The psalm is a hymn celebrating Zion as the special city to which God has pledged himself and through which he will bless the world. Similar psalms include Psalms 7; 48; 87; 122; and, after a fashion, 84 (with Psalms 48; 84; 87 attributed to the sons of Korah). God is “with” his people to serve as their fortress (46:7, 11); this is why he has preserved, and will preserve, this city and why he will ensure that ultimately this people will carry out its calling as his vehicle for being known and exalted in all the earth. As the exposition will show, the pictorial descriptions throughout support this theme, and singing this theme should strengthen in the people their gratitude for and commitment to their calling in the world.

Other commentators speculate on what kind of events might have been the occasion for the original composition of this psalm, such as the deliverance from the Assyrian king Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:35–36)388 or from the Moabites and the Ammonites (2 Chron. 20:22–23). Perhaps some great event, recorded in the Bible or otherwise, was indeed the occasion; however, what we now have is a psalm, which means that it is generalizable to a wide range of situations.

Psalms 46–48 share many themes in common, particularly the universal reign of God and the special place of Zion. It therefore comes as no surprise to find them together as what we called an affinity group in the Introduction. One can even imagine their being sung on the same occasion.

Since Psalm 46:7 and 46:11 are the same, we may see the psalm as having two stanzas (vv. 1–7; vv. 8–11). The first focuses on the stability God gives to his holy city, while the second looks forward to God’s peace-bringing rule as extending to the whole earth.

  I.  A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (46:1–7)

  II.  God Will Be Exalted among All Nations (46:8–11)

Commentaries from a previous generation proposed that the refrain be added at the end of verse 3 because of both the “Selah” and what Stott calls the “laws of symmetry.”389 As argued in the Introduction, the function of “Selah” is mysterious and only sometimes helpful for stanza divisions. Further, there is no evidence for such an addition either in the Hebrew manuscript tradition or in the early versions (LXX, Jerome). Hence we will reject the proposal here. The comments will show the coherence of verses 1–7, which further supports the rejection.

This psalm celebrates God’s protection and purposes for Zion. It would have suited a number of occasions in ancient Israel: for example, when the people were under threat from a Gentile power—or to give thanks for a deliverance from such a threat. It would also have suited the general pastoral goal of helping the members of the people to renew their gratitude for God’s pledges to his people. It would further have strengthened their sense of living in a purposeful story, whose final outcome will be the universal knowledge of God. Participation in that story comes from faithful daily living—loving one’s spouse and children, working the family farm, showing fairness and kindness to Israelite and foreigner alike, cooperating with the priests, Levites, and village elders for the sake of the community.

Longman helpfully points out that God’s presence and protection for his holy city presupposes the faithfulness of the people’s corporate life.399 Jeremiah had the sad task of reminding his contemporaries that the mere existence of the temple, when accompanied by rampant repudiation of the gracious covenant, could lead only to disaster (Jer. 7:8–15). Nevertheless, as Jeremiah also made clear, even that disaster was not to be the end of the people: God would preserve them throughout their exile and return them to the land (Jer. 29:10–14).

Christians profess to live in an era in which their capital is the heavenly Zion, but the actual churches are the outposts of that heavenly city. They ought to renew their thankfulness for their membership in such a glorious “city” and their confidence in the ultimate victory God will achieve in the world. Martin Luther’s 1529 hymn Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, inspired by Psalm 46, has come into English in two chief versions: “A Safe Stronghold Our God Is Still” (trans. Thomas Carlyle, 1831) and “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” (trans. Frederick Hedge, 1853). As serviceable as this has been for Christians, it must be said that Luther’s hymn does not quite capture the full range of the psalm’s import. Stanzas from two other hymns bring in themes more explicitly. Samuel Stone’s “The Church’s One Foundation” (1861) expresses the confidence for God’s preserving his people through all manner of threats.

    The Church shall never perish!

    Her dear Lord to defend,

    To guide, sustain, and cherish,

    Is with her to the end;

    Though there be those who hate her,

    And false sons in her pale,

    Against both foe or traitor

    She ever shall prevail.

Matthew Bridges’ “Crown Him with Many Crowns” (1851) holds an explicitly messianic expectation for the reign of peace.

    Crown Him the Lord of peace,

    Whose power a scepter sways

    From pole to pole, that wars may cease,

    And all be prayer and praise.

    His reign shall know no end,

    And round His piercèd feet

    Fair flowers of paradise extend

    Their fragrance ever sweet.Psalm 46

Psalm 47