The writer of Psalm 46 uses two strong metaphors to invite us into God’s action in our lives:  The City of God (Zion) and a River.

Imagine you are a resident in the city of Jerusalem, a city without a river, at the time the Psalm was written.  Each day you walk outside the city walls to get water from the Gihon Spring. Outside the walls you are exposed to attackers…a war is raging and you are only safe within the city walls. You are very afraid. 

Model of ancient Jerusalem, Israel Museum

Then, King Hezekiah performs the engineering feat of delivering fresh water through hidden, underground aqueducts.  How glad you are!

To the Psalm writer, these were not imaginary images but a real life example of God’s action in the lives of his people…a very present help in trouble.  In praise, he writes this song:

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. 

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns. The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. 

"Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth." The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. 

Hymns reflect these metaphors too:

See, the streams of living waters,

springing from eternal love,

well supply thy sons and daughters

and all fear of want remove.

Who can faint while such a river

ever flows their thirst to assuage?

Grace, which like the Lord, the Giver,

never fails from age to age.

- John Newton

Like a river glorious is God's perfect peace,

over all victorious in its bright increase:

perfect, yet still flowing fuller every day;

perfect, yet still growing deeper all the way.

Trusting in Jehovah, 

hearts are fully blest,

finding, as he promised, 

perfect peace and rest.

- Frances Ridley Havergal

In addition to these two metaphors, we find in our Psalm perhaps the most ignored words in our scriptures: 

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still.  Relax.  Let go. 

So much challenge.  So much comfort.  Sounds like intentional realationship with God, doesn’t it?