“By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea: Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power: Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people. They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice. Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it. Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.”
(Psalm 65:5-13)
We wake up every morning, put our feet on the floor, and don’t give a second thought to whether the ground beneath us will hold because it always has. And since that’s our assumption, we stop noticing the mercy in it and forget to thank God that the earth stays where it is. We forget to praise Him for the quiet miracle that the ground stays put.
Yet Scripture informs us that the earth does not stand because it must, but because God wills it to. The mountains are firm because He sets them fast by His strength. The stability of the world is not a natural given; it is instead sustained every moment by divine power.
So in those rare times when the earth does tremble beneath our feet, it makes sense that fear rises, hearts race, and people run. But the terror of an earthquake only exposes what we take for granted. If the earth trembling is terrifying, and it is, then its typical firmness should be equally comforting because the fact that it does not shake most days is no small thing. Yet this is one of those many mercies we overlook because we expect it.
So when the ground trembles, the question is not whether God is powerful but whether the heart is ready, because fear in the moment means little if it fades into forgetfulness. The danger is trembling once and then returning to life unchanged[1] because God’s works call for repentance, for careful living, for holy fear. Life can shift suddenly. Time can close without warning. The earth may hold today, but eternity will not be delayed forever.
This is why Scripture calls us to seek a kingdom that cannot be shaken, a kingdom built by God Himself, firm and unmovable. To belong to that kingdom is the only true safety.
Contemplations:
- Forgetting the daily mercy of stability. I confess how rarely I’m thankful for the earth standing firm beneath me, Lord. Instead I live as if the ground must always hold. Teach me to see the ordinary firmness of the world as extraordinary mercy, and to remember that every steady step I take rests on Your sustaining hand.
- Fear that fades too quickly. I know how quickly fear rises when danger appears, and how quickly it fades once the moment passes. I tremble when the ground moves, but I grow careless again when it stops. Lord, help me not waste the warnings You give. Let conviction linger longer than fear, and let truth shape my life after the danger has passed.
- A heart slower than the earth. The earth shook at the death of Christ, yet many hearts did not. This shows how creation responds to Your works more readily than we do. Break what is hard in me, Lord. Do not let rocks be more responsive to You than my heart.
- Longing for what cannot be shaken. I spend too much affection on what can be lost. I plan carefully for life here, yet give less thought to eternity. I confess that I settle for fragile comforts when You offer an unmovable kingdom. Lift my desires higher. Teach me to hold this world loosely and to seek security where no shaking can reach.
Prayer (Confession)
O God of our salvation, You answer by mighty and fearful works, and yet I have treated Your power as distant and Your warnings as temporary. I confess that I have lived too comfortably on unstable ground. I have trusted what I could see, touch, and control, instead of fearing You with a sober heart.
You hold the mountains in place, yet I have not stood firm in obedience. You still the seas, yet my heart is restless with sin and distraction. You crown the year with goodness, and I receive Your gifts without careful reflection. I enjoy the fruit of Your mercy while neglecting the Giver. I confess this ingratitude and this carelessness before You.
When the earth trembles, I am afraid. But when it is quiet, I forget. I confess that my fear has been reactive, not reverent. I have been startled, not humbled. I have felt danger without seeking repentance.
I confess my dullness toward eternity. I plan for tomorrow while ignoring the nearness of judgment. I prepare my home but neglect my soul. I live as though time will always continue, though You have shown how suddenly everything can change. Cleanse me from depending on this false security.
Grant me grace to fear You rightly, not with panic, but with holy seriousness. Teach me to walk carefully, knowing how quickly life can end. Help me to turn from sin without delay, to flee what dishonors You, and to live as one ready to stand before You.
Give me a heart that seeks the kingdom that cannot be shaken. Fix my hope on Christ, who rules when the earth trembles and will reign when all else falls. And let my life show that I have learned from Your mighty works and responded with repentance, faith, and obedience.
I ask this not because I deserve mercy, but because You are the God of salvation, rich in patience and faithful in grace.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References for Psalm 65:5-13:
Deut. 10:21; Isa. 45:22; Job 5:10; Joel 2:22
[1] Thomas Doolittle, Earthquakes Explained and Practically Improved Occasioned by the Late Earthquake on Sept. 8, 1692 in London, Many Other Parts in England, and beyond Sea (London: Printed for John Salusbury .., 1693), 99-112.
