Psalm 46 Text

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Listen & Read: Psalm 46

Read along and listen to our audio recordings for Psalm 46. Choose between simple, unaffected audio recordings (in Hebrew or English), or a dramatized reading that takes into account our emotional, discourse, and poetic analyses. You can also choose between a text-only view, or a view overlaid with our summary At-a-Glance, Expanded Paraphrase, or Participant Analysis tracking.

Text Only (Hebrew and English) The text below is divided according to the psalm's poetic lines. For additional information, see our Poetic Structure layer.

Hebrew Line English
לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ לִבְנֵי־קֹ֑רַח עַֽל־עֲלָמ֥וֹת שִֽׁיר׃ 1a For the music director. By the Korahites. As young women. A psalm.
אֱלֹהִ֣ים לָ֭נוּ מַחֲסֶ֣ה וָעֹ֑ז 2a God is a refuge and stronghold for us.
עֶזְרָ֥ה בְ֝צָר֗וֹת נִמְצָ֥א מְאֹֽד׃ 2b He is readily available, as a help, in great trouble.
עַל־כֵּ֣ן לֹא־נִ֭ירָא בְּהָמִ֣יר אָ֑רֶץ 3a Therefore, we will not fear though the earth change
וּבְמ֥וֹט הָ֝רִ֗ים בְּלֵ֣ב יַמִּֽים׃ 3b and the mountains topple into the heart of the deepest sea.
יֶהֱמ֣וּ יֶחְמְר֣וּ מֵימָ֑יו 4a its waters foam in rage.
יִֽרְעֲשֽׁוּ־הָרִ֖ים בְּגַאֲוָת֣וֹ סֶֽלָה׃ 4b mountains quake at its surging. Selah.
נָהָ֗ר פְּלָגָ֗יו יְשַׂמְּח֥וּ עִיר־אֱלֹהִ֑ים 5a a river whose streams gladden the city of God—
קְ֝דֹ֗שׁ מִשְׁכְּנֵ֥י עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ 5b the holy dwelling of the Most High.
אֱלֹהִ֣ים בְּ֭קִרְבָּהּ בַּל־תִּמּ֑וֹט 6a God is in its midst. It cannot be moved.
יַעְזְרֶ֥הָ אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לִפְנ֥וֹת בֹּֽקֶר׃ 6b God helps it at the approach of morning.
הָמ֣וּ ג֭וֹיִם מָ֣טוּ מַמְלָכ֑וֹת 7a nations raged, [and] kingdoms fell down,
נָתַ֥ן בְּ֝קוֹל֗וֹ תָּמ֥וּג אָֽרֶץ׃ 7b he thundered with his voice, [then] the earth would melt!
יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֣וֹת עִמָּ֑נוּ 8a YHWH, [the God] of Hosts, is with us.
מִשְׂגָּֽב־לָ֝נוּ אֱלֹהֵ֖י יַעֲקֹ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃ 8b The God of Jacob is a fortress for us. Selah.
לְֽכוּ־חֲ֭זוּ מִפְעֲל֣וֹת יְהוָ֑ה 9a Come! Perceive the works of YHWH
אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֖ם שַׁמּ֣וֹת בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ 9b who has wrought great devastation in the land.
מַשְׁבִּ֥ית מִלְחָמוֹת֮ עַד־קְצֵ֪ה הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ 10a one who terminates wars to the end of the earth
קֶ֣שֶׁת יְ֭שַׁבֵּר וְקִצֵּ֣ץ חֲנִ֑ית 10b breaks the bow and snaps the spear.
עֲ֝גָל֗וֹת יִשְׂרֹ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ׃ 10c He burns transport wagons with fire.
הַרְפּ֣וּ וּ֭דְעוּ כִּי־אָנֹכִ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים 11a Be still and acknowledge that I am God!
אָר֥וּם בַּ֝גּוֹיִ֗ם אָר֥וּם בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ 11b I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted throughout the earth.”
יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֣וֹת עִמָּ֑נוּ 12a YHWH, [the God] of Hosts, is with us.
מִשְׂגָּֽב־לָ֝נוּ אֱלֹהֵ֖י יַעֲקֹ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃ 12b The God of Jacob is a fortress for us. Selah.

Structure Overlay Below, the text has been overlaid with our summary structural analysis. For details on the structure, see the Structure At-a-Glance here.

Text (Hebrew) Verse Text (CBC)
לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ לִבְנֵי־קֹ֑רַח עַֽל־עֲלָמ֥וֹת שִֽׁיר׃ 1a For the music director. By the Korahites. As young women. A psalm.
אֱלֹהִ֣ים לָ֭נוּ מַחֲסֶ֣ה וָעֹ֑ז 2a God is a refuge and stronghold for us.
עֶזְרָ֥ה בְ֝צָר֗וֹת נִמְצָ֥א מְאֹֽד׃ 2b He is readily available, as a help, in great trouble.
עַל־כֵּ֣ן לֹא־נִ֭ירָא בְּהָמִ֣יר אָ֑רֶץ 3a Therefore, we will not fear though the earth change
וּבְמ֥וֹט הָ֝רִ֗ים בְּלֵ֣ב יַמִּֽים׃ 3b and the mountains topple into the heart of the deepest sea.
יֶהֱמ֣וּ יֶחְמְר֣וּ מֵימָ֑יו 4a Though its waters foam in rage.
יִֽרְעֲשֽׁוּ־הָרִ֖ים בְּגַאֲוָת֣וֹ סֶֽלָה׃ 4b Though mountains quake at its surging. Selah.
נָהָ֗ר פְּלָגָ֗יו יְשַׂמְּח֥וּ עִיר־אֱלֹהִ֑ים קְ֝דֹ֗שׁ מִשְׁכְּנֵ֥י עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ 5a [There is] a river whose streams gladden the city of God—the holy dwelling of the Most High.
אֱלֹהִ֣ים בְּ֭קִרְבָּהּ 6a God is in its midst.
בַּל־תִּמּ֑וֹט 6b It cannot be moved.
יַעְזְרֶ֥הָ אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לִפְנ֥וֹת בֹּֽקֶר׃ 6c God helps it at the approach of morning.
הָמ֣וּ ג֭וֹיִם 7a [When] nations raged,
מָ֣טוּ מַמְלָכ֑וֹת 7b [and] kingdoms fell down,
נָתַ֥ן בְּ֝קוֹל֗וֹ 7c [then] he thundered with his voice,
תָּמ֥וּג אָֽרֶץ׃ 7d [then] the earth would melt!
יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֣וֹת עִמָּ֑נוּ 8a YHWH, [the God] of Hosts, is with us.
מִשְׂגָּֽב־לָ֝נוּ אֱלֹהֵ֖י יַעֲקֹ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃ 8b The God of Jacob is a fortress for us. Selah.
לְֽכוּ־ 9a Come!
חֲ֭זוּ מִפְעֲל֣וֹת יְהוָ֑ה 9b Perceive the works of YHWH
אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֖ם שַׁמּ֣וֹת בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ 9c who has wrought great devastation in the land.
מַשְׁבִּ֥ית מִלְחָמוֹת֮ עַד־קְצֵ֪ה הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ 10a The one who terminates wars to the end of the earth
קֶ֣שֶׁת יְ֭שַׁבֵּר 10b breaks the bow
וְקִצֵּ֣ץ חֲנִ֑ית 10c and snaps the spear.
עֲ֝גָל֗וֹת יִשְׂרֹ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ׃ 10d He burns transport wagons with fire.
הַרְפּ֣וּ 11a "Be still
וּ֭דְעוּ כִּי־אָנֹכִ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים 11b and acknowledge that I am God!
אָר֥וּם בַּ֝גּוֹיִ֗ם 11c I will be exalted among the nations;
אָר֥וּם בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ 11d I will be exalted throughout the earth.”
יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֣וֹת עִמָּ֑נוּ 12a YHWH, [the God] of Hosts, is with us.
מִשְׂגָּֽב־לָ֝נוּ אֱלֹהֵ֖י יַעֲקֹ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃ 12b The God of Jacob is a fortress for us. Selah.

Expanded paraphrase The expanded paraphrase seeks to capture the implicit information within the text and make it explicit for readers today. It is based on the CBC translation and uses italic text to provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences.

Text (Hebrew) Verse Expanded Paraphrase
לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ לִבְנֵי־קֹ֑רַח עַֽל־עֲלָמ֥וֹת שִֽׁיר׃ 1 For the music director. Written by the Korahites. The psalm is to be performed as young women. A psalm.
אֱלֹהִ֣ים לָ֭נוּ מַחֲסֶ֣ה וָעֹ֑ז עֶזְרָ֥ה בְ֝צָר֗וֹת נִמְצָ֥א מְאֹֽד׃ 2 God is a refuge and stronghold for us. He is a place that offers us protection and shelters us from any danger, threat, or trouble. In him, we are securely hidden from our enemies. Moreover, even if political allies may desert us, he is readily available to us, as a help, when we are in great trouble.
עַל־כֵּ֣ן לֹא־נִ֭ירָא בְּהָמִ֣יר אָ֑רֶץ וּבְמ֥וֹט הָ֝רִ֗ים בְּלֵ֣ב יַמִּֽים׃ 3 Therefore, we will not fear though the earth change its appearance, and the mountains topple into the heart of the deepest sea.
יֶהֱמ֣וּ יֶחְמְר֣וּ מֵימָ֑יו 4 Though its waters foam in rage and increase in strength, like wine bubbling up during fermentation. They may want to see us reel and stagger as from wine, yet we will not be afraid. Though mountains quake at the sea’s surging, and even then we will not be afraid. Selah.
נָהָ֗ר פְּלָגָ֗יו יְשַׂמְּח֥וּ עִיר־אֱלֹהִ֑ים קְ֝דֹ֗שׁ מִשְׁכְּנֵ֥י עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ 5 Moreover, God has prepared us for the fiercest attack from enemies. Like other kings, he has engineered a canal system to provide water to his city so that we will be nourished and defended during siege. That is why we have a river whose streams rush to the city of God and gladden it — they run to the city of God which is the holy dwelling of the Most High.
אֱלֹהִ֣ים בְּ֭קִרְבָּהּ בַּל־תִּמּ֑וֹט יַעְזְרֶ֥הָ אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לִפְנ֥וֹת בֹּֽקֶר׃ 6 God is in the very midst of his city. Therefore, it cannot be moved. When enemies come and attack us in the morning, God meets and repels their strike. God helps his city at the approach of morning.
הָמ֣וּ ג֭וֹיִם מָ֣טוּ מַמְלָכ֑וֹת נָתַ֥ן בְּ֝קוֹל֗וֹ תָּמ֥וּג אָֽרֶץ׃ 7 [When] nations raged like mighty chaotic waters, [and] kingdoms fell down like mountains into the deepest sea, [then] he thundered with his voice like a storm, [then] the whole earth would melt!
יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֣וֹת עִמָּ֑נוּ 8 YHWH, [the God] of heavenly Hosts, is with us. The God of Jacob is a fortress for us.He is our most reliable defensive structure in which we can find shelter from hostile forces. Selah.
לְֽכוּ־ חֲ֭זוּ מִפְעֲל֣וֹת יְהוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֖ם שַׁמּ֣וֹת בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ 9 Come! Inspect this massive battlefield! Perceive the works of YHWH who has wrought great devastation in the land.
מַשְׁבִּ֥ית מִלְחָמוֹת֮ עַד־קְצֵ֪ה הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ קֶ֣שֶׁת יְ֭שַׁבֵּר וְקִצֵּ֣ץ חֲנִ֑ית עֲ֝גָל֗וֹת יִשְׂרֹ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ׃ 10 See how God, the one who terminates wars to the end of the earth destroys his enemies' weapons. Look how he breaks the bow and snaps the spear. See how he burns the enemy's food supplies heaped on transport wagons. See how they are engulfed in fire.
הַרְפּ֣וּ וּ֭דְעוּ כִּי־אָנֹכִ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים אָר֥וּם בַּ֝גּוֹיִ֗ם אָר֥וּם בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ 11 And now hear what our God commands: "Be still and acknowledge that I am God! Surrender is the only option when you are fighting against my people. My city and I are indestructible. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted throughout the earth.”
יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֣וֹת עִמָּ֑נוּ מִשְׂגָּֽב־לָ֝נוּ אֱלֹהֵ֖י יַעֲקֹ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃ 12 YHWH, [the God] of heavenly Hosts, is with us. The God of Jacob is a fortress for us. He is our most reliable defensive structure in which we can find shelter from hostile forces. Selah.

Participant Tracking Text Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? Our full analysis can be found in the Participant Analysis layer.

  Participant Color-Coding

There are 4 participants/characters in Psalm 46:

Profile List

A Community of God's People
"we/us" (vv. 2, 3, 8, 12)
The City of God
"the holy dwelling [of the Most High]" (v. 5)

YHWH
"God" (vv. 2, 5, 6, 11)
"refuge" (v. 2)
"stronghold" (v. 2)
"YHWH of Hosts" (vv. 8, 12)
"the God of Jacob" (vv. 8, 12)
"the Most High" (v. 5)

Enemies
"nations" (vv. 7, 11)
"kingdoms" (v. 7)
Natural Forces
"the earth" (vv. 3, 7)
"the deepest sea" (v. 3)
"the deepest sea's waters" (v. 4)
"the mountains" (vv. 3, 4)

All humanity

Profile Notes

  • A Community of God's People: is the main speaker in the psalm. The text also identifies them through self-referential appellations, i.e., “we” and "us". As per the superscription, this community was supposed to perform the psalm about God's military triumphs in the manner of a choir of young women. As such, the group was to embody their city personified as a woman (see further Participant Tracking notes). Accordingly, the community has a set of related participants (“the city of God”, “the holy dwelling of the Most High”, and “it”) who are featured as recipients of God’s care and protection amidst an international conflict.
  • The City of God: The psalm offers no specific details about the identity of the city and its geographical location. The mention of mountains, sea, a river with streams providing water for a city indicates a northern site, e.g., Dan. However, "the preservation and ongoing use of the psalm so that it came to be in the Psalter imply that it came to be a Jerusalem psalm (a “Zion song”; see on Ps. 48) even though Jerusalem is unmentioned"[1]; see further The River and Its Streams in Ps 46).
  • YHWH: one of the main participants in the psalm is God, who appears under various names and appellations, i.e., Elohim, the Most High, YHWH, YHWH of Hosts, and the God of Jacob. Other descriptors featured in the song for God are “refuge”, “fortress,” and "stronghold". These architectural designations for God make his identification with the city and its community particularly intimate. In a song about attempted urbicide, the metaphorization of God as urban artifacts and landmarks links the city's fate with God's own and guarantees its inviolability.
  • Nations and Kingdoms: The identity of these synonymous participants is not specified. "In the Prophets, plural 'nations' often refers to the great imperial superpower (e.g., Isa. 5:26; 14:26; 30:28), and this reference would make sense here. Ephraimite and Judean royal cities such as Dan, Samaria, and Jerusalem were vulnerable to attack by powers such as Assyria. The psalm’s declaration is that when that happens, these nations themselves fall down in the way that mountains might (v. 2), but, because of God’s presence, God’s city does not (v. 5). The nations are also characterized as kingdoms, another plural that can be used to refer to the superpower (Isa. 13:4; 47:5; Jer. 1:10, 15)."[2]
  • The Natural Forces: In this set of inter-related participants, the earth, the raging waters, and the shaking mountains are given agency and literarily correlated with God’s human enemies (nations and kingdoms). Such correlation of the two groups of participants should be understood as a historicization of the ancient Near Eastern "divine conflict" motif.[3] With various degrees of personification and agentivization, these entities all engage in hostility against God and his city and people.
Hebrew Line English
לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ לִבְנֵי־קֹ֑רַח עַֽל־עֲלָמ֥וֹת שִֽׁיר׃ 1a For the music director. By the Korahites. As young women. A psalm.
אֱלֹהִ֣ים לָ֭נוּ מַחֲסֶ֣ה וָעֹ֑ז 2a God is a refuge and stronghold for us.
עֶזְרָ֥ה בְ֝צָר֗וֹת נִמְצָ֥א מְאֹֽד׃ 2b He is readily available, as a help, in great trouble.
עַל־כֵּ֣ן לֹא־נִ֭ירָא בְּהָמִ֣יר אָ֑רֶץ 3a Therefore, we will not fear though the earth change
וּבְמ֥וֹט הָ֝רִ֗ים בְּלֵ֣ב יַמִּֽים׃ 3b and the mountains topple into the heart of the deepest sea.
יֶהֱמ֣וּ יֶחְמְר֣וּ מֵימָ֑יו 4a its waters foam in rage.
יִֽרְעֲשֽׁוּ־הָרִ֖ים בְּגַאֲוָת֣וֹ סֶֽלָה׃ 4b mountains quake at its surging. Selah.
נָהָ֗ר פְּלָגָ֗יו יְשַׂמְּח֥וּ עִיר־אֱלֹהִ֑ים 5a a river whose streams gladden the city of God—
קְ֝דֹ֗שׁ מִשְׁכְּנֵ֥י עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ 5b the holy dwelling of the Most High.
אֱלֹהִ֣ים בְּ֭קִרְבָּהּ בַּל־תִּמּ֑וֹט 6a God is in its midst. It cannot be moved.
יַעְזְרֶ֥הָ אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לִפְנ֥וֹת בֹּֽקֶר׃ 6b God helps it at the approach of morning.
הָמ֣וּ ג֭וֹיִם מָ֣טוּ מַמְלָכ֑וֹת 7a nations raged, [and] kingdoms fell down,
נָתַ֥ן בְּ֝קוֹל֗וֹ תָּמ֥וּג אָֽרֶץ׃ 7b he thundered with his voice, [then] the earth would melt!
יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֣וֹת עִמָּ֑נוּ 8a YHWH, [the God] of Hosts, is with us.
מִשְׂגָּֽב־לָ֝נוּ אֱלֹהֵ֖י יַעֲקֹ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃ 8b The God of Jacob is a fortress for us. Selah.
לְֽכוּ־חֲ֭זוּ מִפְעֲל֣וֹת יְהוָ֑ה 9a Come! Perceive the works of YHWH
אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֖ם שַׁמּ֣וֹת בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ 9b who has wrought great devastation in the land.
מַשְׁבִּ֥ית מִלְחָמוֹת֮ עַד־קְצֵ֪ה הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ 10a one who terminates wars to the end of the earth
קֶ֣שֶׁת יְ֭שַׁבֵּר וְקִצֵּ֣ץ חֲנִ֑ית 10b breaks the bow and snaps the spear.
עֲ֝גָל֗וֹת יִשְׂרֹ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ׃ 10c He burns transport wagons with fire.
הַרְפּ֣וּ וּ֭דְעוּ כִּי־אָנֹכִ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים 11a Be still and acknowledge that I am God!
אָר֥וּם בַּ֝גּוֹיִ֗ם אָר֥וּם בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ 11b I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted throughout the earth.”
יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֣וֹת עִמָּ֑נוּ 12a YHWH, [the God] of Hosts, is with us.
מִשְׂגָּֽב־לָ֝נוּ אֱלֹהֵ֖י יַעֲקֹ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃ 12b The God of Jacob is a fortress for us. Selah.


  1. ↑ Goldingay 2007: npn.
  2. ↑ Goldingay 2007: npn.
  3. ↑ Day 1985: 120.