Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 46

God is our refuge and strength - God is for us as a place to which we may flee for safety, and a source of strength to us in danger. The first word, “refuge,” derived from a verb meaning “to flee,” and then “to flee to”—הסה châsâh—or “to take shelter in,” denotes a place to which one would flee in time of danger, such as a lofty wall, a high tower, a fort, or a fortress. See the notes at Psalms 18:2. The idea here is that the people of God, in time of danger, may find Him to be what such a place of refuge would be. Compare Proverbs 18:10.

The word “strength” implies that God is the source of strength to those who are weak and defenseless. We may rely on His strength “as if” it were our own, or we may feel as safe in His strength as though we had that strength ourselves. We may make it the basis of our confidence as really as though the strength resided in our own arm. See the notes at Psalms 18:2.

A very present help - The word “help” here means aid or assistance. The word “trouble” would cover all that can come upon us which would give us anxiety or sorrow. The word rendered “present”—נמצא nim^etsâ'—means, rather, “is found,” or “has been found.” That is, He has “proved” Himself to be a help in trouble.

The common understanding of “present”—as if He were near to us or close by us—does not accurately express the idea. Instead, the meaning is that “He has been found” to be such a help, or that He has always “proved” Himself to be such, and therefore, we may now confide in Him.

The word “very,” or “exceedingly,” is added to qualify the whole proposition, as if this were “emphatically true.” It was true in the most eminent sense that God had always been found to be such a helper; “therefore,” there was nothing to fear in the present distress (Psalms 46:2).

Therefore will not we fear – Our confidence in God will be unshaken and enduring. Having Him for our refuge and strength (Psalms 46:1), we can have nothing to fear. .

Though the earth be removed – literally, “in the changing of the earth;” that is, though the earth should be changed. This may mean either that the earth should change its place or its very structure in these convulsions, or that it should perish altogether. . The idea is that they would not be afraid, even if the convulsions then occurring in the world should continue and extend so far as to destroy the very earth itself. God would remain their friend and protector, and they would have nothing to fear.

And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea – Margin, as in Hebrew, “into the heart of the seas.” This may be understood literally, implying that they would not be afraid even if the mountains, the most fixed and firm things of earth, should be uprooted and sunk in the ocean—which implies that nothing earthly was stable. Alternatively, the mountains here may be referred to as emblems of what seemed to be most settled and established on earth: the kingdoms of the world.

The idea is that in any convulsion, any change, or any threatened danger, they would place confidence in God, who ruled over all and who could not change. It will be readily seen that this entire description of trust and confidence in God is applicable to the time of Hezekiah and to the feelings he manifested when the land was invaded by the hosts of Sennacherib, and when wars and commotions were occurring among the kingdoms of the earth. (See the introduction to the psalm).

It was also eminently suited to console the mind in the circumstances to which Luther so often applied the psalm—the agitations, convulsions, wars, and dangers in Europe during the time of the Reformation. It is suited to any time of trouble, when commotions and revolutions are occurring in the earth, and when everything sacred, true, and valuable seems to be in danger.

Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled – The waters of the sea. The idea is that they would not be afraid even if everything were in commotion and as unsettled as the restless waves of the ocean. The earth might be changed, the mountains removed, and the agitated sea roar and dash against the shore, but their minds would remain calm.

The word translated “be troubled” means to boil, to ferment, or to foam; and here it refers to the ocean being agitated and lashed into foam.

Nothing is more sublime and fearful than the ocean in a storm. Nothing provides a better illustration of the peace produced by confidence in God amid the agitations that occur in the world, than the mind of a seaman who remains calm when the ocean is heaved in wild commotion.

Though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof – The rolling ocean breaking against the sides of the mountains on its shore, and seeming to shake them to their foundation.

The word translated “swelling” primarily means majesty or glory, and then pride, haughtiness, or insolence. Literally, “though the mountains tremble through their pride.” . Regarding the word “Selah,” see the notes on Psalm 3:2.

There is a river - There is no allusion here to any particular stream or river, but the image is designed to represent a state of peace and calm security in contrast with the rough and troubled ocean. While the ocean rages, and foams, and dashes against the mountains as if it would overturn them, the state of Jerusalem, the city of God, was well represented by a calm and gently-flowing river; a river of full banks, diffusing joy and fertility and beauty wherever it flowed. This image, to represent happiness, abundance, peace, joy, is one that is often employed in the Scriptures. Compare Isaiah 32:2; Isaiah 33:21; Isaiah 41:18; Psalms 1:3; Revelation 22:1; Psalms 36:8.

The idea here is simply that Jerusalem would be calm and serene amidst all the external agitations in the world - calm as a gently-flowing stream. The streams - the canals - the water-courses of such a river flowing around each dwelling and along each garden, would diffuse happiness and beauty everywhere.

The streams of which - The allusion here is undoubtedly to the canals, watercourses, or rivulets that were led off from the main stream for the purpose of supplying fountains and watering gardens. Thus the city of Damascus is watered by streams or canals cut from the river Barrady, that flows down from the regions of Anti-Libanus. The greenness - the beauty - the fertility - of Damascus is entirely due to the waters of the river thus conducted to every house and garden in the city. Compare introduction to Isaiah 17:1-14. So here, the flowing river of divine mercy and goodness is conveyed, as in smaller canals or streams, to each home and heart, producing peace, calmness, joy - while the world around is full of commotion and trouble.

Shall make glad the city of God - Jerusalem, considered as the place where God was worshipped, and where he was supposed especially to dwell: Psalms 48:1.

The holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High - Of the tent where the Most High is supposed to abide. The word is applicable to any habitation or dwelling-place; but in the Scriptures it is applied especially to the sacred tent erected by Moses in the wilderness, and ultimately removed to Mount Zion by David, as the divine abode on earth. It is sometimes, also, applied to the temple; and if this psalm was written, as I have supposed, in the time of Hezekiah, it would be applicable to that. Compare Psalm 84:2; Psalms 132:5. The tabernacle and the temple were alike divided into two parts - the holy and the most holy place - and hence the plural term is sometimes applied to them. Compare the notes at Hebrews 9:2-3.

God is in the midst of her — God is in the midst of the “city” referred to above — the “city of God.” That is:

• He dwelt there by the visible symbol of his presence, the Shekinah;
• He was there actually as a help and a protector.

It was his chosen dwelling, and as long as such a Being dwelt in the city, they had nothing to fear.

God shall help her — That is, in her danger, He will intervene to save her. This is language that would be used in reference to a place that was besieged, and would well apply to the state of things when Jerusalem was besieged by the armies of Assyria under Sennacherib. The language expresses the confidence of the people in the time of the impending danger.

And that right early — The margin says, “when the morning appears.” Literally, it means “in the faces of the morning,” as the expression is commonly used; or, more literally, in the “turning” of the morning — for the verb from which the word is derived properly means “to turn,” and then “to turn to or from anyone.”

The noun is applied to the face or countenance because the person is “turned” to us when we see their countenance. The poetic idea here seems to refer to the day as having turned away from us at night, and then as turning about toward us in the morning, after having gone, as it were, to the greatest distance from us.

Possibly, there may be an allusion here to what occurred in the camp of the Assyrians, when the discovery that the angel of the Lord had struck them was made early in the morning, or when men arose in the morning: The angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose in the morning (that is, when men arose in the morning), behold, they were all dead corpses (Isaiah 37:36).