The Meaning of Psalms 46:1 Explained

Psalms 46:1

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.

YLT: To the Overseer. -- By sons of Korah. 'For the Virgins.' -- A song. God is to us a refuge and strength, A help in adversities found most surely.

Darby: {To the chief Musician. Of the sons of Korah. On Alamoth. A song.} God is our refuge and strength, a help in distresses, very readily found.

ASV: God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

Discover Psalms 46:1

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Psalms 46:1?

MEANING: What does Psalms 46:1 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Psalms 46:1 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Psalms 46:1?

What is the context of Psalms 46:1?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

{{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.

What does Psalms 46:1 Mean?

Study Notes

Alamoth
Alamoth, "soprano," from almah, a virgin. Some have thought the alamoth, "virgins," were a temple choir, singing antiphonally to the sheminith, or male choir. But contr, see 1 Chronicles 15:20 .

Neginoth Stringed instruments.

Sheminth The word means "the eighth" -- in music an octave.

Context Summary

Psalms 46:1-11 - "our Refuge And Strength"

The historical origin of this psalm cannot be certainly determined. Probably it was composed when Jerusalem was beleaguered by Sennacherib's hosts, 2 Kings 18:1-37. It befits every era in which the Church is in danger from her foes, and foretells the final destruction of Antichrist. It was Luther's favorite psalm, and is rendered into verse in his memorable hymn, Ein' Feste Burg. During the sitting of the Diet of Augsburg he sang it every day to his lute, standing at the window and looking up to heaven. The theme of the psalm is the security of God's people, and this is elaborated in three stanzas, each of which ends with Selah.

Alone among great cities, Jerusalem lacked a river; but God was willing to become all that a river could be and more. Your deficiencies give more room for God's all-sufficiency. Mark the beautiful alternative translation of Psalms 46:5, r.v., margin, "at the dawn of morning." Your sorrow is limited to a single night. See also Isaiah 37:36; Matthew 14:25. Be still, O troubled heart! The God of the nations is your Father! Desolations are the snapping off of the dead branches to prepare for the spring. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 46

¹ The confidence which the church has in God
⁸ An exhortation to behold it

What do the individual words in Psalms 46:1 mean?

To the Chief Musician a Psalm of the sons of Korah for Alamoth A Song God [is] our refuge and strength help in trouble a present very

לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ לִבְנֵי־ קֹ֑רַח עַֽל־ עֲלָמ֥וֹת שִֽׁיר אֱלֹהִ֣ים לָ֭נוּ מַחֲסֶ֣ה וָעֹ֑ז עֶזְרָ֥ה בְ֝צָר֗וֹת נִמְצָ֥א מְאֹֽד

לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ	To the Chief Musician
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular Root: נָצַח Sense: to excel, be bright, be preeminent, be perpetual, be overseer, be enduring.
לִבְנֵי־	a Psalm of the sons
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct Root: בֵּן Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
קֹ֑רַח	of Korah
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: קֹרַח Sense: son of Izhar, grandson of Kohath, great grandson of Levi and leader of the rebellion of the Israelites against Moses and Aaron while in the wilderness; punished and died by an earthquake and flames of fire.
עֲלָמ֥וֹת	Alamoth
Parse: Noun, feminine plural Root: עֲלָמֹות Sense: young women, soprano?.
שִֽׁיר	A Song
Parse: Noun, masculine singular Root: שִׁיר Sense: song.
אֱלֹהִ֣ים	God [is]
Parse: Noun, masculine plural Root: אֱלֹהִים Sense: (plural).
לָ֭נוּ	our
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
מַחֲסֶ֣ה	refuge
Parse: Noun, masculine singular Root: מַחְסֶה Sense: refuge, shelter.
וָעֹ֑ז	and strength
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular Root: עֹז Sense: might, strength.
עֶזְרָ֥ה	help
Parse: Noun, feminine singular Root: עֶזְרָה Sense: help, succour, assistance.
בְ֝צָר֗וֹת	in trouble
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural Root: צָרָה Sense: straits, distress, trouble.
נִמְצָ֥א	a present
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular Root: מָצָא Sense: to find, attain to.
מְאֹֽד	very
Parse: Adverb Root: מְאֹד Sense: exceedingly, much subst.

What are the major concepts related to Psalms 46:1?

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Similar Scriptures for Psalms 46:1

		Psalms 145:18 [63]
		Psalms 62:7-8 [56]
		Psalms 9:9 [55]
		Proverbs 18:10 [46]
		Psalms 91:1-9 [45]
		Psalms 46:11 [33]
		Deuteronomy 4:7 [27]
		Psalms 142:5 [26]
		Hebrews 6:18 [26]
		Proverbs 14:26 [26]
		2 Samuel 22:17-20 [23]
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		Genesis 22:14 [19]
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		Psalms 14:6 [15]
		Psalms 48:1 [9]
		Psalms 85:1 [9]
		Psalms 66:1 [8]
		Psalms 84:1 [7]
		Luke 13:34 [5]
		Psalms 87:1 [0]
		1 Chronicles 15:20 [-7]
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