Add parallel Print Page Options

The beauty and glory of Zion.

A Song; a Psalm of the sons of Korah.

48 Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised,
In the city of our God, in his holy mountain.
Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth,
Is mount Zion, on the sides of the north,
The city of the great King.
God hath made himself known in her palaces for a [a]refuge.
For, lo, the kings assembled themselves,
They [b]passed by together.
They saw it, then were they amazed;
They were dismayed, they [c]hasted away.
Trembling took hold of them there,
Pain, as of a woman in travail.
[d]With the east wind
Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish.
As we have heard, so have we seen
In the city of Jehovah of hosts, in the city of our God:
God will establish it for ever. Selah
We have thought on thy lovingkindness, O God,
In the midst of thy temple.
10 As is 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 be glad,
Let the daughters of Judah rejoice,
Because of thy judgments.
12 Walk about Zion, and go round about her;
Number the towers thereof;
13 Mark ye well her bulwarks;
[e]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.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 48:3 Or, high tower
  2. Psalm 48:4 Or, passed away
  3. Psalm 48:5 Or, were stricken with terror
  4. Psalm 48:7 Or, As with the east wind that breaketh
  5. Psalm 48:13 Or, Traverse

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.