God & Savior

Psalm 46:10

“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted over the earth.”
Psalm 46:10
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Study notes

God tells the world to be still and know that He is God, who will be exalted among the nations and over the earth.

Explanation

Here God Himself speaks. "Be still" can mean "stop" or "let go": stop fighting, stop striving. It is addressed to the nations at war (46:6-9) as well as to God's people. Knowing that He is God brings the conflict to rest.

Original language
  • הַרְפּ֣וּ (har.Pu): to slacken
    Hebrew · Verb, hiphil, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, plural · Strong's H7503 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    Be still: stop, let go.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 46:10, word 1

  • וּ֭דְעוּ (U.de.'u): to know
    Hebrew · Conjunction + Verb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, plural · Strong's H3045 · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    Know.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 46:10, word 2

  • אָר֥וּם ('a.Rum): to exalt
    Hebrew · Verb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular · Strong's H7311A · text: Leningrad Codex (as recorded in TAHOT)

    I will be exalted.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAHOT: Translators Amalgamated Hebrew Old Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, Psalm 46:10, word 6

Cross-references
  • Exodus 14:14 · Same theme

    The LORD will fight for you; you need only be still.

  • Isaiah 2:11 · Same theme

    The LORD alone will be exalted.

  • Psalm 37:7 · Same theme

    Be still before the LORD.

Sources

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)

הַרְפּ֣וּ וּ֭דְעוּ כִּי־אָנֹכִ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים אָר֥וּם בַּ֝גּוֹיִ֗ם אָר֥וּם בָּאָֽרֶץ׃

  1. הַרְפּ֣וּhar.Pu“be quiet”
    Verb, hiphil, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, plural · from רָפָה · “to slacken” · Strong's H7503
  2. וּ֭דְעוּU.de.'u“and know”
    Conjunction + Verb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, plural · from יָדַע · “to know” · Strong's H3045
  3. כִּי־ki-“that”
    Particle · from כִּי · “for” · Strong's H3588A
  4. אָנֹכִ֣י'a.no.Khi“I”
    Pronoun, personal, 1st person, both genders, singular · from אָֽנֹכִ֫י · “I” · Strong's H0595
  5. אֱלֹהִ֑ים'E.lo.Him“[am] God”
    Noun, masculine, plural, absolute · from אֱלֹהִים · “God” · Strong's H0430G
  6. אָר֥וּם'a.Rum“I will be exalted”
    Verb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular · from רוּם · “to exalt” · Strong's H7311A
  7. בַּ֝גּוֹיִ֗םba.go.Yim“among the nations”
    Preposition with article + Noun, masculine, plural, absolute · from גּוֹי · “nation” · Strong's H1471A
  8. אָר֥וּם'a.Rum“I will be exalted”
    Verb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular · from רוּם · “to exalt” · Strong's H7311A
  9. בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ba.'A.retz“on the earth”
    Preposition with article + Noun, feminine, singular, absolute · from אֶ֫רֶץ · “country; planet” · Strong's H0776G
  • 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)