Psalms 46:1

For the music director; by the Korahites; according to the alamoth style; ²  a song. God is our strong refuge; ³  he is truly our helper in times of trouble. ⁴ 

Ge 22:14; De 4:7; 2Sa 22:17-20; 1Ch 15:20; Ps 46:7,11; Ps 48:1; Ps 62:7,8; Ps 66:1; Ps 84:1; Ps 85:1; Ps 87:1; Ps 91:1-9; Ps 142:5; Ps 145:18; Pr 14:26; Pr 18:10; Lu 13:34; Heb 6:18

¹ sn Psalm 46. In this so-called “Song Of Zion” God’s people confidently affirm that they are secure because the great warrior-king dwells within Jerusalem and protects it from the nations that cause such chaos in the earth. A refrain (vv. 7, 11) concludes the song’s two major sections.

² sn The meaning of the Hebrew term עֲלָמוֹת (alamoth, which means “young women”) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. Cf. 1 Chr 15:20.

³ tn Heb “our refuge and strength,” which is probably a hendiadys meaning “our strong refuge” (see Ps 71:7). Another option is to translate, “our refuge and source of strength.”

⁴ tn Heb “a helper in times of trouble he is found [to be] greatly.” The perfect verbal form has a generalizing function here. The adverb מְאֹד (mÿ’od, “greatly”) has an emphasizing function.