Let’s continue our exploration of Psalm 46 through inductive Bible study. If you’d like to start at the beginning of this series, you can start with Bible Meditation on Psalm 46: Preparing for Inductive Bible Study.
We have started this series by looking at the structures the author weaves into the writing of this psalm. Seeing the structures helps us see what the author wants to emphasize. Later, we will look at other aspects of inductive Bible study in this psalm.
Sometimes, structures can be combined and woven together. In Psalm 46, we can see a structure known as particularization. It’s combined with comparison, contrast, and inclusio. Let’s look closely at particularization and then we’ll look at those other structures.
Particularization in Psalm 46
Particularization means the author moves from the general to the particular. It’s like starting with a wide-angle camera view and then zooming in to see more details. So, the author will make a general statement and then show how that is general truth carried out in particular ways.
In Psalm 46, the psalmist begins with a general statement that “God is our refuge” (verse 1). Each main unit of the psalm shows what this general truth looks like in a particular venue.
Unit 1 (verses 1-3) details how God is a refuge (general truth) in the face of natural disasters (particular situation). We see particularly how God makes it possible not to be afraid in these situations (verse 2).
In the second unit (verses 4-7), God as a refuge (general) is seen in the way His dwelling is described as peaceful (particular) (verses 4-5). We also see how earth responds to His voice (verse 6) in the midst of upheaval (particular).
In unit three (verses 8-11), God’s power as a refuge (general) is detailed in regard to wars (particular). Verse 10 shows in particular how and why God as a refuge affects the earth.
Particularization is a helpful structure in Psalm 46 because it shows how a general truth about God (He is our refuge) is applied in specific situations in life and in the world. So, we can look for and recognize that general truth more easily in our lives.
The particulars also reinforce how we see the general truth, making us see how unshakable that truth really is. God is our refuge. Absolutely. No matter what. In all circumstances. Expect it! Make Him your refuge, no matter what is going on in your life or in the world.
Comparison, Contrast, and Inclusio in Psalm 46
In Psalm 46, we recognize the general truth of God as our refuge—and how the author uses the structure of particularization to highlight this truth. The author uses additional structures of comparison (similarities), contrast (opposites), and inclusio (simialar statements that bookend a passage for emphasis) to further reinforce this general statement. Let’s take a look.
In Psalm 46, each main unit offers a comparative look at how God functions as a refuge in particular settings and situations. In each venue, the psalmist compares the similarities of the effects of God’s presence as a refuge.
In all three main units, for example, we can see similarities of how the earth does not overwhelm God (verses 2-3, 6, 8-10). In all three main units, peace is described in unique but comparable ways: no fear (verse 2), imagery of a peaceful river (verse 4), the city not being moved (verse 5), wars ceasing (verse 9), and even the response to “be still” (verse 10).
We can also see how contrast (opposites) is woven in to support moving from general to particular. We covered contrast in our previous lesson on Psalm 46. You can review it now if you’d like: Zooming in on God’s Peace (A Review of “Contrast” in Inductive Bible Study).
The inclusio—or bookend—ties the particulars together. The inclusio states (verse 1) and restates (verses 7 and 11) that the key to understanding each of the particulars is to see God as a refuge. So, the inclusio not only supports the author’s structure of particularization, but it also reinforces the general truth of God as our refuge in all situations.
When we read a Bible passage, any number of points may stand out for us. There is a lot to discover in every verse. The beautiful thing about looking at structures first is that we can see certain things the author is trying to highlight for us. In Psalm 46, the author clearly doesn’t want us to miss the point that God is our refuge, always, no matter what else is going on in life and in the world.
The next lesson in the Psalm 46 series is waiting for you: Because God Is Our Refuge: Understanding Causation in Psalm 46.
If you’d like to learn more about inductive Bible study, this overview will help: Inductive Bible Study: An Overview.
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