John Calvin Commentary Psalms 46:1

"God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble." — Psalms 46:1 (ASV)

God is our refuge and strength. Here the Psalmist begins with a general expression or sentiment before he speaks of the more particular deliverance. He begins by stating that God is sufficiently able to protect his own people, and that he gives them sufficient ground to expect it; for this is what the word מחסה, machaseh, properly signifies.

In the second clause of the verse, the verb he is found, which we translate in the present, is in the past tense: he has been found. Indeed, there would be no impropriety in limiting the language to some particular deliverance already experienced, just as others have also rendered it in the past tense.

But as the prophet adds the term tribulations in the plural, I prefer to explain it as a continued act: that God comes seasonably to our aid and is never lacking in the time of need whenever afflictions press upon his people. If the prophet were speaking of the experience of God’s favor, it would fit much better to render the verb in the past tense.

It is, however, obvious that his design is to extol the power of God and his goodness towards his people, and to show how ready God is to afford them assistance, so that in times of adversity they may not gaze around them in every direction, but rest satisfied with his protection alone.

He therefore says expressly that God acts in such a manner towards them to let the Church know that he exercises special care in preserving and defending her. There can be no doubt that by this expression he means to draw a distinction between the chosen people of God and other pagan nations, and in this way to commend the privilege of adoption which God, in his goodness, had granted to the posterity of Abraham.

Accordingly, when I said before that it was a general expression, my intention was not to extend it to all kinds of people, but only to all times; for the prophet's object is to teach us in what way God usually acts towards those who are his people.

He next concludes, by way of inference, that the faithful have no reason to be afraid, since God is always ready to deliver them and is even armed with invincible power.

He shows by this that the true and proper proof of our hope consists in this: when things are so confused that the heavens seem, as it were, to fall with great violence, the earth to move from its place, and the mountains to be torn up from their very foundations, we nevertheless continue to preserve and maintain calmness and tranquility of heart.

It is an easy matter to display great confidence as long as we are not in imminent danger; but if, in the midst of a general crash of the whole world, our minds remain undisturbed and free of trouble, this is evident proof that we attribute to the power of God the honor that belongs to him.

When, however, the sacred poet says, We will not fear, he is not to be understood as meaning that the minds of the godly are exempt from all anxiety or fear, as if they were destitute of feeling, for there is a great difference between insensibility and the confidence of faith.

He only shows that whatever may happen, they are never overwhelmed by terror but rather gather strength and courage sufficient to calm all fear.

The words, Though the earth be moved, and the mountains fall into the midst of the sea, are hyperbolical modes of expression, but they nevertheless denote a revolution and a turning upside down of the whole world.

Some have explained the expression the midst of the sea as referring to the earth. I do not, however, approve of this interpretation.

But to understand the doctrine of the psalm more fully, let us proceed to consider what follows.