สดุดี 46:5 วิจารณ์

This psalm encourages us to hope and trust in God, and his power, and providence, and gracious presence with his church in the worst of times, and directs us to give him the glory of what he has done for us and what he will do: probably it was penned upon occasion of David's victories over the neighbouring nations (2 Sa. 8), and the rest which God gave him from all his enemies round about. We are here taught, I. To take comfort in God when things look very black and threatening (Psa 46:1-5). II. To mention, to his praise, the great things he had wrought for his church against its enemies (Psa 46:6-9). III. To assure ourselves that God who has glorified his own name will glorify it yet again, and to comfort ourselves with that (Psa 46:10, Psa 46:11). We may, in singing it, apply it either to our spiritual enemies, and be more than conquerors over them, or to the public enemies of Christ's kingdom in the world and their threatening insults, endeavouring to preserve a holy security and serenity of mind when they seem most formidable. It is said of Luther that, when he heard any discouraging news, he would say, Come let us sing the forty-sixth psalm. To the chief musician for the sons of Korah. A song upon Alamoth.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 46 To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. The word "Alamoth" is thought by some, as Aben Ezra, to be the beginning of a song, to which this psalm was set; and by others a high tune, such as virgins express; and by others the name of musical instruments, as Jarchi and Kimchi; which seems most likely, since it is mentioned with other instruments of music in Ch1 15:19; and may not unfitly be rendered "virginals", from the sound of them being like the shrill voice of virgins, which this word signifies; though others choose to render it "of hidden things", (s), making it to design the subject matter of the psalm, the secret counsels and purposes of God, both in a way of love and grace to his people, and of judgment to his enemies. Some think this psalm was occasioned by the victories which David obtained over the Ammonites and Moabites, and other neighbouring countries; and others are of opinion that it was penned on account of the siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib being raised, in the times of Hezekiah: but it seems rather to be a prophecy of the church in Gospel times, and is applicable to any time of confusion and distress the nations of the world may be in through any kind of calamity, when those that trust in the Lord have no reason in the least to be afraid. Kimchi says this psalm belongs to future times; either to the gathering of the captives, or to the war of Gog and Magog; to which also R. Obadiah refers it, and Jarchi interprets it of time to come; according to the Targum it was written by the sons of Korah, when their father was hid from them, and they were delivered. (s) , , Sept. "pro arcanis", V. L.

God is in the midst of her,.... The church and people of God; not merely by his essence, power, and providence, as he is in the midst of the world; but by his gracious presence, and which always continues, though not always perceived; and is a sufficient antidote against all fear of men and devils; she shall not be moved; though the earth may; and when it is, Psa 46:2, neither from the heart of God, on which his people are set as a seal; nor from the hands of Christ, from whence they can never be plucked; nor from the covenant of grace, which is immovable; nor off of the rock Christ, on which they are built; nor from the state of grace, of justification, adoption, and sanctification, in which they stand; nor out of the world, by all the cunning and power of antichrist; God shall help her, and that right early: or "when the morning looks out" (x). When it is night with the church, it is the hour and power of darkness with the enemies of it; and this is the time of the reign of antichrist, whose kingdom is a kingdom of darkness: but the "morning cometh, and also the night"; the former being about to break forth, and the latter to be at an end; yea, at eventide it shall be light: and the Lord will be a suitable, seasonable, and timely help to his people; for though weeping endures the night, joy comes in the morning. (x) "respiciente mane", Pagninus; "ad prospectum aurorae", Musculus; "at the looking forth of the morning", Ainsworth; that is, "speedily and quickly", as Suidas interprets it in voce

Since God is in the midst of the city, he will give it stability, providing assistance for it at the first break of dawn … sending out equal rays of his providence from all sides to the limits of the world. Preserving the justice of God, he apportions the same measure of goodness to all.… Now, the perceptible sun produces among us the early morning when it rises above the horizon opposite us, and the Sun of justice produces the early morning in our soul by the rising of the spiritual light, making day in him who admits it. “At night” means we are in this time of ignorance. Therefore, having opened wide our mind, let us receive “the brightness of his glory,” and let us be brightly illumined by the everlasting Light, “God will help it in the morning early.” … For those on whom the spiritual light will rise, when the darkness that comes from ignorance and wickedness is destroyed, early morning will be at hand. Since, then, light has come into the world in order that he who walks about in it may not stumble, his help is able to cause the early morning … who on the third day, early on the morning of the resurrection, gained the victory through death.

By his resurrection at dawn, the Lord confers on us wonderful and heavenly helps. His resurrection dispelled the night and poured on us the light of day. As Scripture says, “Rise, O sleeper; arise from the dead, and Christ shall enlighten you.” Consider here a mystery. Christ suffered in the evening, and according to the Old Law, the lamb is slain at evening. … In the evening of this world, when the light is failing, he is killed. All this world would have been shrouded by even greater and more horrid darkness only that Christ came to us from heaven. He, the eternal light, came to us from heaven to restore to the human race the age of innocence. The Lord Jesus suffered, and by his blood forgave us our sins. The light of a pure conscience shone out and a day of spiritual grace dawned with splendor.

He who is in fact so exalted, uncircumscribed by place, the ineffable being, deigned to call our city his dwelling and sustains it from every quarter. This, you see, is the meaning of “in her midst,” as elsewhere also he says, “Behold, I am with you.” He supports it on all sides; thus not only will the city come to no harm, but it will not even be shaken. The reason is that it enjoys the most prompt assistance, which is ever ready and prepared; this, you see, is the meaning of “as day dawns,” not pending or delayed but ever fresh and abounding, and at the appropriate time.

"God is in the midst of her: she shall not be moved" [Psalm 46:5]. Let the sea rage, the mountains shake; "God is in the midst of her: she shall not be moved." What is, "in the midst of her"? That God stands in any one place, and they surround Him who believe in Him? Then is God circumscribed by place; and broad that which surrounds, narrow that which is surrounded? God forbid. No such thing imagine of God, who is contained in no place, whose seat is the conscience of the godly: and so is God's seat in the hearts of men, that if man fall from God, God in Himself abides, not falls like one not finding where to be. For rather does He lift up you, that you may be in Him, than so lean upon you, as if you withdraw yourself, to fall. Himself if He withdraw, fall will you: yourself if you withdraw, fall will not He. What then is, "God is in the midst of her"? It signifies that God is equal to all, and accepts not persons. For as that which is in the middle has equal distances to all the boundaries, so God is said to be in the middle, because He consults equally for all. "God is in the midst of her: she shall not be moved." Wherefore shall she not be moved? Because God is in the midst of her. He is "the Helper in tribulations that have found us out too much. God shall help her with His Countenance." What is, "with His Countenance"? With manifestation of Himself. How manifests God Himself, so as that we see His Countenance? I have already told you; you have learned God's Presence; we have learned it through His works. When from Him we receive any help so that we cannot at all doubt that it was granted to us by the Lord, then God's Countenance is with us.

He was not in one part of the city and cut off from another but “in its midst,” surrounding it all, protecting it all equally from the foe.

The Hebrew says God will help the city at early dawn, that is, when the shadows of sinners pass across the flowings of the river, God, who is light, gives the beginning of light to its heart, and he helps the spirit that says, Lord, be our strength, our helper, God of Jacob.

"God is in the midst of it." Here the consolation from the divine presence is set forth. And first he sets forth the benefit of this presence. Second, its effects, at "It shall not be moved." He says therefore, "God is in the midst," namely, of the Church. 1 Cor. 14: "Truly declaring that God is among you." And he says "in the midst," to show that he is not a respecter of persons, as is said in Acts 10 and Eph. 6. For "the middle" is said of that which is equally distant from the extremes. And God, as far as he is concerned, relates equally to all: Lk. 24: "Jesus stood in the midst of the disciples": Gen. 2: "The tree of life was in the midst of Paradise." Or he says "in the midst" because the heart is said to be in the middle of a person. Since, therefore, he dwells in our hearts, he is said to be in the midst. The effect is twofold: stability against evils, and firmness for good things. It is said, therefore, that because "God is in the midst of it," namely of this city, "it shall not be moved," that is, it will be made firm and stable: Ps. 124: "Those who trust," etc. Mt. 16: "The gates of Hell shall not prevail against it." As to the second, he says, "God will help it." For not only must stability against evils be given, but also help for accomplishing good things. He says therefore, "God will help it," that is, the Church, "in the morning, at daybreak." By "morning" the beginning of a good work is understood. Some say that the beginning of good is from a natural principle, but its end and completion are from God. But against this is what is said here, that "morning," that is, from the very beginning of a good work. One beginning of a good work on the part of the intellect is thought; the other on the part of the will; and these two are from God, because "we are not sufficient to think anything of ourselves" (as the Apostle says, 2 Cor. 3), "but our sufficiency is from God." Likewise, "in him is the willing and the accomplishing," as the same Apostle says, Phil. 2. And by the addition of "at daybreak," it is signified that the Church is helped through the spiritual illumination of the Holy Spirit: Is. 60: "Arise, be illuminated," etc. Another reading has "with his countenance"; and this refers either to the present state -- and so it signifies the presence of his help, as principally coming to her aid, according to Ps. 79: "Show us your face, O Lord, and we shall be saved." Or to the future state -- as if to say: now he is in the midst of it, and he permits it to be shaken, but in the future he will provide it with help by the sight of his countenance: Ps. 20: "You will make him glad with joy before your countenance." In the Hebrew, the text reads thus. And if "morning" and "daybreak" are taken for the same thing, namely the consideration of daybreak, since the early morning is the best hour for contemplation: Ps. 5: "In the morning I will stand before you." Likewise, Ps. 62: "In the morning hours I will meditate on you." As if to say: "God will help it with his countenance," that is, in the contemplation of his greatness. And these things can be referred to the Blessed Virgin, because she is the city; in her he dwelt; the rush of the river, namely the Holy Spirit, made her glad; he sanctified her in the womb of her mother, after the body was formed and the soul created. Then first "the glory of the Lord covered the tabernacle," as is said in Ex. 40. And the sanctification of the Blessed Virgin is different from that of other saints, because others were so sanctified that they never sinned mortally, yet they did sin venially: 1 Jn. 1: "If we say that we have no sin," etc. But the Blessed Virgin never sinned either mortally or venially: Song 4: "You are all beautiful, my beloved," etc. And therefore he says, "It shall not be moved," not even by venial sin. And therefore he says, "God will help it in the morning, at daybreak," that is, while she was still in the womb. And this is what he says, that the Lord aided her at the very break of morning.

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 Ch1 15:19-21; see on Psa 6:1, title). The theme may be stated in LUTHER'S well-known words, "A mighty fortress is our God." The great deliverance (Kg2 19:35; Isa 37:36) may have occasioned its composition. (Psa 46:1-11) refuge--literally, "a place of trust" (Psa 2:12). strength-- (Psa 18:2). present help--literally, "a help He has been found exceedingly." trouble--as in Psa 18:7.

right early--literally, "at the turn of morning," or change from night to day, a critical time (Psa 30:5; compare Isa 37:36).