Response To Psalm's 'Song Of Zion'

In this Psalm known as a “Song of Zion,” the faithful in the city of Jerusalem express their relationship with God. The speaker appears to have already experienced a traumatic experience where he practices the act of finding “refuge” in God. Despite the raging life encircled with fear, the speaker is aware of God’s presence within the earth. He places his complete trust in God, knowing He will protect all because He is in control of all. As a chosen nation, united in their confidence in God, this particular Psalm describes how they glorified God by transforming the negativity and evil into faith and refuge. The Psalm is broken up into three paragraphs each separated by the word “Selah,” they focus on a unique aspect of faith in God. In vv.
1-3, the speaker states that no fears need to exist in the presence of God. He describes the possible naturalistic fears of the people due to the earthly elements such as “waters [roaring]” and “mountains [trembling]”. The second paragraph consisting of vv. 4-7 relies on the imagery of a river to describe God’s presence within the “city of God.” Just as a river supplies a never-ending supply of water, God’s presence can be found within every situation. The speaker takes comfort in this absolute certainty of God within the human wars. The third paragraph or vv. 9-11 exemplifies God’s power and almightiness; thus, the speaker claims this control over all is the very reason why God is worthy of praise. There are many distinctive uses of language used to emphasize the speaker’s idea.
The repetition of the word “though” in the first paragraph is used to describe the never-ending fears that naturally occur on earth. While there are many dangers constantly present, these fears diminish due to God’s presence. In the third paragraph, the action verbs “makes, breaks, burns” give tangible evidence of God’s power and control over every situation. Through the direct actions of God, the speaker describes this authoritative God who directly influences conflict and working to restore contentment. However, in vv. 10, this action is abruptly halted and shifted towards praise of God’s almightiness as the speaker claims “I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted on the earth”. In both the second and third paragraph, the phrase “the Lord of hosts is with us” is repeated. The speaker emphasizes through this particular phrase that God, who is God of all, is present and will favor His chosen people and those who honor Him. The phrase “God is our refuge” can also be found in each of the paragraphs, emphasizing the overarching idea of trust in God. With the previous imagery of war and natural disasters, this “refuge” and faith could be seen as a safe-haven against the surrounding activities. Throughout the Psalm, the speaker leads to an overarching theme of “find comfort in faith and trust of God.” By seeking God’s presence within the tumultuous times, the speaker uses these events to glorify
God by applying the trust in God. This outward expression of actually seeking God within all times yields a deeper faith. If one is able to eliminate these fears, he or she may direct that energy towards praising God through trust. This application of assurance of God’s protection is vital in everyone’s faith journey.