Psalm 46/Notes/Phrasal.v. 2.159535

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In the phrase in great trouble (בצרות), the preposition ב indicates the idea of time, that is, God provides help (or can be found as “help”) to his people when they are in trouble.[1] The plural form בצרות is best understood as a plural of amplification, emphasizing the dire nature of scenarios considered here and later in the psalm. Hence, it is best translated as great trouble.[2]

  1. ↑ GK §119h.
  2. ↑ Cf. GK §124.b. Notably, the psalm contains other nouns in the plural, which could be read as emphatic forms (i.e., "seas"=the deepest sea [v. 3]; "devastations"=great devastation [v. 9]; possibly "wars/battles"=the fiercest battle).