Moving

(Psa 93:1 KJV)  The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.

(Proverbs 4 also read)

This is a good illustration of what it means to be either literal or figurative.  Notice the last word “moved” (4131).  Just what does that mean?  It would seem obvious but not if you think about it.

If you look at this literally, then it means that the Earth is stationary in space.  It does not move at all.  That would rule out rotation and revolution.  It would insist on the universe revolving around the Earth instead of the Earth moving through space.  We know that is not the case.

It is not hard to consider that this means that the Earth is stable and is not going to be jerked around by every little dictator that walks down the aisle.  With what we know about science now, the literal interpretation is nonsense and the figure of speech is powerful.

So?  Read the Bible as it was intended to be read.  Don’t be afraid to change your understanding as your knowledge of the world increases.  God will not be threatened by a deeper understanding of the universe He created.