Psalms — Chapter 46

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1For the choirmaster. Of the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A song. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.

2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth is transformed and the mountains are toppled into the depths of the seas,

3though their waters roar and foam and the mountains quake in the surge. Selah

4There is a river whose streams delight the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.

5God is within her; she will not be moved. God will help her when morning dawns.

6Nations rage, kingdoms crumble; the earth melts when He lifts His voice.

7The LORD of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

8Come, see the works of the LORD, who brings devastation upon the earth.

9He makes wars to cease throughout the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields in the fire.

10“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted over the earth.”

11The LORD of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

2Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

3Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

4There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

5God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

6The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.

7The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

8Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.

9He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.

10Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

11The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

1God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

2Therefore will we not fear, though the earth do change, And though the mountains be shaken into the heart of the seas;

3Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, Though the mountains tremble with the swelling thereof. Selah

4There is a river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High.

5God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God will help her, and that right early.

6The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved: He uttered his voice, the earth melted.

7Jehovah of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

8Come, behold the works of Jehovah, What desolations he hath made in the earth.

9He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; He burneth the chariots in the fire.

10Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

11Jehovah of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah Psalm 47 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

1For the music director, by the Korahites; according to the alamoth style; a song. God is our strong refuge; he is truly our helper in times of trouble.

2For this reason we do not fear when the earth shakes, and the mountains tumble into the depths of the sea,

3when its waves crash and foam, and the mountains shake before the surging sea. (Selah)

4The river’s channels bring joy to the city of God, the special, holy dwelling place of the Most High.

5God lives within it, it cannot be moved. God rescues it at the break of dawn.

6Nations are in uproar, kingdoms are overthrown. God gives a shout, the earth dissolves.

7The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is on our side. The God of Jacob is our stronghold. (Selah)

8Come, Witness the exploits of the Lord, who brings devastation to the earth.

9He brings an end to wars throughout the earth. He shatters the bow and breaks the spear; he burns the shields with fire.

10He says, “Stop your striving and recognize that I am God. I will be exalted over the nations! I will be exalted over the earth!”

11The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is on our side! The God of Jacob is our stronghold! (Selah)

1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

2Therefore we won’t be afraid, though the earth changes, though the mountains are shaken into the heart of the seas;

3though its waters roar and are troubled, though the mountains tremble with their swelling. Selah.

4There is a river, the streams of which make the city of God glad, the holy place of the tents of the Most High.

5God is within her. She shall not be moved. God will help her at dawn.

6The nations raged. The kingdoms were moved. He lifted his voice, and the earth melted.

7Yahweh of Armies is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

8Come, see Yahweh’s works, what desolations he has made in the earth.

9He makes wars cease to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow, and shatters the spear. He burns the chariots in the fire.

10“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.”

11Yahweh of Armies is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Summary
Authorship & Background
Commentary
Videos
Articles
Reflection

Summary

A psalm of trust known as a Song of Zion. It opens declaring that God is a refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble, so there is no need to fear even if the earth gives way, mountains fall into the sea, and its waters roar and foam (vv. 1-3). A river brings joy to the city of God, his holy dwelling, and because God is present within her she will not fall, receiving his help at the break of day (vv. 4-5). Nations rage and kingdoms totter, but God's voice alone melts the earth, giving rise to the refrain that the LORD of hosts is with his people, the God of Jacob their fortress (vv. 6-7). Onlookers are invited to see the works of the LORD, who brings desolation on the nations, ends wars, and destroys weapons of war (vv. 8-9). The psalm closes with the well-known command to be still and know that he is God, exalted among the nations and over all the earth, repeating the earlier refrain (vv. 10-11).

Authorship & Background

Author: Multiple authors — primarily David (73 psalms attributed), plus Asaph (12), Sons of Korah (11), Solomon (2), Moses (1), Heman (1), Ethan (1), and anonymous. The Psalter was compiled over approximately 1000 years and served as Israel's hymnal and prayer book. The book is divided into five 'books' (1-41, 42-72, 73-89, 90-106, 107-150), paralleling the five books of Moses.
Classification: Hymn of Trust/Confidence (Song of Zion)
Attributed Author: Sons of Korah (To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth)
Key Themes: God as refuge, fearlessness in chaos, God's sovereign power, "Be still and know," divine presence in the city of God
Historical Context: Psalm 46 is one of the most beloved and powerful hymns in Scripture — a triumphant declaration of God's protection amidst cosmic chaos. The superscription "Alamoth" (literally "maidens" or "sopranos") likely indicates a musical direction for high-pitched voices or instruments. The historical occasion is debated; many connect it to the miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem from Sennacherib's Assyrian army in 701 BC (2 Kings 18-19), when 185,000 soldiers were destroyed overnight by the angel of the LORD. The psalm operates on three levels of chaos: cosmic (vv. 1-3: the earth shaking and seas roaring), political (vv. 4-7: nations raging and kingdoms tottering), and military (vv. 8-11: wars and weapons). Against all three, God stands as unshakeable refuge. The refrain "The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge" (vv. 7, 11) anchors each section in the twin truths of God's sovereign power ("LORD of hosts") and covenant relationship ("God of Jacob").
God Is Our Refuge and Strength (vv.1-3): God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Then the conditions under which that is claimed, and they are deliberately extreme, therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. Mountains were the standard image of permanence, so what is described is the failure of the most reliable things there are. And the section closes with a Selah, one of three in this psalm, which is a musical or liturgical marking whose exact sense is not recoverable but which here falls at each turn of the poem.
There Is a River (vv.4-7): There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God. The contrast with the roaring sea of the previous section is the point, and it is geographical as well as poetic: Jerusalem has no river, only the Gihon spring, so the river here is a promise rather than a description. Ezekiel 47 and Revelation 22 both take up the image. Then the timing of the help, God shall help her, and that right early, and the refrain that closes the section, the LORD of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge.
Be Still, and Know (vv.8-11): Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth. The invitation is to look at wreckage, and what is being wrecked is named in the next verse, he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder, he burneth the chariot in the fire. Disarmament rather than victory. Then the sentence the psalm is known by, be still, and know that I am God, and the stillness asked for is the opposite of the raging nations of verse 6 rather than a recommendation about quiet devotion. And the refrain returns to close the psalm, the LORD of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge. Luther's Ein feste Burg is based on this psalm.

Commentary

  • Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Verse-by-verse commentary on this chapter, written for the everyday reader and freely available online.
  • Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
  • Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.

Videos

Psalm 46 | The Voice That Stills Chaos | Bible Study
Spoken Gospel

Psalm 46 - Confident in God’s Protection and Power
David Guzik

Articles

  • GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of Psalms -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.

Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.

Reflection

  • God as Refuge and Strength (v.1) — The psalm opens by naming God not just as a helper but as a very present help, available in trouble rather than distant from it. Do you actually run to God the moment trouble starts, or only after you've exhausted every other option?
  • Unshakeable Amid Upheaval (v.5) — While mountains shake and nations rage around it, the city where God dwells cannot be moved. What in your life feels shaky right now, and have you confused it with the foundation itself?
  • The LORD of Hosts Is With Us (v.7) — This refrain pairs God's overwhelming power with His covenant closeness — He commands armies and still calls Himself the God of Jacob. Do you experience God as powerful but distant, or as both mighty and near?
  • Be Still and Know (v.10) — In the middle of cosmic and political chaos, God commands stillness rather than striving. What would it look like this week to stop trying to fix everything and simply trust that He is God?