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Psalm 46-48
Contemporary English Version
Psalm 46-48
Contemporary English Version
(A special song by the clan of Korah and for the music leader.)
God Is Our Mighty Fortress
1 God is our mighty fortress,
always ready to help
in times of trouble.
2 And so, we won't be afraid!
Let the earth tremble
and the mountains tumble
into the deepest sea.
3 Let the ocean roar and foam,
and its raging waves
shake the mountains.
4 A river and its streams
bring joy to the city,
which is the sacred home
of God Most High.
5 God is in that city,
and it won't be shaken.
He will help it at dawn.
6 Nations rage! Kingdoms fall!
But at the voice of God
the earth itself melts.
7 The Lord All-Powerful
is with us.
The God of Jacob
is our fortress.
8 Come! See the fearsome things
the Lord has done on earth.
9 God brings wars to an end
all over the world.
He breaks the arrows,
shatters the spears,
and burns the shields.[a]
10 Our God says, “Calm down,
and learn that I am God!
All nations on earth
will honor me.”
11 The Lord All-Powerful
is with us.
The God of Jacob
is our fortress.
(A psalm by the clan of Korah and for the music leader.)
God Rules the Nations
1 All of you nations,
clap your hands and shout
joyful praises to God.
2 The Lord Most High is fearsome,
the ruler of all the earth.
3 God has put every nation
under our power,
4 and he chose for us the land
that was the pride of Jacob,
his favorite.
5 God goes up to his throne,
as people shout
and trumpets blast.
6 Sing praises to God our King,
7 the ruler of all the earth!
Praise God with songs.
8 God rules the nations
from his sacred throne.
9 Their leaders come together
and are now the people
of Abraham's God.
All rulers on earth
surrender their weapons,
and God is greatly praised!
(A song and a psalm by the clan of Korah.)
The City of God
1 The Lord God is wonderful!
He deserves all praise
in the city where he lives.
His holy mountain,
2 (A) beautiful and majestic,
brings joy to all on earth.
Mount Zion, truly sacred,
is home for the Great King.
3 God is there to defend it
and has proved to be
its protector.
4 Kings joined forces
to attack the city,
5 but when they saw it,
they were terrified
and ran away.
6 They trembled all over
like women giving birth
7 or like seagoing ships[b]
wrecked by eastern winds.
8 We had heard about it,
and now we have seen it
in the city of our God,
the Lord All-Powerful.
This is the city that God
will let stand forever.
9 Our God, here in your temple
we think about your love.
10 You are famous and praised
everywhere on earth,
as you win victories
with your powerful arm.
11 Mount Zion will celebrate,
and all Judah will be glad,
because you bring justice.
12 Let's walk around Zion
and count its towers.
13 We will see its strong walls
and visit each fortress.
Then you can say
to future generations,
14 “Our God is like this forever
and will always[c] guide us.”
Psalm 46-48
New International Version
Psalm 46-48
New International Version
Psalm 46[a]
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.[b] A song.
1 God is our refuge(A) and strength,(B)
an ever-present(C) help(D) in trouble.(E)
2 Therefore we will not fear,(F) though the earth give way(G)
and the mountains fall(H) into the heart of the sea,(I)
3 though its waters roar(J) and foam(K)
and the mountains quake(L) with their surging.[c]
4 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)
5 God is within her,(R) she will not fall;(S)
God will help(T) her at break of day.
6 Nations(U) are in uproar,(V) kingdoms(W) fall;
he lifts his voice,(X) the earth melts.(Y)
8 Come and see what the Lord has done,(AD)
the desolations(AE) he has brought on the earth.
9 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.”
Psalm 47[e]
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
2 For the Lord Most High(AO) is awesome,(AP)
the great King(AQ) over all the earth.
3 He subdued(AR) nations under us,
peoples under our feet.
4 He chose our inheritance(AS) for us,
the pride of Jacob,(AT) whom he loved.[f]
5 God has ascended(AU) amid shouts of joy,(AV)
the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.(AW)
6 Sing praises(AX) to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the King of all the earth;(AY)
sing to him a psalm(AZ) of praise.
8 God reigns(BA) over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.(BB)
9 The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings[g] of the earth belong to God;(BC)
he is greatly exalted.(BD)
Psalm 48[h]
A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.
1 Great is the Lord,(BE) and most worthy of praise,(BF)
in the city of our God,(BG) his holy mountain.(BH)
2 Beautiful(BI) in its loftiness,
the joy of the whole earth,
like the heights of Zaphon[i](BJ) is Mount Zion,(BK)
the city of the Great King.(BL)
3 God is in her citadels;(BM)
he has shown himself to be her fortress.(BN)
4 When the kings joined forces,
when they advanced together,(BO)
5 they saw her and were astounded;
they fled in terror.(BP)
6 Trembling seized(BQ) them there,
pain like that of a woman in labor.(BR)
7 You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish(BS)
shattered by an east wind.(BT)
8 As we have heard,
so we have seen
in the city of the Lord Almighty,
in the city of our God:
God makes her secure
forever.[j](BU)
9 Within your temple, O God,
we meditate(BV) on your unfailing love.(BW)
10 Like your name,(BX) O God,
your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;(BY)
your right hand is filled with righteousness.
11 Mount Zion rejoices,
the villages of Judah are glad
because of your judgments.(BZ)
12 Walk about Zion, go around her,
count her towers,(CA)
13 consider well her ramparts,(CB)
view her citadels,(CC)
that you may tell of them
to the next generation.(CD)
14 For this God is our God for ever and ever;
he will be our guide(CE) even to the end.
Footnotes
- Psalm 46:1 In Hebrew texts 46:1-11 is numbered 46:2-12.
- Psalm 46:1 Title: Probably a musical term
- Psalm 46:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 7 and 11.
- Psalm 46:9 Or chariots
- Psalm 47:1 In Hebrew texts 47:1-9 is numbered 47:2-10.
- Psalm 47:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
- Psalm 47:9 Or shields
- Psalm 48:1 In Hebrew texts 48:1-14 is numbered 48:2-15.
- Psalm 48:2 Zaphon was the most sacred mountain of the Canaanites.
- Psalm 48:8 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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