Psalm 46:1

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.

Psalm 46:1

Study notes

God is our refuge and strength, a help always there in times of trouble.

Explanation

Psalm 46 describes the worst imaginable upheaval, the earth giving way and the mountains falling into the sea (46:2-3). Its first line gives the reason for not fearing: God Himself is refuge, strength and ever-present help.

Original language

אֱלֹהִ֣ים ('E.lo.Him): God
Hebrew · Noun, masculine, plural, absolute · Strong's H0430G · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)
God.
Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 46:1, word 1
מַחֲסֶ֣ה (ma.cha.Seh): refuge
Hebrew · Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · Strong's H4268 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)
Refuge, shelter.
Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 46:1, word 3
וָעֹ֑ז (va.'Oz): strength
Hebrew · Conjunction + Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · Strong's H5797 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)
Strength.
Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 46:1, word 4
עֶזְרָ֥ה ('ez.Rah): help
Hebrew · Noun, feminine, singular, absolute · Strong's H5833 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)
Help.
Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 46:1, word 5

Cross-references

Psalm 46:2-3 · Surrounding passage
Therefore we will not fear.
Deuteronomy 33:27 · Same theme
The eternal God is your refuge.
Psalm 9:9 · Same theme
A stronghold in times of trouble.

Sources

STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament
Dataset · STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8 · Licence: CC BY 4.0 · Used for: Original language

Original language and places

Reference data from open datasets, shown as published by their sources. Word-by-word English is a literal guide, not a translation.

Original language (Hebrew)

אֱלֹהִ֣ים לָ֭נוּ מַחֲסֶ֣ה וָעֹ֑ז עֶזְרָ֥ה בְ֝צָר֗וֹת נִמְצָ֥א מְאֹֽד׃

אֱלֹהִ֣ים'E.lo.Him“God”
Noun, masculine, plural, absolute · from אֱלֹהִים · “God” · Strong's H0430G
לָ֭נוּLa.nu“of us”
Preposition + Suffix, pronominal, 1st person, both genders, plural · from Op1c · “us” · Strong's H9035
מַחֲסֶ֣הma.cha.Seh“[is] a refuge”
Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from מַחְסֶּה · “refuge” · Strong's H4268
וָעֹ֑זva.'Oz“and strength”
Conjunction + Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from עֹז · “strength” · Strong's H5797
עֶזְרָ֥ה'ez.Rah“a help”
Noun, feminine, singular, absolute · from עֶזְרָה · “help” · Strong's H5833
בְ֝צָר֗וֹתve.tza.Rot“in troubles”
Preposition + Noun, feminine, plural, absolute · from צָרָה · “distress” · Strong's H6869B
נִמְצָ֥אnim.Tza'“he is found”
Verb, niphal, participle (active), masculine, singular, absolute · from מָצָא · “to find” · Strong's H4672
מְאֹֽד׃me.'Od“exceedingly”
Adjective, cardinal number, masculine, singular, absolute · from מְאֹד · “much” · Strong's H3966

Prepared by the God & Savior team. Not yet reviewed by an editor.
Hebrew and Aramaic words: STEP Bible (STEPBible.org), based on work at Tyndale House, Cambridge. CC BY 4.0. Source (version ed476a8)

Topics

Strength