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Jerusalem, the City of God

A psalm of the sons of Korah.

48 The Lord is great; he should be praised
    in the city of our God, on his holy mountain.
It is high and beautiful
    and brings joy to the whole world.
Mount Zion is like the high mountains of the north;
    it is the city of the Great King.
God is within its palaces;
    he is known as its defender.
Kings joined together
    and came to attack the city.
But when they saw it, they were amazed.
    They ran away in fear.
Fear took hold of them;
    they hurt like a woman having a baby.
You destroyed the large trading ships
    with an east wind.

First we heard
    and now we have seen
that God will always keep his city safe.
    It is the city of the Lord All-Powerful,
    the city of our God. Selah

God, we come into your Temple
    to think about your love.
10 God, your name is known everywhere;
    all over the earth people praise you.
    Your right hand is full of goodness.
11 Mount Zion is happy
    and all the towns of Judah rejoice,
because your decisions are fair.

12 Walk around Jerusalem
    and count its towers.
13 Notice how strong they are.
    Look at the palaces.
    Then you can tell your children about them.
14 This God is our God forever and ever.
    He will guide us from now on.

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.