NGET BIBLE

Psalms 46 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Time Period

The era of the Jerusalem monarchy, often linked to 701 BC when the Assyrian army besieged the city and then withdrew

Location

Jerusalem, a hill city with no river, defended by walls and by an underground water tunnel

Audience

Citizens of Jerusalem and pilgrims coming to the temple, sung by the Korah guild of temple musicians

Situation

The song insists God is a present help while the world comes apart, mountains toppling into the sea and nations in uproar. At the centre a river gladdens the city of God, and the psalm ends with a command to stop struggling and know who God is.

Key Background

Jerusalem sat on a ridge with only one spring, so the picture of a river running through the city was never literal, and it contrasts pointedly with rival capitals like Nineveh and Babylon that sat on great rivers. Sea and roaring waters stood in ancient Near Eastern poetry for chaos and hostile powers, so mountains falling into the sea is a picture of world order collapsing. The heading marks the tune as Alamoth, probably meaning it was sung by high voices, and this psalm is the one Martin Luther reworked into the hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.

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God is our and our strength-- a that is always, always there in trouble.

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So we will not be afraid, even if the way, even if mountains collapse into the of the

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even if its waters and churn, even if mountains shake at its surging. Selah

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There is a whose streams bring to the of God, the that to the Most

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God is there in the of her--she will not fall. God helps her when

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Nations kingdoms crumble-- he speaks, and the

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of is with us. The of is our fortress. Selah

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Come, look at what Yahweh has done, the he has brought on the earth--

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He puts an end to wars across the whole earth. He the shatters the spear, and sets the on fire.

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go. Know that I am God. I will be among the nations. I will be throughout the earth."

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Yahweh, Commander of angel armies, is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

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