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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]
Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth,
is Mount Zion,[c] in the far north,[d]
the city of the great king.
God is in her citadels;
he is known as a high stronghold.
For see, the kings assembled;[e]
they advanced together.
They themselves saw[f] it, so they were astonished.
They were terrified; they ran off.
Trembling seized them there—
pain as of a woman in labor.
With an east wind
you shatter[g] the ships of Tarshish.[h]
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
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

  1. Psalm 48:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
  2. Psalm 48:1 Literally “mountain of holiness”
  3. Psalm 48:2 Literally “the mountain of Zion”
  4. Psalm 48:2 Literally “far of north”; the word translated “north” could refer to Mount Zaphon
  5. Psalm 48:4 That is, preparing for battle
  6. Psalm 48:5 Literally “They, they saw”
  7. Psalm 48:7 A few Hebrew manuscripts read “like an east wind that shatters”
  8. Psalm 48:7 That is, ships that can sail to Tarshish, i.e. well built, able to traverse great distances
  9. Psalm 48:11 Literally “the mountain of Zion”
  10. Psalm 48:13 Literally “Set your heart to”
  11. Psalm 48:14 Literally “he, he will …”