Psalm 46, no matter its historical background, transcends a particular time and place to emphasize and celebrate the power of the presence of God with His people. But let’s do look at one possibility for the historical background of Psalm 46 to get a sense of how and under what circumstances God’s people praised and celebrated His abiding presence with them.
First, take a moment to read Psalm 46 in your favorite Bible translation.
One argument scholars have made for the context of Psalm 46 is the occasion of Sennacherib’s siege on Jerusalem during Hezekiah’s reign as king of Judah, the Southern Kingdom (2 Kings 18–19).
Hezekiah was 25 years old when he became king, and he reigned 29 years. He was known for purifying the Temple of God and encouraging God’s people to worship the Lord (2 Chron. 29).
King Hezekiah was described as righteous because he trusted in the Lord and devoted God’s people to worshipping the Lord (2 Kings 18). It was because of Hezekiah’s faithfulness and leadership that God’s people were celebrating peace and prosperity even though the world around them was crumbling and their enemies were waging wars.