“God is within her, she will not fall, God will help her at break of day.” Psalms 46:5 NIV
When you read this verse, what do you think that it is about? I used to think this was literally talking about a particular woman within a story or at least women in general. However, after doing some research, I was surprised to find out what this verse is actually referring to.
It is important that as we study the Bible, that we don’t take verses and stand them alone. Taking a verse and pulling it out as a stand alone verse to prove a point can be dangerous because the verses are in a passage for a reason, God had them placed in the order and grouping that they are in on purpose.
As we study God’s word, we will find verses that when read in the passage they are in have different meanings than if they were read as a single verse. We will also find verses that read exactly the same whether they are in a passage or by themselves. The challenge is remembering that we are not the ones who wrote the verses, we were not the ones inspired by God to place them in the order they are in and therefore we don’t know without having read the whole passage if this verse or that verse is meant to be looked at individually or not.
My mother would always say that you have to read at least the verse before and the verse after a particular verse to gain perspective. Individuals who go door to door and try to persuade people to think the way they think based on single verses are the people who taught her that. She would invite them in and talk with them about that single verse they were trying to persuade her meant one thing when she knew after having read the entire chapter that it meant something else.
This is a perfect example of how we can take a single verse and believe it to mean one thing when it actually means more than what we think. As I said, I thought this verse was about women or at least one particular woman, but it is not, it is about all believers. As I looked at other translations, which is one way to help understand scripture, I found in the New Living Translation that the verse goes like this. “God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very break of day, God will protect it.” Combining that translation and the reading of the entire psalm helped me to understand that this verse has a totally different meaning than what it sounds like when it is read individually.
This verse is not about women in general or a particular woman, it is about Jerusalem. This Psalm is believed to have been written by the Sons of Korah, who were a group of Levites musicians in the Old Testament. The Psalm is written as a song that is to be sung by a group of women and it tells of how Jerusalem, while under attack, is able to trust in the Lord’s protection. They believe that because God resides with them, ‘within her – within the city walls’ – that they will be protected.
The idea of the break of day is that it is the darkest right before dawn and that is when the enemy usually attacks. The psalm is talking about how God will be there for them at that pivotal moment and will deliver them.
As believers, we can all take comfort in this entire psalm, comfort that when everything looks to be the darkest it can be, that God is right there with us. We can think of this verse and entire psalm not only when we are facing our enemy personally and spiritually but also when we are facing others publicly who are against God.
Take comfort that God lives inside you, will protect you and deliver you when it is the perfect time. I hope you have a peaceful day resting in that assurance.