The Meaning of Psalms 46:9 Explained

Psalms 46:9

KJV: He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.

YLT: Causing wars to cease, Unto the end of the earth, the bow he shivereth, And the spear He hath cut asunder, Chariots he doth burn with fire.

Darby: He hath made wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariots in the fire.

ASV: He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; He burneth the chariots in the fire.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He maketh wars  to cease  unto the end  of the earth;  he breaketh  the bow,  and cutteth  the spear  in sunder;  he burneth  the chariot  in the fire. 

What does Psalms 46:9 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 46:1-11 - "our Refuge And Strength"
The historical origin of this psalm cannot be certainly determined. Probably it was composed when Jerusalem was beleaguered by Sennacherib's hosts, 2 Kings 18:1-37. It befits every era in which the Church is in danger from her foes, and foretells the final destruction of Antichrist. It was Luther's favorite psalm, and is rendered into verse in his memorable hymn, Ein' Feste Burg. During the sitting of the Diet of Augsburg he sang it every day to his lute, standing at the window and looking up to heaven. The theme of the psalm is the security of God's people, and this is elaborated in three stanzas, each of which ends with Selah.
Alone among great cities, Jerusalem lacked a river; but God was willing to become all that a river could be and more. Your deficiencies give more room for God's all-sufficiency. Mark the beautiful alternative translation of Psalms 46:5, r.v., margin, "at the dawn of morning." Your sorrow is limited to a single night. See also Isaiah 37:36; Matthew 14:25. Be still, O troubled heart! The God of the nations is your Father! Desolations are the snapping off of the dead branches to prepare for the spring. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 46

1  The confidence which the church has in God
8  An exhortation to behold it

What do the individual words in Psalms 46:9 mean?

He makes cease wars to the end of the earth the bow He breaks and cuts in two the spear the chariot He burns in the fire
מַשְׁבִּ֥ית מִלְחָמוֹת֮ עַד־ קְצֵ֪ה הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ קֶ֣שֶׁת יְ֭שַׁבֵּר וְקִצֵּ֣ץ חֲנִ֑ית עֲ֝גָל֗וֹת יִשְׂרֹ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ

מַשְׁבִּ֥ית  He  makes  cease 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁבַת 
Sense: to cease, desist, rest.
מִלְחָמוֹת֮  wars 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.
קְצֵ֪ה  the  end 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קָצֶה 
Sense: end, extremity.
הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ  of  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
קֶ֣שֶׁת  the  bow 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: קֶשֶׁת  
Sense: bow.
יְ֭שַׁבֵּר  He  breaks 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁבוּר 
Sense: to break, break in pieces.
וְקִצֵּ֣ץ  and  cuts  in  two 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָצוּץ 
Sense: to cut off.
חֲנִ֑ית  the  spear 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֲנִית  
Sense: spear.
עֲ֝גָל֗וֹת  the  chariot 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: עֲגִילָה 
Sense: cart, wagon.
יִשְׂרֹ֥ף  He  burns 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׂרַף  
Sense: to burn.
בָּאֵֽשׁ  in  the  fire 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.