He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire.
This psalm celebrates a singular, miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem from extreme peril, not merely the constant protection God always grants His Church. The prophet exhorts the faithful to commit themselves confidently to His protection, assured that He will preserve them from all assaults of their enemies, for it is His peculiar office to quell every commotionI cannot say with certainty when it was composed, but the language expresses faith under threatened difficulty rather than triumph already won.
AI summary
Commenting on Psalm 46:1-11
He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth. His voice quiets the tumult of war, and calls for the silence of peace. However remote and barbarous the tribe, he awes the people into rest. He crushes the great powers till they cannot provoke strife again; he gives his people profound repose. He breaketh the bow, the sender of swift winged death he renders useless.
These verses give glory to God both as King of nations and as King of saints. I. As King of nations, ruling the world by his power and providence, and overruling all the affairs of the children of men to his own glory; he does according to his will among the inhabitants of the earth, and none may say, What doest thou? 1.
Commenting on Psalm 46:6-11