Psalm 46

Words: The Psalter of the United Presbyterian Church of North America, 1887 ed.

Note: This page also has a Long Metre and Common Metre version of this psalm.

Long Metre Tunes 8888 6666 8
We have one tune in this metre:
 "The River Flows," M.F. McKirahan

   1  God is our strength and refuge high;
      A sure and present help is he,
      When dark and troublous days are nigh;
      Hence free from fear our hearts shall be.
         Tho' earthquakes move the world,
         And hills 'midst seas be hurled,
         Though waters of the deep
         In turmoil roar and leap,
      And swelling shake the mountains steep.

   2  A river flows, whose waters clear
      The city of our God make glad,
      The holy tabernacles, where
      The Highest One his dwelling made,
         In midst of her hath God
         Established his abode;
         No trouble can her move,
         For God her help will prove,
      When morning light dawns from above.

   3  The nations rage, the kingdoms shake,
      His voice goes forth, earth melts away.
      The Lord of' hosts our part doth take,
      And Jacob's God is shield and stay.
         Come, then, let all draw near,
         And view with holy fear
         The works surpassing thought
         Jehovah's arm hath wrought,
      What ruins he on earth hath brought.

   4  To earth's remotest bounds he turns
      Wars into peace: He breaks tile bow;
      He cuts the spear, the chariot burns.
      That I am God, be still and know;
         Among the heathen I
         Will be exalted high;
         On earth supreme. The Lord
         Of hosts doth aid afford,
      And Jacob's God is shield and sword.
Long Metre Tunes
   1  God will our strength and refuge prove,
      In all distress a present aid;
      And though the trembling earth remove,
      We will not fear or be dismayed.

   2  Though hills be cast amid the sea,
      And angry billows 'round them break,
      Though waters roar and troubled be,
      And mountains with their swelling shake.

   3  A river flows, whose living streams
      Make glad the city of our God,
      The tents where heavenly glory beams,
      Where God most High hath his abode.

   4  God has in her his dwelling made~
      And she shall never more be moved;
      Her God shall early give her aid,
      As he her help hath ever proved.

   5  The kingdoms moved, the heathen raged
      He spake, earth melted at his word;
      And though the trembling earth remove,
      Our refuge high is Jacob's Lord.

   6  Come, see the works of God displayed
      The wonders of his mighty hand;
      What desolations he hath made,
      What ruin spread through all the land.

   7  From earth the scourge of war he takes,
      The deadly strife to peace he turns,
      The spear he cuts, the bow he breaks,
      And in the fire the chariot burns.

   8  Be still; know I am God Most High,
      O'er earth, o'er heathen I will reign.
      The Lord of hosts to us is nigh,
      Our shield shall Jacob's God remain.

Common Metre Tunes

   1  God is our refuge and our strength,
         In straits a present aid;
      And therefore though the earth remove,
         We will not be afraid;

   2  Though hills amidst the seas be cast;
         Though waters roaring make,
      And troubled he; yea, though the hills
         By swelling seas do shake.

   3  A river is whose streams make glad
         The city of our God;
      The holy place wherein the Lord
         Most High hath his abode.

   4  God in the midst of her doth dwell,
         And nothing shall her move;
      God also very early will
         To her a helper prove.

   5  The heathen raged in tumult great,
         And moved the kingdoms were;
      The Lord Most High sent forth his voice
         The earth did melt for fear.

   6  Our God, who is the Lord of hosts,
         Is ever on our side;
      The God of Jacob evermore
         Our refuge will abide.

   7  O come, behold what wondrous works
         Have by the Lord been wrought;
      Come, see what desolations he
         Upon the earth hath brought.

   8  And to the ends of all the earth
         Wars into peace he turns:
      The bow he breaks, the spear he cuts,
         In fire the chariot burns.

   9  Be still, and know that I am God;
         Among the heathen I
      Will be exalted; I on earth
         Will be exalted high.

  10  Our God, who is the Lord of hosts,
         Is ever on our side;
      The God of Jacob evermore
         Our refuge will abide.


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Page last modified on: 07/29/2004