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.
(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.
In its palaces,
God has made Himself known as a (G)stronghold.

For, behold, the (H)kings arrived,
They passed by together.
They saw it, then they were amazed;
They were (I)terrified, they fled in a hurry.
[a]Panic seized them there,
Anguish, as that of (J)a woman in childbirth.
With the (K)east wind
You (L)smash the (M)ships of Tarshish.
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

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

A song: Lyrics[a] by the Sons of Korah.

Zion, City of God

48 Great is the Lord!
    For he is to be praised greatly,
even in the city of our God,
    his holy mountain.
Beautifully situated,
    the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion towards the north,[b]
    the city of the great King.
Within her citadels
    God is known as a place of refuge.

Behold, when the kings assembled together,
    when they traveled together,
they looked and were awestruck;
    they became afraid and ran away.
Trembling seized them there,
    pains like those of a woman in labor,
as when an east wind destroyed the ships of Tarshish.
Just as we have heard,
    so have we seen;
in the city of the Lord of the heavenly armies—
    even in the city of our God—
        God will establish her forever.
Interlude

God, we have meditated on your gracious love
    in the midst of your Temple.
10 God, according to your name,
    so is your praise to the ends of the earth.
        Your right hand is filled with righteousness.
11 Mount Zion will be glad;
    the towns[c] of Judah will rejoice because of your judgments.

12 March around Zion;
    encircle her;
        count her towers.
13 Take note of her ramparts;
    investigate her citadels;
        that you may speak about them to the next generation.
14 For this God is our God forever and ever.
    He will guide us until death.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 48:1 Or A song: A song
  2. Psalm 48:2 Or on the northern side
  3. Psalm 48:11 Lit. daughters