TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 46

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1For the leader. Of the Korahites; on alamoth. A song.

אלַמְנַצֵּחַ לִבְנֵי־קֹרַח עַל־עֲלָמוֹת שִׁיר׃

2Hashem is our refuge and stronghold, a help in trouble, very near.

e-lo-HEEM LA-nu ma-kha-SEH va-OZ ez-RAH v'-tza-ROT nim-TZA m'-OD

באֱלֹהִים לָנוּ מַחֲסֶה וָעֹז עֶזְרָה בְצָרוֹת נִמְצָא מְאֹד׃

46:2   Our refuge and stronghold

Since it lies on the fault line of the Syrian-African rift, many earthquakes have hit the Land of Israel over the course of its history. In fact, Sefer Amos (1:1) refers to a major earthquake that shook Eretz Yisrael in Biblical times. The psalmist, aware of this phenomenon, will not fear when the earth overturns or when the mountains take over the seas and vice versa (verses 3-4), because “Hashem is our refuge and stronghold, a help in trouble, very near.” Perhaps what he means by this is that not only does the Lord protect His people in times of trouble, but these ‘natural’ phenomenon, seen as disasters, are really Hashem’s mysterious way of offering protection to His people. One theory about this psalm is that it was written after the miraculous destruction of Sennacherib’s army during their attack on Yerushalayim (II Kings 19:35), when the Lord caused a war to cease (verse 10) overnight. Indeed, the Lord protected the Children of Israel and helped them in their time of trouble.

3Therefore we are not afraid though the earth reels, though mountains topple into the sea—

געַל־כֵּן לֹא־נִירָא בְּהָמִיר אָרֶץ וּבְמוֹט הָרִים בְּלֵב יַמִּים׃

4its waters rage and foam; in its swell mountains quake. Selah.

דיֶהֱמוּ יֶחְמְרוּ מֵימָיו יִרְעֲשׁוּ־הָרִים בְּגַאֲוָתוֹ סֶלָה׃

5There is a river whose streams gladden Hashem's city, the holy dwelling-place of the Most High.

הנָהָר פְּלָגָיו יְשַׂמְּחוּ עִיר־אֱלֹהִים קְדֹשׁ מִשְׁכְּנֵי עֶלְיוֹן׃

6Hashem is in its midst, it will not be toppled; by daybreak Hashem will come to its aid.

ואֱלֹהִים בְּקִרְבָּהּ בַּל־תִּמּוֹט יַעְזְרֶהָ אֱלֹהִים לִפְנוֹת בֹּקֶר׃

7Nations rage, kingdoms topple; at the sound of His thunder the earth dissolves.

זהָמוּ גוֹיִם מָטוּ מַמְלָכוֹת נָתַן בְּקוֹלוֹ תָּמוּג אָרֶץ׃

8The lord of hosts is with us; the God of Yaakov is our haven. Selah.

חיְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת עִמָּנוּ מִשְׂגָּב־לָנוּ אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב סֶלָה׃

9Come and see what Hashem has done, how He has wrought desolation on the earth.

טלְכוּ־חֲזוּ מִפְעֲלוֹת יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר־שָׂם שַׁמּוֹת בָּאָרֶץ׃

10He puts a stop to wars throughout the earth, breaking the bow, snapping the spear, consigning wagons to the flames.

ימַשְׁבִּית מִלְחָמוֹת עַד־קְצֵה הָאָרֶץ קֶשֶׁת יְשַׁבֵּר וְקִצֵּץ חֲנִית עֲגָלוֹת יִשְׂרֹף בָּאֵשׁ׃

11“Desist! Realize that I am Hashem! I dominate the nations; I dominate the earth.”

יאהַרְפּוּ וּדְעוּ כִּי־אָנֹכִי אֱלֹהִים אָרוּם בַּגּוֹיִם אָרוּם בָּאָרֶץ׃

12The lord of hosts is with us; the God of Yaakov is our haven. Selah.

יביְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת עִמָּנוּ מִשְׂגָּב־לָנוּ אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב סֶלָה׃