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Psalm 48
Lexham English Bible
Psalm 48
Lexham English Bible
The Greatness of God in Zion
A song. A psalm of the sons of Korah.[a]
48 Yahweh is great and very worthy of praise
in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.[b]
2 Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth,
is Mount Zion,[c] in the far north,[d]
the city of the great king.
3 God is in her citadels;
he is known as a high stronghold.
4 For see, the kings assembled;[e]
they advanced together.
5 They themselves saw[f] it, so they were astonished.
They were terrified; they ran off.
6 Trembling seized them there—
pain as of a woman in labor.
7 With an east wind
you shatter[g] the ships of Tarshish.[h]
8 As we have heard, so we have seen
in the city of Yahweh of hosts, in the city of our God.
God will establish her forever. Selah
9 We have pondered your loyal 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.
11 Let Mount Zion[i] rejoice;
let the daughters of Judah rejoice
because of your judgments.
12 Walk about Zion and circle it;
count her towers.
13 Consider well[j] her ramparts.
Go through her citadels
so that you can tell the next generation
14 that this is God, our God forever and ever.
He himself[k] will guide us until death.
Footnotes
- Psalm 48:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
- Psalm 48:1 Literally “mountain of holiness”
- Psalm 48:2 Literally “the mountain of Zion”
- Psalm 48:2 Literally “far of north”; the word translated “north” could refer to Mount Zaphon
- Psalm 48:4 That is, preparing for battle
- Psalm 48:5 Literally “They, they saw”
- Psalm 48:7 A few Hebrew manuscripts read “like an east wind that shatters”
- Psalm 48:7 That is, ships that can sail to Tarshish, i.e. well built, able to traverse great distances
- Psalm 48:11 Literally “the mountain of Zion”
- Psalm 48:13 Literally “Set your heart to”
- Psalm 48:14 Literally “he, he will …”
Psalm 48
New International Version
Psalm 48
New International Version
Psalm 48[a]
A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.
1 Great is the Lord,(A) and most worthy of praise,(B)
in the city of our God,(C) his holy mountain.(D)
2 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)
3 God is in her citadels;(I)
he has shown himself to be her fortress.(J)
4 When the kings joined forces,
when they advanced together,(K)
5 they saw her and were astounded;
they fled in terror.(L)
6 Trembling seized(M) them there,
pain like that of a woman in labor.(N)
7 You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish(O)
shattered by an east wind.(P)
8 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)
9 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
- Psalm 48:1 In Hebrew texts 48:1-14 is numbered 48:2-15.
- Psalm 48:2 Zaphon was the most sacred mountain of the Canaanites.
- Psalm 48:8 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
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