RR Psalm 46:9-12(8-11) Part 7

Shalom,

Psalm 46:9 Come, see the works of Adonai, who brings devastations on the earth. 10 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear. He burns chariots with fire. 11 “Be still, and know that I am God. I am exalted among the nations. I am exalted in the earth.” 12 Adonai-Tzva’ot is with us. The God of Jacob is our strong tower. Selah

The first thing we notice is that verse 8 is repeated verbatim in verse 12.  This is a song and the words of verse 8 and 12 are the refrain.  (Remember, the Jewish numbering of the verses is off by one, so in most Christian Bibles these are verses 7 and 11.)  The Lord of Hosts is with us.  After everything He does, bringing devastations, making wars to cease, burning chariots… be still and know… He is our eternal place of safety (refuge).

Verse 9 starts with a command, “Come (and) see,” but in the Hebrew, our usual words for both “come” and “see” are not there.  The first word is the command form, “L’chu” which means simply “Y’all walk around.”  At the time this was written, almost all going and coming was done by walking around.

The second word is also unusual, as it appears in the Hebrew Scriptures only 51 times.  Note: I didn’t count them all, but took someone else’s word for it.  The word is “Chazu.”  In Hebrew, like the romanic languages, the word structures have to match, so the endings of these paired words match (L’chu-Chazu).  In the singular, it is Chet-Zion-Hey, Chazah.  It does mean “look” but it is a word that carries a prophetic connotation, so “look prophetically” would be a better understanding.  

Rabbi Trail: The first use of this Hebrew word is in last week’s Torah portion, when Jethro told Moses to select able men from every tribe to help him administer justice to the people.  Moses was to “look prophetically” at the people and make selections of men who were anointed for the task.  The next time it is used is to describe Moses and his priestly brother and nephews along with the 70 elders as they saw God and ate and drank in His presence on the mountain in Exodus 24:11 End RT.

Finally, why do we need the command to “look prophetically?”  The scriptures answer that question with the next two words, “the workings of Yehovah(YHVH).”  God wants us to examine what He does, and while we do, we must keep in mind how His doings apply to prophesy.  Our God has all power.  

Rabbi Trail:  He is “El Shaddai,” meaning “the Many Breasted One.”  His Bosom is the place of refuge mentioned earlier.  He holds us close to His heart so that no one can touch us.  This is the message of Psalm 46.  End RT.

Verse 9 ends with the words that God has set in the earth (this is how it is said in Hebrew) a horrible desolation.  Jeremiah saw this prophetically and mourned.  Jeremiah 8:21 “Because of the brokenness of the daughter of my people, I am brokenhearted. I mourn—desolation grips me.   Isaiah saw it too, but with a different perspective.  Isaiah 13:9 Behold, the day of Adonai comes, cruel, full of wrath and fierce fury, to make the earth a desolation, and destroy its sinners from it.  It would be wise for us too, to see this through the prophetic lens and get ourselves on the right side of righteousness in Messiah Yeshua before it is too late.  Shalom shalom.

Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Thu12-Feb-2026 25th of Sh'vat, 5786
Ex 23:6-19 2 Ki 10Ps 136Jn 11:1-27 (2 Ti 2)