Nahum 1:7 Explained

"The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him." — Nahum 1:7 (KJV)

A verse of shelter, four lines into a book announcing the destruction of a city.

Read it in context: The Book of Nahum. Also gathered under verses about trust.

Nahum 1:7 in context

What does Nahum 1:7 mean?

'Strong hold' is a fortress, a place you go into rather than a feeling you have. 'In the day of trouble' dates it — the shelter is for a particular day, not a permanent exemption from weather. And 'he knoweth them that trust in him' uses the relational sense of knowing: not that God has a list, but that he recognises them. Placed where it is, the verse divides the same storm into judgment for one side and refuge for the other.

What is the context of Nahum 1:7?

Nahum is written to Judah about Assyria's coming fall. The surrounding verses are storm, fire and melting mountains. This one sits inside that and is addressed to the people who had been on the receiving end of Assyrian policy for a century.

How do I pray Nahum 1:7?

Pray it on a day that qualifies as a day of trouble, and be honest that most days do not. Go in rather than admire the fortress from outside — the metaphor is about entering. Then rest on the last clause: being known is stated as a fact about God, not a standard you have to reach.

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