Psalm 46

"God is Our Fortress"

Purpose: To encourage God's people to trust in God as their defense.

Content: God cares for his people. That is why God is our refuge, even if God's city is threatened by enemies, and even if the earth quakes and the sea roars.

Message: God’s city can never be overthrown.

Author: the Korahites

Videos

Poetic Features Video

Video forthcoming

Overview

Translation

Click 'Expand' to the right to see our Close-but-Clear translation of Psalm 46.

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1. For the music director. By the Korahites. As young women. A psalm.

2. God is a refuge and stronghold for us.

He is readily available, as a help, in great trouble.

3. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth change

and the mountains topple into the heart of the deepest sea.

4. Though its waters foam in rage.

Though mountains quake at its surging. Selah.

5. [There is] a river whose streams gladden the city of God

—the holy dwelling of the Most High.

6. God is in its midst. It cannot be moved.

God helps it at the approach of morning.

7. (When) nations raged, (and) kingdoms fell down,

(then) he thundered with his voice: (and) the earth would melt!

8. YHWH, [the God] of Hosts, is with us.

The God of Jacob is a fortress for us. Selah.

9. Come! Perceive the works of YHWH

who has wrought great devastation in the land.

10. The one who terminates wars to the end of the earth

breaks the bow and snaps the spear.

He burns transport wagons with fire.

11. "Be still and acknowledge that I am God!

I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted throughout the earth.”

12 YHWH, [the God] of Hosts, is with us.

The God of Jacob is a fortress for us. Selah.

The Close-but-clear translation (CBC) exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text according to how we understand its syntax and word-to-phrase-level semantics. It is not intended to be used as a stand-alone translation or base text, but as a supplement to Layer-by-Layer materials to help users make full use of these resources.

For links to other translations of Psalm 46, click here.

Verse-by-Verse

Click the link to view all of Psalm 46 Verse-by-Verse, or click on an individual verse below.

• v. 1
• v. 2
• v. 3
• v. 4
• v. 5
• v. 6
• v. 7
• v. 8
• v. 9
• v. 10
• v. 11
• v. 12

Layer-by-Layer

Psalm Overview

• Grammar
• Semantics
• Story behind the Psalm
• Discourse
• Poetics

Exegetical Issues

• The River and Its Streams in Ps 46
• The Meaning of עגלות in Ps 46:10
• The Raging Waters in Ps 46:2-4

Guardian: Ekaterina Kozlova