3 Roar -- troubled are its waters, Mountains they shake in its pride. Selah.
Floods have lifted up, O Jehovah, Floods have lifted up their voice, Floods lift up their breakers. Than the voices of many mighty waters, Breakers of a sea, mighty on high `is' Jehovah,
Wo `to' the multitude of many peoples, As the sounding of seas they sound; And `to' the wasting of nations, As the wasting of mighty waters they are wasted. Nations as the wasting of many waters are wasted, And He hath pushed against it, And it hath fled afar off, And been pursued as chaff of hills before wind, And as a rolling thing before a hurricane.
Jehovah, in Thy going forth out of Seir, In Thy stepping out of the field of Edom, Earth trembled, also the heavens dropped, Also thick clouds dropped water. Hills flowed from the face of Jehovah, This one -- Sinai -- From the face of Jehovah, God of Israel.
Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who hath overturned them in His anger. Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
The mountains have skipped as rams, Heights as sons of a flock. What -- to thee, O sea, that thou fleest? O Jordan, thou turnest back! O mountains, ye skip as rams! O heights, as sons of a flock! From before the Lord be afraid, O earth, From before the God of Jacob,
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 46
Commentary on Psalms 46 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 46
Ps 46:1-11. Upon Alamoth—most probably denotes the treble, or part sung by female voices, the word meaning "virgins"; and which was sung with some appropriately keyed instrument (compare 1Ch 15:19-21; see on Ps 6:1, title). The theme may be stated in Luther's well-known words, "A mighty fortress is our God." The great deliverance (2Ki 19:35; Isa 37:36) may have occasioned its composition.
1. refuge—literally, "a place of trust" (Ps 2:12).
strength—(Ps 18:2).
present help—literally, "a help He has been found exceedingly."
trouble—as in Ps 18:7.
2, 3. The most violent civil commotions are illustrated by the greatest physical commotions.
3. swelling—well represents the pride and haughtiness of insolent foes.
4. God's favor is denoted by a river (compare Ps 36:8; Zec 14:8; Re 22:1).
city of God, the holy place—His earthly residence, Jerusalem and the temple (compare Ps 2:6; 3:4; 20:2; 48:2, &c.). God's favor, like a river whose waters are conducted in channels, is distributed to all parts of His Church.
most High—denoting His supremacy (Ps 17:2).
5. right early—literally, "at the turn of morning," or change from night to day, a critical time (Ps 30:5; compare Isa 37:36).
6. (Compare Ps 46:2).
earth melted—all powers dissolved by His mere word (Ps 75:3; Ho 2:22).
7. with us—on our side; His presence is terror to our enemies, safety to us.
refuge—high place (Ps 9:9; compare also Ps 24:6, 10).
8. what desolations—literally, "who hath put desolations," destroying our enemies.
9. The usual weapons of war (Ps 7:12), as well as those using them, are brought to an end.
10. Be still, &c.—literally, "Leave off to oppose Me and vex My people. I am over all for their safety." (Compare Isa 2:11; Eph 1:22).