The Eastern Cross/Bible/Psalms/Psalm 45
The Book of Psalms · the Psalter
Psalm 46 in the KJV and most English Bibles
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For the end, for the sons of Korah; a Psalm concerning secret things.
Εἰς τὸ τέλος, ὑπὲρ τῶν υἱῶν Κορὲ, ὑπὲρ τῶν κρυφίων ψαλμός.
God is our refuge and strength, A help in the afflictions that have come heavily upon us.
Ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν καταφυγὴ καὶ δύναμις, βοηθὸς ἐν θλίψεσι ταῖς εὑρούσαις ἡμᾶς σφόδρα.
"Our God is a refuge and strength". There are some refuges wherein is no strength, whereto when any flees, he is more weakened than strengthened. Thou fleest, for example, to some one greater in the world, that you may make yourself a powerful friend; this seems to you a refuge. Yet so great are this world's…
Therefore will we not fear when the earth is troubled, And the mountains are removed into the depths of the seas.
Διὰ τοῦτο οὐ φοβηθησόμεθα ἐν τῷ ταράσσεσθαι τὴν γῆν, καὶ μετατίθεσθαι ὄρη ἐν καρδίαις θαλασσῶν.
Now then, such security received, what say they? "Therefore will not we fear, when the earth shall be confounded". Just before anxious, suddenly secure; out of too great tribulations set in great tranquillity. For in them Christ was sleeping, therefore were they tossed: Christ awoke (as but now we heard out of the…
Their waters have roared and been troubled, The mountains have been troubled by his might. Pause.
Ἤχησαν καὶ ἐταράχθησαν τὰ ὕδατα αὐτῶν, ἐταράχθησαν τὰ ὄρη ἐν τῇ κραταιότητι αὐτοῦ. διάψαλμα.
"The waters thereof roared, and were troubled": when the Gospel was preached, "What is this? He seems to be a setter forth of strange gods:" [Acts 17:18] this the Athenians; but the Ephesians, with what tumult would they have slain the Apostles, when in the theatre, for their goddess Diana, they made such an uproar,…
The flowings of the river gladden the city of God: The Most High has sanctified his tabernacle.
Τοῦ ποταμοῦ τὰ ὁρμήματα εὐφραίνουσι τὴν πόλιν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἡγίασε τὸ σκήνωμα αὐτοῦ ὁ ὕψιστος.
"The streams of the river make glad the City of God". When the mountains shake, when the sea rages, God deserts not His City, by the streams of the river. What are these streams of the river? That overflowing of the Holy Spirit, of which the Lord said, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that…
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her with his countenance.
Ὁ Θεὸς ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς οὐ σαλευθήσεται, βοηθήσει αὐτῇ ὁ Θεὸς τῷ προσώπῳ.
"God is in the midst of her: she shall not be moved". Let the sea rage, the mountains shake; "God is in the midst of her: she shall not be moved." What is, "in the midst of her"? That God stands in any one place, and they surround Him who believe in Him? Then is God circumscribed by place; and broad that which…
The nations were troubled, the kingdoms tottered: He uttered his voice, the earth shook.
Ἐταράχθησαν ἔθνη, ἔκλιναν βασιλεῖαι, ἔδωκε φωνὴν αὐτοῦ, ἐσαλεύθη ἡ γῆ.
"The heathen are troubled". And how troubled? Why troubled? To cast down the City of God, in the midst whereof is God? To overthrow the tabernacle sanctified, which God helps with His Countenance? No: with a wholesome trouble are the heathen now troubled. For what follows? "And the kingdoms are bowed." Bowed, says He,…
The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our helper. Pause.
Κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων μεθʼ ἡμῶν, ἀντιλήπτωρ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ. διάψαλμα.
"The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our taker up" (ver. 7). Not any man, not any power, not, in short, Angel, or any creature either earthly or heavenly, but "the Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our taker up." He who sent Angels, came after Angels, came that Angels might serve Him, came…
Come, and behold the works of the Lord, What wonders he has achieved on the earth.
Δεῦτε καὶ ἴδετε τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Κυρίου, ἃ ἔθετο τέρατα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς·
"Come and see the works of the Lord". Now of this taking up, what has the Lord done? Consider the whole world, come and see. For if you come not, you see not; if you see not, you believe not; if you believe not, you stand afar off: if you believek, you come; if you believek, you see. For how came we to that mountain?…
Putting an end to wars as for the ends of the earth; He will crush the bow, and break in pieces the weapon, And burn the bucklers with fire.
ἀνταναιρῶν πολέμους μέχρι τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς, τόξον συντρίψει, καὶ συγκλάσει ὅπλον, καὶ θυρεοὺς κατακαύσει ἐν πυρί.
"He makes wars to cease unto the end of the earth". This not yet see we fulfilled: yet are there wars, wars among nations for sovereignty; among sects, among Jews, Pagans, Christians, heretics, are wars, frequent wars, some for the truth, some for falsehood contending. Not yet then is this fulfilled, "He makes wars to…
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.
Σχολάσατε καὶ γνῶτε, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς, ὑψωθήσομαι ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ὑψωθήσομαι ἐν τῇ γῇ·
What then follows? "Be still." To what purpose? "And see that I am God". That is, Not ye, but I am God. I created, I create anew; I formed, I form anew; I made, I make anew. If you could not make yourself, how can you make yourself anew? This sees not the contentious tumult of man's soul; to which contentious tumult…
The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our helper.
Κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων μεθʼ ἡμῶν, ἀντιλήπτωρ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ.
"The Lord of Hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our taker up" (ver. 11). Miracles are done among the heathen, full filled is the faith of the heathen; burned are the arms of human presumption. Still are they, in tranquillity of heart, to acknowledge God the Author of all their gifts. And after this glorifying, doth…
Every note is a real passage, quoted word for word from a published English translation, with its source. Nothing here is summarised or written by us. Some verses have many notes and some have none, because the Fathers wrote more on some passages than others.
All of these translations are in the public domain. The passages were matched to their verses by the Historical Christian Commentaries project, which also hosts the full texts we link to. The Fathers are a treasury of the Church's mind, and they are best read alongside the life of the Church: if a passage raises a question, bring it to your priest.