. The One who will be exalted over all nations is walking with you today.
Living Between Victory Won and Victory Completed
During World War II, after Allied forces liberated Europe but before Japan surrendered, people celebrated Victory in Europe Day. The war wasn’t over, but a decisive battle had been won.
That’s where Christians stand today. The decisive battle was won at the cross and empty tomb when Jesus conquered sin and death. We’re living in the “in-between,” waiting for the final declaration when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.
If you’ve never placed your trust in Jesus, you can’t know this victory. The Bible says we’ve all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, and one day God will judge us in His righteousness. But God sent Jesus to be our victory—He lived perfectly, died in our place, and rose again victoriously. When you repent and trust Him, you find victory not just for today but for eternity.
Life Application
Psalm 46 begins with trouble but ends with triumph. It starts in chaos but declares eternal peace. One day, wars will cease and peace will reign. God will be exalted. Until then, we can confidently say, “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”
This week, consider these questions:
- Where am I trying to maintain control instead of being still and trusting God?
- How can I shift my perspective from the chaos around me to see God’s mighty works?
- What would it look like to live today with the confidence that God’s victory is already secured?
- In what specific situation do I need to “be still” and remember that God is God?
Live with joy and peace today, knowing the final outcome has already been decided. God will be exalted, and His victory is certain.