Bible Strands
Psalms 46:8
Come, see the works of the LORD, who brings devastation upon the earth.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist addresses the community of Israel, issuing a directive immediately after declaring Yahweh as their fortress in the preceding verse.
The words — The imperatives לְֽכוּ־ (le.khu) and חֲ֭זוּ (cha.zu) command "come" and "see," targeting מִפְעֲל֣וֹת יְהוָ֑ה (mif'alot Yahweh), "the works of Yahweh," specifically His act of שָׂ֖ם שַׁמּ֣וֹת (sam shamot), "appointing desolations," upon the earth.
The thread — This observational command aligns with the invitation in Psalms 66:5 and mirrors the judgment declaration in Isaiah 24:1 regarding God laying waste the earth.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to acknowledge God's sovereign judgment before the subsequent verse details His cessation of warfare.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth.
Cross-references
- Psalms 66:5 Come and see the works of God; how awesome are His deeds toward mankind.
- Isaiah 24:1 Behold, the LORD lays waste the earth and leaves it in ruins. He will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants—
- Psalms 92:4 For You, O LORD, have made me glad by Your deeds; I sing for joy at the works of Your hands.
- Isaiah 61:4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins; they will restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations.
- Isaiah 34:2 The LORD is angry with all the nations and furious with all their armies. He will devote them to destruction; He will give them over to slaughter.
- Psalms 111:2 Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them.
- Exodus 12:30 During the night Pharaoh got up—he and all his officials and all the Egyptians—and there was loud wailing in Egypt; for there was no house without someone dead.
- Joshua 11:20 For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts to engage Israel in battle, so that they would be set apart for destruction and would receive no mercy, being annihilated as the LORD had commanded Moses.
- 2 Chronicles 20:23 The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction. And when they had finished off the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
- Exodus 10:7 Pharaoh’s officials asked him, “How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the people go, so that they may worship the LORD their God. Do you not yet realize that Egypt lies in ruins?”