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This is a psalm that the sons of Korah wrote.

Zion is God's city

48 The Lord is great.
He deserves that people praise him
in the city of our God,
on his holy mountain.
2 That place is high up and it is beautiful.
It brings joy to the whole world.
Mount Zion is the city of the great King.
It is where the true God lives. [ a ]
3 God is there in its strong places
and he keeps the city safe.
4 Look! There are kings of other nations
who join together to attack our city.
5 But when they come near and they see it,
they are very surprised.
It frightens them so much
that they quickly run away!
6 They cannot stop themselves shaking,
like a woman who is giving birth to a baby!
7 You push them away,
like an east wind that destroys great ships.
8 We had heard about the great things that God has done.
Now we have seen them for ourselves,
here in the city of the Lord Almighty,
the city of our God.
It is God who keeps the city safe for ever!
Selah.
9 When we are in your temple, God,
we think about your faithful love.
10 You are famous all over the world,
so that people praise you as you deserve.
You are powerful
and you rule with justice.
11 Because you judge people in a right way,
Mount Zion and all the towns of Judah will be happy.
12 Walk all round Zion and look at it.
Count the towers.
13 Look at its strong buildings and its strong walls.
Then you will be able to describe it to your children. [ b ]
14 Yes, this is our God, who is with us for ever!
He will always be our guide.

Footnotes

  1. 48:2 The holy mountain is Mount Zion, where they built the temple. It was the home of Israel's true God, as other nations thought about Zaphon mountain. That was where other nations thought that their gods came down to the earth. The writer is saying that Jerusalem is the real Zaphon, where the Lord lives.
  2. 48:13 Verses 9-13: The writer tells the people to remember what God has done. They should look at all the places that God had made safe. Then they could tell their children what had happened, and the places where it had happened. This would help their children to believe God and to obey him. The Bible teaches us that it is important to tell our children what God has done for us.

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.
2 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.
3 In the palaces of that city,
God is known as the fortress.
4 Once some kings met together
and planned an attack against this city.
They marched toward the city,
5 but when they saw it, they were amazed.
They all panicked and ran away.
6 Fear grabbed them;
they trembled like a woman giving birth.
7 God, with a strong east wind,
you wrecked their big ships.
8 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

9 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.

48 Great is the Lord , and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.

2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.

3 God is known in her palaces for a refuge.

4 For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together.

5 They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away.

6 Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.

7 Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.

8 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 for ever. Selah.

9 We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.

10 According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness.

11 Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.

12 Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.

13 Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.

14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.

The Beauty and Glory of Zion.

A Song; a Psalm of the sons of Korah.

48 ( A ) Great is the Lord , and greatly to be praised
In the ( B ) city of our God, His ( C ) holy mountain.
2 ( D ) Beautiful in elevation, ( E ) the joy of the whole earth,
Is Mount Zion in the far north,
The ( F ) city of the great King.
3 In its palaces,
God has made Himself known as a ( G ) stronghold.

4 For, behold, the ( H ) kings arrived,
They passed by together.
5 They saw it , then they were amazed;
They were ( I ) terrified, they fled in a hurry.
6 [ a ] Panic seized them there,
Anguish, as that of ( J ) a woman in childbirth.
7 With the ( K ) east wind
You ( L ) smash the ( M ) ships of Tarshish.
8 Just as we have heard, so have we seen
In the city of the Lord of armies, in the city of our God;
God will ( N ) establish her forever. Selah

9 We have thought over ( O ) Your goodness, God,
In the midst of Your temple.
10 As is Your ( P ) name, God,
So is Your ( Q ) praise to the ends of the earth;
Your ( R ) right hand is full of righteousness.
11 Mount ( S ) Zion shall be glad,
The ( T ) daughters of Judah shall rejoice
Because of Your judgments.
12 Walk around Zion and encircle her;
Count her ( U ) towers;
13 Consider her ( V ) ramparts;
Go through her palaces,
So that you may ( W ) tell of her to the next generation.
14 For [ b ] such is God,
Our God forever and ever;
He will ( X ) lead us [ c ] until death.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 48:6 Lit Trembling
  2. Psalm 48:14 Lit this
  3. Psalm 48:14 Lit upon ; some mss and LXX forever

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

  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.
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