Psalm 46[a]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.[b] A song.

God is our refuge(A) and strength,(B)
    an ever-present(C) help(D) in trouble.(E)
Therefore we will not fear,(F) though the earth give way(G)
    and the mountains fall(H) into the heart of the sea,(I)
though its waters roar(J) and foam(K)
    and the mountains quake(L) with their surging.[c]

There is a river(M) whose streams(N) make glad the city of God,(O)
    the holy place where the Most High(P) dwells.(Q)
God is within her,(R) she will not fall;(S)
    God will help(T) her at break of day.
Nations(U) are in uproar,(V) kingdoms(W) fall;
    he lifts his voice,(X) the earth melts.(Y)

The Lord Almighty(Z) is with us;(AA)
    the God of Jacob(AB) is our fortress.(AC)

Come and see what the Lord has done,(AD)
    the desolations(AE) he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars(AF) cease
    to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow(AG) and shatters the spear;
    he burns the shields[d] with fire.(AH)
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;(AI)
    I will be exalted(AJ) among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob(AK) is our fortress.(AL)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 46:1 In Hebrew texts 46:1-11 is numbered 46:2-12.
  2. Psalm 46:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  3. Psalm 46:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 7 and 11.
  4. Psalm 46:9 Or chariots

11 Open your doors, Lebanon,(A)
    so that fire(B) may devour your cedars!
Wail, you juniper, for the cedar has fallen;
    the stately trees are ruined!
Wail, oaks(C) of Bashan;
    the dense forest(D) has been cut down!(E)
Listen to the wail of the shepherds;
    their rich pastures are destroyed!
Listen to the roar of the lions;(F)
    the lush thicket of the Jordan is ruined!(G)

Two Shepherds

This is what the Lord my God says: “Shepherd the flock marked for slaughter.(H) Their buyers slaughter them and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, ‘Praise the Lord, I am rich!’ Their own shepherds do not spare them.(I) For I will no longer have pity on the people of the land,” declares the Lord. “I will give everyone into the hands of their neighbors(J) and their king. They will devastate the land, and I will not rescue anyone from their hands.”(K)

So I shepherded the flock marked for slaughter,(L) particularly the oppressed of the flock. Then I took two staffs and called one Favor and the other Union, and I shepherded the flock. In one month I got rid of the three shepherds.

The flock detested(M) me, and I grew weary of them and said, “I will not be your shepherd. Let the dying die, and the perishing perish.(N) Let those who are left eat(O) one another’s flesh.”

10 Then I took my staff called Favor(P) and broke it, revoking(Q) the covenant I had made with all the nations. 11 It was revoked on that day, and so the oppressed of the flock who were watching me knew it was the word of the Lord.

12 I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.(R)

13 And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver(S) and threw them to the potter at the house of the Lord.(T)

14 Then I broke my second staff called Union, breaking the family bond between Judah and Israel.

15 Then the Lord said to me, “Take again the equipment of a foolish shepherd. 16 For I am going to raise up a shepherd over the land who will not care for the lost, or seek the young, or heal the injured, or feed the healthy, but will eat the meat of the choice sheep, tearing off their hooves.

17 “Woe to the worthless shepherd,(U)
    who deserts the flock!
May the sword strike his arm(V) and his right eye!
    May his arm be completely withered,
    his right eye totally blinded!”(W)

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Praise to God for a Living Hope

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!(A) In his great mercy(B) he has given us new birth(C) into a living hope(D) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,(E) and into an inheritance(F) that can never perish, spoil or fade.(G) This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,(H) who through faith are shielded by God’s power(I) until the coming of the salvation(J) that is ready to be revealed(K) in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice,(L) though now for a little while(M) you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.(N) These have come so that the proven genuineness(O) of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire(P)—may result in praise, glory and honor(Q) when Jesus Christ is revealed.(R) Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him(S) and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.(T)

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