The heathen raged

6    The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice,
the earth melted.
7    The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
8    Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in
the earth.
9    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.
10    Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen,
I will be exalted in the earth.
11    The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.                
                                              Psalms 46:6-11

     I.  As King of nations, ruling the world by his power and providence, and
overruling all the affairs of the children of men to his own glory; he does according
to his will among the inhabitants of the earth, and none may say, What doest thou?
     1.  He checks the rage and breaks the power of the nations that oppose him
and his interests in the world (v. 6)....
     2.  When he pleases to draw his sword, and give it commission, he can make
great havoc among the nations and lay all waste (v. 8).....
     3.  When he pleases to sheathe his sword, he puts an end to the wars of the
nations and crowns them with peace, v. 9.....
     II.  As King of saints, and as such we must own that great and marvellous are 
his works, Rev. 15:3.  He does and will do great things,
     1.  For his own glory (v. 10):  Be still, and know that I am God.
     (1.)  Let his enemies be still, and threaten no more, but know it, to their terror,
that he is God, one infinitely above them, and that will certainly be too hard for them;
let them rage no more, for it is all in vain: he that sits in heaven, laughs at them; and, in
spite of all their impotent malice against his name and honour, he will be exalted
among the heathen and not merely among his own people, he will be exalted in the
earth and not merely in the church.  Men will set up themselves, will have their own
way and do their own will; but let them know that God will be exalted, he will have
his way will do his own will, will glorify his own name, and wherein they deal proudly
he will be above them, and make them know that he is so.  (2.)  Let his own people
be still; let them be calm and sedate, and tremble no more, but know, to their comfort,
that the Lord is God, he is God alone, and will be exalted above the heathen; let him
alone to maintain his honour, to fulfil his own counsels and to support his own interest
in the world.  Though we be depressed, yet let us not be dejected, for we are sure
that God will be exalted, and that may satisfy us; he will work for his great name, and
then no matter what becomes of our little names.  When we pray, Father, glorify thy
name, we ought to exercise faith upon the answer given to that prayer when Christ
himself prayed it, I have both glorified it and I will glorify it yet again.  Amen, Lord,
so be it.
     2.  For his people's safety and protection.  He triumphs in the former:  I will be
exalted; they triumph in this, v. 7 and again v. 11.  It is the burden of the song, "The
Lord of hosts is with us; he is on our side, he takes our part, is present with us and
president over us; the God of Jacob is our refuge, to whom we may flee, and in
whom we may confide and be sure of safety."  Let all believers triumph in this. 
(1.)  They have the presence of a God of power, of all power:  The Lord of hosts
is with us.  God is the Lord of hosts, for he has all the creatures which are called
the hosts of heaven and earth at his beck and command, and he makes what use
he pleases of them, as the instruments either of his justice or of his mercy.  This
sovereign Lord is with us, sides with us, acts with us, and has promised he will
never leave us.  Hosts may be against us, but we need not fear them if the Lord
of hosts be with us.  (2.)  They are under the protection of a God in covenant,
who not only is able to help them, but is engaged in honour and faithfulness to
help them.  He is the God of Jacob, not only Jacob the person, but Jacob the people;
nay, and of all praying people, the spiritual seed of wrestling Jacob; and he is our
refuge, by whom we are sheltered and in whom we are satisfied, who by his providence
secures our welfare when without are fightings, and who by his grace quiets our minds,
and establishes them, when within are fears.  The Lord of hosts, the God of Jacob,
has been, is, and will be with us--has been, is and will be our refuge:  the original includes
all; and well may Selah be added to it.  Mark this, and take the comfort of it, and say,
If God be for us, who can be against us?
                                                                                                 Matthew Henry