Psalms 46

To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth.

The psalm celebrates a great victory over the heathen armies, Psalms 46:6. It was not a foreign war, for the scene is laid in Judah. The capital had been threatened, (Psalms 46:4-5;) and its sudden deliverance (Psalms 46:9) the people are now invited to approach and witness. Psalms 46:8. The Jehovah Immanu, Jehovah with us, Psalms 46:7; Psalms 46:11 equal to Immanuel, God with us, (Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 8:8,) has led some to suppose Isaiah was the author, but this, though possible, is unnecessary; and, as in the title, we may safely assign it to the Korahitic family. The mention of “chariot,” (Psalms 46:9,) as the pride and reliance of the enemy, decides that the occasion could not have been the overthrow of the Arabians in Jehoshaphat’s reign, (see introduction to Psalms 47:0; Psalms 48:0,) with whom the use of the war chariot was impossible, but could apply only to Sennacherib. (2 Kings 18:13. See notes for further evidence.) The joyful praise and triumphant faith of the psalm are suited to the Church in her greatest militant victories.

TITLE:

Sons of Korah See on title of Psalms 42:0.

Upon Alamoth “Alamoth” is taken by Furst to denote a musical choir, dwelling perhaps in Alemeth, a town supposed by Schwarz and others to be the same as Almit, or Almuth. about a mile northeast of Anathoth, and about four miles from Jerusalem. 1 Chronicles 6:60. Others, for etymological reasons, suppose it to denote an instrument of music, as a lute; others, with more probability, understand a mode of music, a virgin mode. 1 Chronicles 15:20. See on title of Psalms 9:0