Psalm 46 Discourse

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God is Our Fortress

Psalm 46

About the Discourse Layer

Our Discourse Layer includes four additional layers of analysis:

• Participant analysis
• Macrosyntax
• Speech act analysis
• Emotional analysis

For more information on our method of analysis, click the expandable explanation button at the beginning of each layer.

• Participants
• Macrosyntax
• Speech Act
• Emotional Analysis

Participant Analysis

  What is Participant Analysis?

Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? It is often helpful for understanding literary structure, speaker identification, etc.

For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Participant Analysis Creator Guidelines.

There are 4 participants/characters in Psalm 46:

Profile List

A Community of God's People

"we/us" (vv. 2, 3, 8, 12)

The City of God

"the holy dwelling [of the Most High]" (v. 5)

YHWH

"God" (vv. 2, 5, 6, 11)

"refuge" (v. 2)

"stronghold" (v. 2)

"YHWH of Hosts" (vv. 8, 12)

"the God of Jacob" (vv. 8, 12)

"the Most High" (v. 5)

Enemies

"nations" (vv. 7, 11)

"kingdoms" (v. 7)

Natural Forces

"the earth" (vv. 3, 7)

"the deepest sea" (v. 3)

"the deepest sea's waters" (v. 4)

"the mountains" (vv. 3, 4)

All humanity

Profile Notes

• A Community of God's People: is the main speaker in the psalm. The text also identifies them through self-referential appellations, i.e., “we” and "us". As per the superscription, this community was supposed to perform the psalm about God's military triumphs in the manner of a choir of young women. As such, the group was to embody their city personified as a woman (see further Participant Tracking notes). Accordingly, the community has a set of related participants (“the city of God”, “the holy dwelling of the Most High”, and “it”) who are featured as recipients of God’s care and protection amidst an international conflict.

• The City of God: The psalm offers no specific details about the identity of the city and its geographical location. The mention of mountains, sea, a river with streams providing water for a city indicates a northern site, e.g., Dan. However, "the preservation and ongoing use of the psalm so that it came to be in the Psalter imply that it came to be a Jerusalem psalm (a “Zion song”; see on Ps. 48) even though Jerusalem is unmentioned"; see further The River and Its Streams in Ps 46).

• YHWH: one of the main participants in the psalm is God, who appears under various names and appellations, i.e., Elohim, the Most High, YHWH, YHWH of Hosts, and the God of Jacob. Other descriptors featured in the song for God are “refuge”, “fortress,” and "stronghold". These architectural designations for God make his identification with the city and its community particularly intimate. In a song about attempted urbicide, the metaphorization of God as urban artifacts and landmarks links the city's fate with God's own and guarantees its inviolability.

• Nations and Kingdoms: The identity of these synonymous participants is not specified. "In the Prophets, plural 'nations' often refers to the great imperial superpower (e.g., Isa. 5:26; 14:26; 30:28), and this reference would make sense here. Ephraimite and Judean royal cities such as Dan, Samaria, and Jerusalem were vulnerable to attack by powers such as Assyria. The psalm’s declaration is that when that happens, these nations themselves fall down in the way that mountains might (v. 2), but, because of God’s presence, God’s city does not (v. 5). The nations are also characterized as kingdoms, another plural that can be used to refer to the superpower (Isa. 13:4; 47:5; Jer. 1:10, 15)."

• The Natural Forces: In this set of inter-related participants, the earth, the raging waters, and the shaking mountains are given agency and literarily correlated with God’s human enemies (nations and kingdoms). Such correlation of the two groups of participants should be understood as a historicization of the ancient Near Eastern "divine conflict" motif. With various degrees of personification and agentivization, these entities all engage in hostility against God and his city and people.

• Tracking Text
• Relations
• Distribution

Hebrew	Line	English
לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ לִבְנֵי־קֹ֑רַח עַֽל־עֲלָמ֥וֹת שִֽׁיר׃	1a	For the music director. By the Korahites. As young women. A psalm.
אֱלֹהִ֣ים לָ֭נוּ מַחֲסֶ֣ה וָעֹ֑ז	2a	God is a refuge and stronghold for us.
עֶזְרָ֥ה בְ֝צָר֗וֹת נִמְצָ֥א מְאֹֽד׃	2b	He is readily available, as a help, in great trouble.
עַל־כֵּ֣ן לֹא־נִ֭ירָא בְּהָמִ֣יר אָ֑רֶץ	3a	Therefore, we will not fear though the earth change
וּבְמ֥וֹט הָ֝רִ֗ים בְּלֵ֣ב יַמִּֽים׃	3b	and the mountains topple into the heart of the deepest sea.
יֶהֱמ֣וּ יֶחְמְר֣וּ מֵימָ֑יו	4a	its waters foam in rage.
יִֽרְעֲשֽׁוּ־הָרִ֖ים בְּגַאֲוָת֣וֹ סֶֽלָה׃	4b	mountains quake at its surging. Selah.
נָהָ֗ר פְּלָגָ֗יו יְשַׂמְּח֥וּ עִיר־אֱלֹהִ֑ים	5a	a river whose streams gladden the city of God—
קְ֝דֹ֗שׁ מִשְׁכְּנֵ֥י עֶלְיֽוֹן׃	5b	the holy dwelling of the Most High.
אֱלֹהִ֣ים בְּ֭קִרְבָּהּ בַּל־תִּמּ֑וֹט	6a	God is in its midst. It cannot be moved.
יַעְזְרֶ֥הָ אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לִפְנ֥וֹת בֹּֽקֶר׃	6b	God helps it at the approach of morning.
הָמ֣וּ ג֭וֹיִם מָ֣טוּ מַמְלָכ֑וֹת	7a	nations raged, [and] kingdoms fell down,
נָתַ֥ן בְּ֝קוֹל֗וֹ תָּמ֥וּג אָֽרֶץ׃	7b	he thundered with his voice, [then] the earth would melt!
יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֣וֹת עִמָּ֑נוּ	8a	YHWH, [the God] of Hosts, is with us.
מִשְׂגָּֽב־לָ֝נוּ אֱלֹהֵ֖י יַעֲקֹ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃	8b	The God of Jacob is a fortress for us. Selah.
לְֽכוּ־חֲ֭זוּ מִפְעֲל֣וֹת יְהוָ֑ה	9a	Come! Perceive the works of YHWH
אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֖ם שַׁמּ֣וֹת בָּאָֽרֶץ׃	9b	who has wrought great devastation in the land.
מַשְׁבִּ֥ית מִלְחָמוֹת֮ עַד־קְצֵ֪ה הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ	10a	one who terminates wars to the end of the earth
קֶ֣שֶׁת יְ֭שַׁבֵּר וְקִצֵּ֣ץ חֲנִ֑ית	10b	breaks the bow and snaps the spear.
עֲ֝גָל֗וֹת יִשְׂרֹ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ׃	10c	He burns transport wagons with fire.
הַרְפּ֣וּ וּ֭דְעוּ כִּי־אָנֹכִ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים	11a	Be still and acknowledge that I am God!
אָר֥וּם בַּ֝גּוֹיִ֗ם אָר֥וּם בָּאָֽרֶץ׃	11b	I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted throughout the earth.”
יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֣וֹת עִמָּ֑נוּ	12a	YHWH, [the God] of Hosts, is with us.
מִשְׂגָּֽב־לָ֝נוּ אֱלֹהֵ֖י יַעֲקֹ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃	12b	The God of Jacob is a fortress for us. Selah.

• vv. 1–10, 12: A Community of God's People as Participants throughout the Psalm.

• • In all the three sections (vv. 2–4, 5–7 and 9–10, plus the refrains in vv. 8 and 12), the community of God's people is the 'speaker'/'narrator'; in this capacity, they “stand outside” the text and can be seen as a non–agentive participant.
  • They receive proper agency in vv. 2, 3, 8, and 12, where they become both a subject participant (e.g., as the recipients of God's roles and actions [for us, to us, our] and as the grammatical subject of the verb "to fear" [v. 3]).
  • Additionally, they could be included in the addressees presupposed by the imperatives "Come! Perceive; Be still! Acknowledge!" in vv. 9 and 11.

• The Community as the City of God.

• • Furthermore, given the instructions in the superscription in v. 1 ([to be performed] "as/in the manner of young women"), the singing community as a participant should be understood as merging with another prominent entity, i.e., the city of God (vv. 5-6). In fact, they could be singing the hymn on behalf of or as a city personified as a woman.

• Rationale for Seeing Community as the City of God:
  • The word ʿalamoth (lit. “maidens, young women”) could refer to the type of a tune or musical setting, indicating the manner of the psalm’s performance (cf. 1 Chr 15:20, where it appears with “harps”).
  • In terms of its genre or literary type, Psalm 46 could be added to the ANE and HB traditions which feature the practice of urbicide, i.e., the ritualized killing of cities. Within this category of texts, Psalm 46 can be understood as an anti-urbicide (an inverted urbicide) poem, whereby the "killing" of God's holy city is attempted but prevented, and the groups which threatened its well-being are subjected to destruction. Given that the "urbicide" motif often appears in ANE and HB city laments, as a poetic text, Psalm 46 could further be viewed as an ideological reversal of these compositions...." (on this, see The Raging Waters in Ps 46:2-4 and The River and Its Streams in Ps 46).
  • Given that a.) ANE city laments were composed as if they were sung by patron city goddesses and were performed in the emesal dialect (a dialect associated with women, but used by cultic priests); b.) ancient cities were viewed as females (e.g., Isaiah 47, Lamentations 1; 2 Sam 20:19; ANE sources; etc.); c.) war iconography which depicted cities as women, etc.; the instruction al alamot/in the manner of "young women" could indicate that the psalm (an anti-city lament, a song about the city's inviolability) needs to be performed as a choir of young women. Singing as a choir of young women, the singing community, collectively, would stand for the city itself.
  • Cf. Jdg 11:24, 1 Sam 18:7, where women sang about men's military success.
  • Cf. Psalm 68, which speaks of the singers and musicians, and with them are the young women/alamot playing the timbrels (v. 25). Relatedly, the timbrels accompanied songs of victory (e.g., Exod 15:20; Pss 68:11, 25-26; 149:3), and all these texts deal specifically with military victories. Note also that alamot in 1 Chr 15 appears as part of a ceremony for the relocation of the ark of the covenant (a cultic object, which among other things, was carried into battles) to Jerusalem.
  • And Psalm 46 is a song about God's military victory(ies).
• Natural forces in vv. 3-4 and the Nations:
  • See The Raging Waters in Ps 46:2-4.
  • vv. 3-4: the natural forces (the raging waters and quaking mountains) have proper agency in vv. 3-4, where they serve as subject participants (e.g., as the grammatical subjects of the verbs "to ferment", "to foam/rage", "to slide/topple", etc.).
  • Additionally, they merge with the nations and kingdoms later in the text (v. 7). Hence, on a metaphoric level, the image of raging, foaming waters signifies the raging, hostile nations.
• The Nations and Kingdoms:
  • The "nations" and "kingdoms" have agency in v. 7, where they serve as subject participants (e.g., as the grammatical subjects of the verbs "to rage" and to "slide/fall down"). In v. 11, they are the addressees of God's direct speech (i.e., of the imperatives "Be still! Acknowledge that I am God").
  • Although the nations fall in v. 7, the fact they reappear in v. 11, where God is exalted among them, indicates that some may have survived.
  • Notably, some commentators do think that the nations could be in view in both vv. 9 and 11.
• God (YHWH, YHWH of Hosts, the God of Jacob):
  • In sections 1, 2 and 3 (vv. 2–4, 5–7, and 9–11, and the refrains [vv. 8 and 12]), God functions as the grammatical subject in a variety of nominal clauses and as the grammatical subject of the various verbal forms.
  • In v. 11 (which contains direct speech), he also delivers a few utterances.
• The River and its Streams:
  • In v. 5, God is closely associated with the river and its streams (for this, see The River and Its Streams in Ps 46).
  • The river's role in the psalm and its close association with YHWH indicate that it is an “instrument” in YHWH’s “arsenal”; it is one of YHWH’s agents, who nourishes God's city and its populace and defends it.
  • Thus, the river and streams should be taken as participants related to God.

Participant Relations Diagram

The relationships among the participants may be abstracted and summarized as follows:

Participant Analysis Summary Distribution

Macrosyntax

  What is Macrosyntax?

Macrosyntax Diagram

  Legend

Macrosyntax legend
Vocatives	Vocatives are indicated by purple text.
Discourse marker	Discourse markers (such as כִּי, הִנֵּה, לָכֵן) are indicated by orange text.
	The scope governed by the discourse marker is indicated by a dashed orange bracket connecting the discourse marker to its scope.
	The preceding discourse grounding the discourse marker is indicated by a solid orange bracket encompassing the relevant clauses.
Subordinating conjunction	The subordinating conjunction is indicated by teal text.
	Subordination is indicated by a solid teal bracket connecting the subordinating conjunction with the clause to which it is subordinate.
Coordinating conjunction	The coordinating conjunction is indicated by blue text.
	Coordination is indicated by a solid blue line connecting the coordinating clauses.
	Coordination without an explicit conjunction is indicated by a dashed blue line connecting the coordinated clauses.
	Marked topic is indicated by a black dashed rounded rectangle around the marked words.
	The scope of the activated topic is indicated by a black dashed bracket encompassing the relevant clauses.
Marked focus or thetic sentence	Marked focus (if one constituent) or thetic sentences are indicated by bold text.
	Frame setters are indicated by a solid gray rounded rectangle around the marked words.
[blank line]	Discourse discontinuity is indicated by a blank line.
[indentation]	Syntactic subordination is indicated by indentation.
	Direct speech is indicated by a solid black rectangle surrounding all relevant clauses.
(text to elucidate the meaning of the macrosyntactic structures)	Within the CBC, any text elucidating the meaning of macrosyntax is indicated in gray text inside parentheses.

If an emendation or revocalization is preferred, that emendation or revocalization will be marked in the Hebrew text of all the visuals.

Emendations/Revocalizations legend
*Emended text*	Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is indicated by blue asterisks on either side of the emendation.
*Revocalized text*	Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is indicated by purple asterisks on either side of the revocalization.

(Click diagram to enlarge)

• Divisions
• Word Order
• Vocatives
• Discourse Markers
• Conjunctions

• The first section break comes after v. 4. This is indicated by a.) the presence of a Selah, a discourse marker, and b.) the opening clause of v. 5, which is a thetic statement, activating new referents ("the river and its streams").
• The second section break comes after v. 7, which is indicated by the appearance of the refrain (v. 8). After it, comes a section demarcated by 2 sets of imperatives, the second of which is direct speech.
• The last section is marked by the refrain (v. 12), which in turn is marked by the final, third Selah.

• The two clauses (v. 2a and 2b) are parallel, exhibiting an inversion of clause components, i.e., עֶזְרָ֥ה בְ֝צָר֗וֹת is fronted in v. 2b. The parallel elements are אֱלֹהִ֣ים לָ֭נוּ/"God for us"//נִמְצָ֥א מְאֹֽד/"readily available" and מַחֲסֶ֣ה וָעֹ֑ז/"a refuge and stronghold"//עֶזְרָ֥ה בְ֝צָר֗וֹת/"a help in great trouble" (> a.b|b’.a’). Through such arrangement of constituents the text creates a chiastic pattern (BHRG §47.2.1[6]) whereby אֱלֹהִ֣ים לָ֭נוּ and נִמְצָ֥א מְאֹֽד stand at the beginning and end of their respective cola and frame the roles God plays in the lives of his people: מַחֲסֶ֣ה וָעֹ֑ז, עֶזְרָ֥ה בְ֝צָר֗וֹת. This inversion of syntactic constituents is poetically motivated, i.e., it centers the benefits of God's presence in his people's lives. The symmetry of v. 2 echoes the symmetry of the refrain in vv. 8 and 12 (a.b|b’.a’).
• "[There is] a river" is a thetic statement, containing new information and a new referent, but the fact that it contains a body of water echoes the waters from vv. 3-4. Hence, v. 5a indicates the beginning of a new section/strophe (vv. 5–7), which focuses on God's holy city in the context of tumult in the political realm. Subject fronting in v. 5b (פְּלָגָ֗יו יְשַׂמְּח֥וּ) could be due to syntactic consideration, i.e., to assist in understanding the rest of the statement ([from Ian] see, e.g., Deut 8:9; 29:17; Ps 26:10; 144:7-8, 11; Prov 2:14-15; Eccl 10:16-17).
• The refrain (v. 8, 12) has a symmetric word order (a.b|b’.a’). In it, in v. 8b (12b), מִשְׂגָּֽב־לָ֝נוּ is fronted to create a chiasmus with v. 8a (12a). This non-default word order in v. 8b (v. 12b) echoes v. 2b, i.e., its fronting of עֶזְרָ֥ה בְ֝צָר֗וֹת, and the resultant chiasmus of v. 2. In vv. 8-12, the refrain has a structuring function, i.e., it demarcates vv. 9-11 through an inclusio. The word Selah appears at the end of each refrain.
• In v. 10, the text first makes a general statement about God's military activity, i.e., him terminating all wars (v. 10a, cf. v. 9), which is topical. Following this, the text zooms in on more specific acts, i.e., the destruction of implements of war (v. 10bcd), which are topically accessible (cf. vv. 9, 10a). By fronting objects in v. 10b, d, the text focalizes offensive weapons (i.e., the bow) and carts carrying supplies. This in turn indicates topic specification or expansion (BHRG §47.2.1). The reason for the unmarked word-order in וְקִצֵּ֣ץ חֲנִ֑ית is that of defamiliarisation, i.e. a symmetrical pattern embedded between v. 10b and 10d. "The particular ordering of the B-line in this case, we suggest, is not due to matters of pragmatics, but rather is simply a variation from the order of A, which in this context is allowable in that the marked order of A is restored in C, following the temporary departure from it in B. So taking all things into consideration, it is more accurate in such contexts as these to label the medial clause as DEF rather than CAN, since its form is a manifestation of poetic defamiliarisation (i.e. departure from the norm) rather than a question of pragmatic non-markedness. Psalm 46:10 we therefore interpret as MKD//DEF//MKD."

There are no notes on vocatives for this psalm.

• In v. 3, there is an עַל־כֵּ֣ן, which is an adverb, which serves as a discourse marker. Based on its components (i.e., "over" or "because of" + "these x"), this lexeme "has the deictic value of 'because of these'" (BHRG §40:38). In HB, it usually governs either qatal/perfect or yiqtol/imperfect clauses, which follow a cluster of other statements. In them, "reference is made to the grounds of the factual outcome (or result) that עַל־כֵּ֣ן introduces" (BHRG §40:38). So, in Ps 46:3, based on the assertions of v. 2 which indicate God's protection of and availability to his people, עַל־כֵּ֣ן points to "the factual outcome", i.e., the community "will not fear". The two subordinate, and coordinated statements (i.e., 'when the earth changes, (and) when the mountains topple into the heart of the deepest sea') indicate scenarios in which God's people will not fear. Macrosyntactically, there is nothing to suggest a discontinuity between vv. 2 and 3 (e.g., Selahs appear later in the psalm [vv. 4, 8, 12]; topic shifting happens after v. 4; the speaker [God's people] remains the same and direct speech appears at a later point [v. 11], etc.). In fact, together, vv. 2–4 could serve as a unit, not unlike the refrain in vv. 8, 12.
• Additionally, there are three Selahs in the psalm, appearing after vv. 4, 8, and 12.

There are no notes on conjunctions for this psalm.

Speech Act Analysis

What is Speech Act Analysis?

The Speech Act layer presents the text in terms of what it does, following the findings of Speech Act Theory. It builds on the recognition that there is more to communication than the exchange of propositions. Speech act analysis is particularly important when communicating cross-culturally, and lack of understanding can lead to serious misunderstandings, since the ways languages and cultures perform speech acts varies widely.

For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Speech Act Analysis Creator Guidelines.

• Summary Visual
• Analysis Chart

Summary Visual

Speaker		Verses		Macro Speech Acts				Addressee
Israel's community, singing on behalf of their city.		v. 1 For the music director. By the Korahites. As young women. A psalm.		PROFESSION OF CONFIDENCE (vv. 1–4)				Israel's community
		v. 2 God is a refuge and stronghold for us. He is readily available, as a help, in great trouble.		God is a refuge and stronghold for his people. He is for them and easily available to them. Supporting statements • God's people will not fear, even if the greatest catastrophes are unleashed. • They will not fear even if chaotic waters rage against them.
		v. 3 Therefore, we will not fear though the earth change and the mountains topple into the heart of the deepest sea.
		v. 4 Though its waters foam in rage. Though mountains quake at its surging. Selah.
		v. 5 [There is] a river whose streams gladden the city of God—the holy dwelling of the Most High.		PROFESSION OF CONFIDENCE (vv. 5–7)
		v. 6 God is in its midst. It cannot be moved. God helps it at the approach of morning.		God’s city is well protected and is indestructible. Supporting statements • A river provides water for the city. • God comes to help the city at daybreak.
		v. 7 [When] nations raged, [and] kingdoms fell down, [then] he thundered with his voice, [then] the earth would melt!
		v. 8 YHWH, [the God] of Hosts, is with us. The God of Jacob is a fortress for us. Selah.		PROFESSION OF CONFIDENCE (v. 8) God is his people's fortress.
God		v. 9 Come! Perceive the works of YHWH who has wrought great devastation in the land.		EXHORTATION (vv. 9–11)				Israel’s community and the nations.
		v. 10 The one who terminates wars to the end of the earth breaks the bow and snaps the spear. He burns transport wagons with fire.		The audience is instructed to consider God’s works and acknowledge God’s supremacy. Supporting statements • God terminates all wars and conflicts. • He disarms all hostile forces. • God is exalted above all.
		v. 11 Be still and acknowledge that I am God! I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted throughout the earth.
Israel's community, singing on behalf of their city.		v. 12 YHWH, [the God] of Hosts, is with us. The God of Jacob is a fortress for us. Selah.		PROFESSION OF CONFIDENCE (v. 12) God is his people's fortress.				Israel's community

Speech Act Analysis Chart

The following chart is scrollable (left/right; up/down).

  Legend

Verse	Hebrew	CBC	Sentence type	Illocution (general)	Illocution with context	Macro speech act	Intended perlocution (Think)	Intended perlocution (Feel)	Intended perlocution (Do)
Verse number and poetic line	Hebrew text	English translation	Declarative, Imperative, or Interrogative Indirect Speech Act: Mismatch between sentence type and illocution type	Assertive, Directive, Expressive, Commissive, or Declaratory Indirect Speech Act: Mismatch between sentence type and illocution type	More specific illocution type with paraphrased context	Illocutionary intent (i.e. communicative purpose) of larger sections of discourse These align with the "Speech Act Summary" headings	What the speaker intends for the address to think	What the speaker intends for the address to feel	What the speaker intends for the address to do

If an emendation or revocalization is preferred, that emendation or revocalization will be marked in the Hebrew text of all the visuals.

Emendations/Revocalizations legend
*Emended text*	Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is indicated by blue asterisks on either side of the emendation.
*Revocalized text*	Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is indicated by purple asterisks on either side of the revocalization.

Verse	Text (Hebrew)	Text (CBC)	Sentence type	Illocution (general)	Illocution with context	Macro speech act 1	Macro speech act 2	Intended perlocution (Think)	Intended perlocution (Feel)	Intended perlocution (Do)	Speech Act Notes
1	לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ לִבְנֵי־קֹ֑רַח עַֽל־עֲלָמ֥וֹת שִֽׁיר׃	For the music director. By the Korahites. As young women. A psalm.	Superscription
2	אֱלֹהִ֣ים לָ֭נוּ מַחֲסֶ֣ה וָעֹ֑ז	God is a refuge and stronghold for us.	Declarative	Assertive	Establishing God as protector for the people.	Asserting grounds for the commitment not to fear in v. 3.	Professing confidence in order to celebrate God's ability to protect in crises.	Listeners will believe that God is a source of protection.	Listeners will be confident in God.	Listeners will be faithful to God.
	עֶזְרָ֥ה בְ֝צָר֗וֹת נִמְצָ֥א מְאֹֽד׃	He is readily available, as a help, in great trouble.	Declarative	Assertive	Establishing God as protector for the people.
3	עַל־כֵּ֣ן לֹא־נִ֭ירָא בְּהָמִ֣יר אָ֑רֶץ	Therefore, we will not fear though the earth change	Declarative	Commissive	Committing not to fear in light of various scenarios of danger.	Committing to act and feel according to the established grounds in v. 2.
	וּבְמ֥וֹט הָ֝רִ֗ים בְּלֵ֣ב יַמִּֽים׃	and the mountains topple into the heart of the deepest sea.
4	יֶהֱמ֣וּ יֶחְמְר֣וּ מֵימָ֑יו	Though its waters foam in rage.
	יִֽרְעֲשֽׁוּ־הָרִ֖ים בְּגַאֲוָת֣וֹ סֶֽלָה׃	Though mountains quake at its surging. Selah.
5	נָהָ֗ר פְּלָגָ֗יו יְשַׂמְּח֥וּ עִיר־אֱלֹהִ֑ים קְ֝דֹ֗שׁ מִשְׁכְּנֵ֥י עֶלְיֽוֹן׃	[There is] a river whose streams gladden the city of God—the holy dwelling of the Most High.	Declarative	Assertive	Describing the security of the city of God.	Offering evidence of God acting as protector.	Professing confidence in order to celebrate God's ability to protect in crises.
6	אֱלֹהִ֣ים בְּ֭קִרְבָּהּ	God is in its midst.	Declarative	Assertive	Stating the security of the city of God.
	בַּל־תִּמּ֑וֹט	It cannot be moved.	Declarative	Assertive	Stating the security of the city of God.
	יַעְזְרֶ֥הָ אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לִפְנ֥וֹת בֹּֽקֶר׃	God helps it at the approach of morning.	Declarative	Assertive	Stating the security of the city of God.
7	הָמ֣וּ ג֭וֹיִם	[When] nations raged,	Declarative	Assertive	Describing God's response to scenarios of danger in the past.	Offering evidence of God acting as protector.
	מָ֣טוּ מַמְלָכ֑וֹת	[and] kingdoms fell down,
	נָתַ֥ן בְּ֝קוֹל֗וֹ	[then] he thundered with his voice,
	תָּמ֥וּג אָֽרֶץ׃	[then] the earth would melt!	Declarative	Assertive	Describing God's power.
8	יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֣וֹת עִמָּ֑נוּ	YHWH, [the God] of Hosts, is with us.	Declarative	Assertive	Stating God's role in people's lives.	Professing confidence in God as protector.	Professing confidence in order to celebrate God's ability to protect in crises.
	עִמָּ֑נוּ מִשְׂגָּֽב־לָ֝נוּ אֱלֹהֵ֖י יַעֲקֹ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃	The God of Jacob is a fortress for us. Selah.	Declarative	Assertive	Stating God's role in people's lives.
9	לְֽכוּ־	Come!	Imperative	Directive	Alerting listeners to the following command.	Exhorting listeners to inspect evidence of God's acts as a protector.	Exhorting listeners to inspect God's works.	Listeners will acknowledge God's works.	Listeners will be in reverent fear of God.	Listeners will surrender to God.
	חֲ֭זוּ מִפְעֲל֣וֹת יְהוָ֑ה	Perceive the works of YHWH	Imperative	Directive	Commanding listeners to inspect God's works.
	אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֖ם שַׁמּ֣וֹת בָּאָֽרֶץ׃	who has wrought great devastation in the land.
10	מַשְׁבִּ֥ית מִלְחָמוֹת֮ עַד־קְצֵ֪ה הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ	The one who terminates wars to the end of the earth	Declarative	Assertive	Stating God's deeds in the land.	Offering evidence of God acting as protector.
	קֶ֣שֶׁת יְ֭שַׁבֵּר	breaks the bow
	יְ֭שַׁבֵּר וְקִצֵּ֣ץ חֲנִ֑ית	and snaps the spear.
	עֲ֝גָל֗וֹת יִשְׂרֹ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ׃	He burns transport wagons with fire.	Declarative	Assertive	Stating God's deeds in the land.
11	הַרְפּ֣וּ	"Be still	• "Imperative"	• "Directive"	• "Commanding listeners to acknowledge God."	"Exhorting listeners to surrender to God.""	Exhorting listeners to surrender and acknowledge God's supremacy.	"Listeners will acknowledge God's status.""
	וּ֭דְעוּ כִּי־אָנֹכִ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים	and acknowledge that I am God!	• "Imperative"	• "Directive"	• "Commanding listeners to acknowledge God."
	אֱלֹהִ֑ים אָר֥וּם בַּ֝גּוֹיִ֗ם	I will be exalted among the nations;	• "Declarative"	• "Assertive"	• "Promising God's exaltation."	"Professing confidence in God's own triumph as grounds for surrender.""
	אָר֥וּם בָּאָֽרֶץ׃	I will be exalted throughout the earth.”	• "Declarative"	• "Assertive"	• "Promising God's exaltation."
12	יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֣וֹת עִמָּ֑נוּ	YHWH, [the God] of Hosts, is with us.	Declarative	Assertive	Stating God's role in people's lives.	Professing confidence in God as protector.	Professing confidence in order to celebrate God's ability to protect in crises.	Listeners will believe that God is a source of protection.	Listeners will be confident in God.	Listeners will be faithful to God.
	מִשְׂגָּֽב־לָ֝נוּ אֱלֹהֵ֖י יַעֲקֹ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃	The God of Jacob is a fortress for us. Selah.	Declarative	Assertive	Stating God's role in people's lives.

Emotional Analysis

  What is Emotional Analysis?

This layer explores the emotional dimension of the biblical text and seeks to uncover the clues within the text itself that are part of the communicative intent of its author. The goal of this analysis is to chart the basic emotional tone and/or progression of the psalm.

For a detailed explanation of our method, see the Emotional Analysis Creator Guidelines.

• Analysis
• Think-Feel-Do

Emotional Analysis Chart

  Legend

If an emendation or revocalization is preferred, that emendation or revocalization will be marked in the Hebrew text of all the visuals.

Emendations/Revocalizations legend
*Emended text*	Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is indicated by blue asterisks on either side of the emendation.
*Revocalized text*	Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is indicated by purple asterisks on either side of the revocalization.

Verse	Text (Hebrew)	Text (CBC)	The Psalmist Feels	Emotional Analysis Notes
1	לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ לִבְנֵי־קֹ֑רַח עַֽל־עֲלָמ֥וֹת שִֽׁיר׃	For the music director. By the Korahites. As young women. A psalm.
2	אֱלֹהִ֣ים לָ֭נוּ מַחֲסֶ֣ה וָעֹ֑ז	God is a refuge and stronghold for us.	• Confident in God's reliability and power. • Safe and secure in God's stronghold-like protection.	• In the first section of Psalm 46, both positive and negative emotions could be detected. Thus, according to the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count programme (LIWC) עֹז/“strength” or “stronghold” represents positive emotions; but the word “refuge” indicates negative emotions and experiences, e.g., anxiety (i.e., “refuge” shelters from adverse circumstances).
	עֶזְרָ֥ה בְ֝צָר֗וֹת נִמְצָ֥א מְאֹֽד׃	He is readily available, as a help, in great trouble.	• Anxious and fearful because of great trouble. • Confident in God's help.	• V. 2b features a similar scenario. The “help” sounds reassuring; yet it appears in combination with בְצָרוֹת, which could be rendered as “in great trouble”, or “in distress”. Hence, it communicates negative emotion and anxiety (Watson 2018, 189). • Furthermore, the use of the plural pronoun “we” or “us” is rather telling. That is, in or after traumatic events, individual tend to seek solidarity with others and link themselves to larger groups of people, using communal language ("we", "us"; see examples on the rhetoric employed by survivors post 9-11 [Watson 2018, 194]). • The distribution of verbs is also indicative of the psalmists' emotional states. Vv. 2, 8, and 12 hardly use any verbs, communicating, to a degree, a sense of calm.
3	עַל־כֵּ֣ן לֹא־נִ֭ירָא בְּהָמִ֣יר אָ֑רֶץ	Therefore, we will not fear though the earth change	• Anxious because of the tumult around them. • Confident (and not fearful), in spite of cataclysmic events, because of God's help. • Safe, secure, and peaceful in God's protection.	• Furthermore, negativity is also present v. 3; the phrase לאֹ־נִירָא/“we shall not fear” features the particle לאֹ/“not” with the verb “to fear”. Together, they register negative emotion and anxiety. Significantly, to say “we will not fear” is not the same as “we will be confident” (Watson 2018, 189). • The presence of negations in close proximity to the many self-references signals an anxious state of mind (Watson 2018, 190, drawing on Pennebaker and Niederhoffer 2003, 558). • More negative emotions are presupposed in vv. 3b-4. Although in English the word "change" may be neutral, the Hebrew מור is, which frequently features in in prohibitions. Other verbs such as “shake” and “rage” can also be viewed as reflecting negative emotional conditions (Watson 2018, 189). • Furthermore, anxiety is also associated with "what if" questions, with the fixation on worst case scenarios. V. 3 is a good example of such a condition, wherein the text considers possibilities of earth changing and mountains shaking and waters raging. Relatedly, the use of words that indicate a need or wish to explain things, e.g., "because, since, in order to, and therefore", is also suggestive of anxiety (Watson 2018, 190). Hence, the word עַל־כֵּן/"therefore" gives away the inner state of mind which is worried (Watson 2018, 191).
	וּבְמ֥וֹט הָ֝רִ֗ים בְּלֵ֣ב יַמִּֽים׃	and the mountains topple into the heart of the deepest sea.		• As noted before, the distribution of verbs is important in communicating the psalmists' emotional states. Unlike vv. 2, 8, and 12 , the verses about enemy forces (the mountains, waters, and nations) use a lot of verbal forms. Thus, a series of verbs appear in vv. 3b–4, 6–7, 10b–11, representing tumult in various spheres (Watson 2018, 198). This in turn presupposes a high level of anxiety. • All in all, the first section (as well as the sections that follow) presupposes both positive and negative emotions, even where confidence and trust in God are asserted.
4	יֶהֱמ֣וּ יֶחְמְר֣וּ מֵימָ֑יו	Though its waters foam in rage.
	יִֽרְעֲשֽׁוּ־הָרִ֖ים בְּגַאֲוָת֣וֹ סֶֽלָה׃	Though mountains quake at its surging. Selah.
5	נָהָ֗ר פְּלָגָ֗יו יְשַׂמְּח֥וּ עִיר־אֱלֹהִ֑ים קְ֝דֹ֗שׁ מִשְׁכְּנֵ֥י עֶלְיֽוֹן׃	[There is] a river whose streams gladden the city of God—the holy dwelling of the Most High.	• Confident that God is dwelling in the midst of his city and among his people. • Joyous that God provides a river that gladdens the city. • Confident that God is committed to their well-being, supports them, and protects them; • Confident in the power of God the Most High.	• The beginning of v. 5a conveys positive emotion, mostly due to the presence of the verb סמח, “make glad, gladden”. • In v. 5, which opens strophe 2, there is only one verb ("to gladden"), appearing after the fronted double subject (נָהָר פְּלָגָיו). Hence, the overall effect is descriptive (cf. v. 2), offering "a solid and reassuring picture of how things are" (Watson 2018, 197-198).
6	אֱלֹהִ֣ים בְּ֭קִרְבָּהּ	God is in its midst.	• Confident that God is in the midst of his city and among his people. • Confident that God supports them and protects them.
	בַּל־תִּמּ֑וֹט	It cannot be moved.	• Confident in God's reliability and power. • Safe, secure, and invincible because the city cannot be moved.	• The following statement (v. 6), בַּל־תִּמּוֹט/“it will not be toppled/shaken/overthrown” (as before; cf. v. 3a) features a verb which represents extremely negative emotion (תִּמּוֹט) and a particle of negation (בַּל). Hence, as before, positive reassuring assertions are a response to underlying negative-valenced emotions.
	יַעְזְרֶ֥הָ אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לִפְנ֥וֹת בֹּֽקֶר׃	God helps it at the approach of morning.	• Confident because of God's help. • Anxious as he awaits the approach of the morning.
7	הָמ֣וּ ג֭וֹיִם	[When] nations raged,	• Confident in God's power. • Anxious and fearful in light of the nations raging.	• The nations are said to "rage," creating more anxiety. • Thus, the second strophe picks up and further develops "the negative emotions and yearning for security already laid bare" in the first strophe" (Watson 2018, 192). • The appearance of God with his powerful thundering voice (cf. Ps 68:34–36) exacerbate the situation by adding an element of divine aggression (cf. Jer 12:8) (Watson 2018, 192-193). • Furthermore, a combination of positive and negative emotions is communicated rhetorically via a multiplicity of agents and entities cramped into a relatively tight poetic space. • Thus, in vv. 6–7, there is a succession of nouns—i.e., God, the city, God, the city again, nations, kingdoms, God’s voice, and the earth. • "It is as if the battlefield is laid out before us, in all its intensity of movement by opposing parties, though the city is here a passive entity vulnerably caught up in the midst of the action ... : it cannot act for itself in the melée of raging and tottering nations and kingdoms, the thundering God and melting earth” (Watson 2018, 198).
	מָ֣טוּ מַמְלָכ֑וֹת	[and] kingdoms fell down,
	נָתַ֥ן בְּ֝קוֹל֗וֹ	[then] he thundered with his voice,
	תָּמ֥וּג אָֽרֶץ׃	[then] the earth would melt!
8	יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֣וֹת עִמָּ֑נוּ	YHWH, [the God] of Hosts, is with us.	• Confident that God supports them and protects them.
	עִמָּ֑נוּ מִשְׂגָּֽב־לָ֝נוּ אֱלֹהֵ֖י יַעֲקֹ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃	The God of Jacob is a fortress for us. Selah.	• Confident in God's reliability and power. • Safe and secure in God's fortress-like protection.
9	לְֽכוּ־	Come!	• Enthusiastic because people must (imperative) come and perceive YHWH's works.
	חֲ֭זוּ מִפְעֲל֣וֹת יְהוָ֑ה	Perceive the works of YHWH
	אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֖ם שַׁמּ֣וֹת בָּאָֽרֶץ׃	who has wrought great devastation in the land.	• Confident—in spite of fear of war—in God's great power of devastation. • Reverent fear in light of the devastation caused by God.	• Here in the third section, the audience is invited to see the שַׁמּוֹת (‘desolations, devastations’) that God has brought about in his engagement with human aggressors. Already negative, this section is continued with the word מִלְחָמוֹת/wars/armed conflicts, which God terminates throughout, and also implements of war which are “broken/smashed” and “snapped/cut in pieces.” These actions are associated with hostility, aggression, and anger. • Of further interest here is that the rhetoric used throughout gives away indications that the individuals reciting the psalm are dealing with and overcoming traumatic experiences. A few elements testifying to this are 1.) words signaling divine causation, i.e., "he has brought desolations on the earth" (v. 9); "terminating wars" (v. 10; cf. v. 5, "a river's streams making the city glad"; 2.) indicators of insight and perception (imperatives "behold/perceive" (v. 9), "know" (v. 11); 3.) the "giving forth" of the divine voice (v. 7b); the "burning with fire" (v. 10c, causatory and sensory). "An increase in insight and causation language is a healthy characteristic of the forms of expression of those processing trauma and gradually coming to terms with it" (Watson 2018, 192-193). • As in vv. 3b–4, 6–7, there is a sense of a fierce, intense battle taking place. At this juncture, there is a rapid verbal sequence present. E.g., in v. 10, God intervenes and brings about the cessation of wars; he also destroys all weapons and food supplies. .
10	מַשְׁבִּ֥ית מִלְחָמוֹת֮ עַד־קְצֵ֪ה הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ	The one who terminates wars to the end of the earth	• Confident in God's global power to the end of the earth.
	קֶ֣שֶׁת יְ֭שַׁבֵּר	breaks the bow
	יְ֭שַׁבֵּר וְקִצֵּ֣ץ חֲנִ֑ית	and snaps the spear.
	עֲ֝גָל֗וֹת יִשְׂרֹ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ׃	He burns transport wagons with fire.
11	הַרְפּ֣וּ	"Be still	• Reverent in light of the worship and universal acknowledgement due to God.	• As previously noted, God’s aggression in this section is salvific for his community and hence carries positive emotions. Here everyone, the community included, is instructed to be still and trust. • The community is reassured that God is in control. His exercise of power and aggression are beneficial to the people.
	וּ֭דְעוּ כִּי־אָנֹכִ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים	and acknowledge that I am God!
	אֱלֹהִ֑ים אָר֥וּם בַּ֝גּוֹיִ֗ם	I will be exalted among the nations;	• Reverent in light of God's exaltation. • Triumphant in light of God's exaltation.	• The verb אָרוּם/“be high, exalted” in v. 11 can be understood as “triumph over,” in which case it communicates positive emotions. If it is read as signifying “to dominate” then it will carry negative overtones, representing anger, indignation, and resolve. “[T]he triumph of God may induce both fear at his power and relief or delight at its results, as well as providing a channel for vicarious aggression towards the enemy” (Watson 2018, 192-193).
	אָר֥וּם בָּאָֽרֶץ׃	I will be exalted throughout the earth.”
12	יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֣וֹת עִמָּ֑נוּ	YHWH, [the God] of Hosts, is with us.	• Confident that God is in the midst of his people.
	מִשְׂגָּֽב־לָ֝נוּ אֱלֹהֵ֖י יַעֲקֹ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃	The God of Jacob is a fortress for us. Selah.	• Confident in God's reliability and power. • Safe and secure in God's fortress-like protection.	• The people experience God as a refuge, something protective, reassuring, and stable. • As previously noted, this verse (v. 12) has no active verbs. This in turn, creates "the sense of divine immovability and solidity, whilst underlining their own passivity” (Watson 2018, 198).

Summary Visual

(Click visual to enlarge).

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