Psalm 46
Psalm 46 is the great psalm of God as refuge in chaos — earthquakes, raging seas, falling nations. It inspired Luther's hymn 'A Mighty Fortress' and contains the command 'Be still, and know that I am God.'
The Book of Psalms · Old Testament · chapter 46 of 150.
Where this chapter sits
Composed for the sons of Korah rather than for David, this Zion psalm names no specific siege or war, choosing cosmic imagery, shifting mountains, roaring waters, to picture threat in general terms rather than a dated crisis. Later readers have matched it to Sennacherib's siege of Jerusalem or to later wars, but the text itself stays deliberately unspecific, part of why it has traveled so easily into other centuries of conflict.
Key verses (KJV)
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” — Psalm 46:1 (KJV)
“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10 (KJV)
What to notice as you read
A refrain, 'the LORD of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge,' closes the second and third sections; most scholars think it likely dropped from the first through copying rather than design. The Selah markers divide three movements, earth, city, then the nations.
Read Psalm 46 on your iPhone
Read the full text of Psalm 46 in Quiethaven — choose your translation, read offline, and pick up where you left off. Pair it with a daily verse and a prayer timer.
Read Psalm 46 free on iPhone.
Download on the App StoreMore popular chapters in Psalms
Other chapters worth reading
Explore more
Frequently asked questions
Where does Psalm 46 come in Psalms?
It is chapter 46 of 150 in Psalms, a book of Wisdom in the Old Testament. The other widely-read chapters of Psalms are linked further down this page.
Where can I read Psalm 46?
Read the full text of Psalm 46 — and the whole Bible, offline, in your preferred translation — free in the Quiethaven app for iPhone.