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Psalm 48

A song; a Psalm of the sons of Korah.

Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain,

Fair and beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth—[a]Mount Zion [the City of David], to the northern side [Mount Moriah and the temple], the [whole] city of the Great King!(A)

God has made Himself known in her palaces as a Refuge (a High Tower and a Stronghold).

For, behold, the kings assembled, they came onward and they passed away together.

They looked, they were amazed; they were stricken with terror and took to flight [affrighted and dismayed].

Trembling took hold of them there, and pain as of a woman in childbirth.

With the east wind You shattered the ships of Tarshish.

As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it forever. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

We have thought of Your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of Your temple.

10 As is Your name, O God, so is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness (rightness and justice).

11 Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of Your [righteous] judgments!

12 Walk about Zion, and go round about her, number her towers (her lofty and noble deeds of past days),

13 Consider well her ramparts, go through her palaces and citadels, that you may tell the next generation [and cease recalling disappointments].

14 For this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide [even] until death.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 48:2 Psalm 48 is a celebration of the security of Zion. See the beauty of Zion as God’s unconquerable fortress.

Psalm 48[a]

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.

Great is the Lord,(A) and most worthy of praise,(B)
    in the city of our God,(C) his holy mountain.(D)

Beautiful(E) in its loftiness,
    the joy of the whole earth,
like the heights of Zaphon[b](F) is Mount Zion,(G)
    the city of the Great King.(H)
God is in her citadels;(I)
    he has shown himself to be her fortress.(J)

When the kings joined forces,
    when they advanced together,(K)
they saw her and were astounded;
    they fled in terror.(L)
Trembling seized(M) them there,
    pain like that of a woman in labor.(N)
You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish(O)
    shattered by an east wind.(P)

As we have heard,
    so we have seen
in the city of the Lord Almighty,
    in the city of our God:
God makes her secure
    forever.[c](Q)

Within your temple, O God,
    we meditate(R) on your unfailing love.(S)
10 Like your name,(T) O God,
    your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;(U)
    your right hand is filled with righteousness.
11 Mount Zion rejoices,
    the villages of Judah are glad
    because of your judgments.(V)

12 Walk about Zion, go around her,
    count her towers,(W)
13 consider well her ramparts,(X)
    view her citadels,(Y)
that you may tell of them
    to the next generation.(Z)

14 For this God is our God for ever and ever;
    he will be our guide(AA) even to the end.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 48:1 In Hebrew texts 48:1-14 is numbered 48:2-15.
  2. Psalm 48:2 Zaphon was the most sacred mountain of the Canaanites.
  3. Psalm 48:8 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.