Psalm 46:1 - Printer Friendly

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

NIV: For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth. A song. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

NASB: God is our refuge and strength, A very ready help in trouble.

CSB: For the choir director. A song of the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble.

NLT: God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.

KJV: To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

NKJV: {To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song for Alamoth.} God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

This psalm reflects on God's miraculous deliverance of His people but does not specify an exact event. There are many possibilities, one of which is when the Assyrians laid siege to Jerusalem and advised King Hezekiah to surrender. Rather than surrender, Hezekiah prayed, and God answered (2 Kings 18—19; 2 Chronicles 32; Isaiah 36—37). Isaiah 37:36 declares: "And the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when the people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies."

The word "refuge" comes from the Hebrew root term machaceh, meaning "shelter." In modern English, "shelter" is often applied to structures providing safety from things like rain, or natural disasters, or enemy attacks. As in the Assyrian invasion, God sheltered the people of Israel. He demonstrated that He was the source of their protection.

The phrase "a very present help in trouble" also benefits from deeper study. The concept of God being "very present" could also be phrased as "clearly proven" (Deuteronomy 4:7). Past experiences, including history, show that God is worthy of our trust (Hebrews 12:1). The word "trouble" comes from a Hebrew word literally meaning a confined space. Its use here closely resembles the English expression "in a tight spot." These are moments when one feels trapped or hopeless (Psalm 9:9). Christians today may feel trapped in tight situations. Like the people of Jerusalem besieged by the Assyrians, the best course of action is to trust in the Lord to handle the situation. He has done it before, and He can do it again.

Psalm 46:1–7 introduces the theme of trust in God. He is Israel's protector, and He is present whenever the people of Israel need Him. The people may trust in Him regardless of what happens. Neither natural calamities nor the threat of nations can shake God's people, because they have an abundant supply of the presence of the Lord of hosts, the God of Jacob.

Trust and thanksgiving are the main themes in Psalm 46. It begins with strong praise for God's strength and availability. It continues with the assurance that the nation of Israel need not fear, no matter what happens. Despite how anyone might rage, or strive, the psalm declares that God will one day judge mankind and put a dramatic end to war. The psalm ends as it began by confiding in the Lord of hosts, since He is with His people as their secure, undefeatable Protector. This psalm may have inspired Martin Luther to write the hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God."

This psalm, found in the second division of Psalms (42—72), seems to have been composed for congregational worship. One possible background for this song is God's deliverance of Jerusalem from the Assyrians. They threatened the city in the time of King Hezekiah (2 Kings 18—19; 2 Chronicles 32; Isaiah 36—37). Scholars speculate Hezekiah may have written this psalm, as well as Psalms 47 and 48.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.