Psalm 46:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

NIV: The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

NASB: The Lord of armies is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah

CSB: The Lord of Armies is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah

NLT: The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude

KJV: The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

NKJV: The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

Against the backdrop of ungodly nations' instability, this psalm celebrates the stability of the Lord's people. This is part of the psalm's celebration of God's protection of the city of Jerusalem (Psalm 46:1–6).

Two titles identify God here. He is "the Lord of hosts" and "the God of Jacob." As the Lord of Hosts, God commands the armies of heaven and the entire universe. The title appears first in 1 Samuel 1:11, when Hannah prayed and requested a son. She acknowledged by this title that nothing was too hard for God.

The title "God of Jacob" identifies God as Israel's God (Genesis 32:28) who keeps the promises He made to Jacob and his descendants (Genesis 35:10–12). The people of Jerusalem believed no power on earth could destroy them because the Lord of Hosts, the God of Jacob, was with them and was their refuge. This was true, of course—but it did not mean God could not allow the people of Jerusalem to suffer judgment for their sinful rejection of God (Isaiah 1:2–3; Deuteronomy 30:15–19).

Believers today know and serve this same God: the Lord of Hosts, the God of Jacob, and He is with us at all times. He is Immanuel, meaning God with us (Matthew 1:23). Hebrews 13:5 assures us He will never leave us. Also, He is our refuge. The apostle John assured his readers that they were overcomers, because "he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).

A fortress is a secure place, deliberately reinforced and strengthened against attack. In the original Hebrew, it implies somewhere inaccessible or elevated. Faith in God means placing one's trust beyond the reach of any earthly enemy.

Se'lāh is a Hebrew word without a clear definition. It appears to imply pause, or reflection, but might also be a musical reference.

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.