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The recurring phrase "The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge"
will then be sung by them with real feeling. The nations will assuredly rage (46: 6)
against the Lord and His anointed (Psa. 2: 1-3), but God will speak in judgment and the
earth's opposing forces will be routed and destroyed. The terrible destruction in the earth
after the judgments described in the book of the Revelation are referred to in verse 8:
"Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations He hath made in the earth."
The attainment of real peace when the Prince of peace returns is a wonderful feature
of the earthly kingdom of the Lord. Micah 4: 3 declares:
"He (Christ) shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off: and
they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks, nation
shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
It is quite obvious that this must refer to the future, for war and slaughter have
characterized history since the Fall of man. If lasting peace is going to be a reality, then
God must deal with the armaments problem and our Psalms assures us:
"He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth
the spear in sunder; He burneth the chariot in the fire" (46: 9).
The bow, spear and war chariots are weapons of war and the psalmist declares that the
Lord will abolish them. How He will do it is beyond our understanding at the moment.
Just imagine a world where the appalling burden and colossal danger of armaments is
lifted for ever! No wonder everyone is exhorted to be quiet and recognize God as the
One Who will be exalted among the nations (heathen) and all over the earth (46: 10).
Surely then saved and restored Israel will be able to say:
"The Lord of hosts (Jehovah Sabaoth) is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge"
(46: 7 and 11).
We can join in here and now with the last verse of the third Psalm in this trilogy:
"This God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even unto death"
(Psalm 48: 14).