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Psalm 46:5-7
New Catholic Bible
Psalm 46:5-7
New Catholic Bible
5 There is a river[a] whose streams bring joy to the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
6 God is in her midst; she will not be overcome;
God will help her at break of dawn.[b]
7 The nations are in tumult and kingdoms fall;
when he raises his voice,[c] the earth melts away.
Footnotes
- Psalm 46:5 River: symbol of God’s blessings; the symbolic waters (see Ps 36:9) that spring forth (see Ezek 47:1, 12; Joel 4:18; Zec 14:8) make the holy land fruitful, purify it (see Zec 13:1), and turn it into a new Eden (see Gen 2:10).
- Psalm 46:6 At break of dawn: the most favored time for attacks to be set in motion against cities but also for God’s blessings (see Pss 17:15; 49:15; 101:8; Song 2:17; Isa 17:14). The psalm here most likely alludes to the retreat of Sennacherib’s armies in 701 B.C. (see 2 Ki 19:35).
- Psalm 46:7 His voice: God’s thunder (see Ps 104:7; Jer 25:30; Am 1:2). The earth melts away: under the heat of God’s lightnings. But Israel has no need to fear any of these calamities.
