CH2.1.4

4. He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord has them in derision.

This is the voice of the Holy Spirit sent forth through the mouth of the prophet on account of our faintheartedness and small numbers which He sees, as well as the multitude and power of the kings and adversaries. For whatever is exalted in the world unites and joins forces against the church, which, as it is small in number, also lacks almost all those gifts with which the world makes a show. When, therefore, it is overwhelmed with disturbances, as by the waters of the sea, when it appraises the arms, the power, the resources of so many kings by whom it is attacked, it fears and trembles. For the human heart is not iron or stone, but flesh and soft. And so it is affected in such certain perils. For it does not happen that a Christian has only one enemy against him. Kings and rulers, the nations and the people, rise up against him as the Holy Spirit foretells in this passage. Yes, all the devils attack and assault him, to say nothing, meanwhile, of the scruples with which his conscience is plagued.

In this great peril the merciful Lord comes through His Word and opposes other far greater things to this multitude of evils and offenses. For not only does He say, as in the Tenth Psalm: “The eyes of the Lord behold the poor,” Possibly Ps. 10:8, which does not, however, refer to the Lord; perhaps Luther really had Ps. 11:4 in mind. ^†7 but concerning these enemies of the church and all their attempts He says: “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord has them in derision.” So with one consoling word He consumes all the furious men, rulers, kings, and demons. Those who oppose the church are mighty and powerful. They are also numerous, able in wisdom, and have a name for righteousness, whereas we are few and weak. Therefore, besides the fact that we are buried by the multitude and magnitude of the world's majesties, we are also troubled and grieved by our conscience and our infirmity, well known to us. Let us, then, learn this consolation so that we may not be confused by this horrible picture. Rather let us say: “I also know One who inhabits a most highly fortified and inaccessible fortress, which not only princes and kings, but Satan himself cannot approach. For all

these are either on earth or in the air, but the house of this King is heaven itself, where the power of neither men nor Satan is of any avail.”

Out of contempt for the adversaries of the church, therefore, he does not name that One who sits in the fortress of heaven, but says simply: בַּשָּׁמַיִם יוֹשַׁב, He who dwells in h