The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.
Parallel translations
- WEB Yahweh is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knows those who take refuge in him.
- BSB The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of distress; He cares for those who trust in Him.
- NKJV The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.
- NASB The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him.
- NLT The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The Lord is good, a stronghold in trouble, and he knows those who take refuge in him. Even in a book about judgment, God is a sure shelter for his people.
Overview
This verse stands as the bright center of Nahum's opening, balancing the terror of God's wrath with the comfort of his goodness. The same Lord who is fierce against his enemies is a refuge for those who trust him, and he intimately 'knows' them. This anticipates Christ, the good shepherd who knows his own and in whom believers find eternal refuge from judgment.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 40
- 2 Tim 2:19Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
- John 10:27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
- Lam 3:25The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
- John 10:14I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
- Ps 91:1–2He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
- Ps 100:5For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
- Ps 27:5For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
- Prov 18:10The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
- Ps 1:6For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
- Gal 4:9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
- Isa 25:4For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
- Ps 18:1–2I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
- 1 Chr 16:34O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
- Jer 17:7–8Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
- Ps 84:11–12For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
- Jer 33:11The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.
- Ps 86:7In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.
- Isa 26:1–4In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.
- Isa 32:2And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
- Ps 25:8Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.
- Ps 50:15And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
- Dan 3:28Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
- Ps 71:3Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.
- 1 Jn 4:8–10He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
- Ps 91:15He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
- Dan 6:23Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
- Ps 136:1–26O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
- Ps 59:16But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
- Ps 62:6–8He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.
- Rom 11:22Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
- Matt 7:23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
- 2 Chr 32:21And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.
- 2 Chr 16:8–9Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thine hand.
- Matt 27:43He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.
- 1 Chr 5:20And they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them: for they cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them; because they put their trust in him.
- Ps 145:6–10And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.
- Isa 37:3–4And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.
- 2 Chr 32:11Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The LORD our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
- Ps 144:1–2Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:
- Ezra 3:11And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The certain judgment on Nineveh and the comfort that 'the LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble' point to Christ, who is both the refuge of his people and the judge of their enemies.
How Nahum 1:7 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.