John Trapp on Psalms 46:1

PSAL. XLVI.

VPon Alamoth] i.e. Upon the Virginals. Virgins with their ſhril treble tune 1 Chr[illegible: 2 letters]. 15.20. uſed (belike) to ſing this triumphant Pſalm, and to play it on the Inſtrument; and their hearts were ſomewhat ſuitable to it. The pen-man ſome think to have been David, upon occaſion of thoſe notable victories, 2 Sam. 8. Others, Solomon; for the Virgins to ſing and play at his wedding, Pſal. 45.8, 9. with Cant. 1.2. Others, Iſaiah; either upon the overthrow of thoſe two Kings, Rezin and Pekah, 2 King. 16.5. Iſa. 7. & 8. confer Judg. 5.11. or elſe after the ſlaughter of Sennacheribs armie by an Angel; then the Virgin Daughter of Zion, (much more than before) deſpiſed him, and laughed him to ſcorn: the Daughter of Jeruſalem ſhook her head at him, Iſa. 37.22. and ſang as followeth.

Verſ. 1.Tremel. God is our reſuge and ſtrength] Dem nobis eſt receptus, & robur. All Creatures, when in diſtreſſe, run to their reſuges, Prov. 30.26. Pſal. 104.18. Prov. 18.11. Dan. 4.10, 11. Judg. 9.50, 51. So do the Saints to God Almighty, for the ſafe-guarding of their perſons, as here, and Iſa. 25.4. Luther, when in greateſt diſtreſſe, was wont to call for this Pſalm; ſaying, Let us ſing the forty ſixth Pſalm in conſort; and then let the Devill do his worſt.

A very preſent help in trouble] Or,Joh. Manlii loc. com. We have abundantly found him an help in tribulation. God, as he is not farre off his people at ſuch a time, ſo he needeth not much intreaty; but when we are neareſt danger, he is neareſt to deliver, as in the Gun-pouder-plot prevented eight or nine houres before it ſhould have been acted; Maſſes were ſung in Rome, for the proſpering of it; but no prayers particularly made in England, for the preventing, nor could be. Here God was, if ever, auxilium praeſentiſſimum.