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A song of praise from the Korah family.

48 The Lord is great!
    He is praised throughout the city of our God, his holy mountain.
His city is such a pleasant place.
    It brings joy to people from around the world.
Mount Zion is the true mountain of God.[a]
    It is the city of the great King.
In the palaces of that city,
    God is known as the fortress.
Once some kings met together
    and planned an attack against this city.
They marched toward the city,
    but when they saw it, they were amazed.
    They all panicked and ran away.
Fear grabbed them;
    they trembled like a woman giving birth.
God, with a strong east wind,
    you wrecked their big ships.
Yes, we heard the stories about your power.
    But we also saw it in the city of our God, the city of the Lord All-Powerful.
God makes that city strong forever. Selah

God, in your Temple we remember your loving kindness.
10 Your name is known everywhere, God,
    and people throughout the earth praise you.
    You have shown that you do what is right.
11 Mount Zion is happy,
    and the towns of Judah rejoice, because your decisions are fair.
12 Walk around Jerusalem,
    and count its towers.
13 Look at the tall walls,
    and see the palaces.
    Then you can tell the next generation about them.
14 This God is our God forever and ever.
    He will lead us from now to the end of time!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 48:2 true mountain of God Literally, “the summit of Zaphon.” In Canaanite stories, Mt. Zaphon was where the gods lived.

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.