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48 (0) A song. A psalm of the descendants of Korach:

(1) Great is Adonai
and greatly to be praised,
in the city of our God,
his holy mountain,
(2) beautiful in its elevation,
the joy of all the earth,
Mount Tziyon, in the far north,
the city of the great king.
(3) In its citadels God
has been revealed as a strong defense.
(4) For the kings met by agreement;
together they advanced.
(5) They saw and were filled with consternation;
terrified, they took to flight.
(6) Trembling took hold of them,
pains like those of a woman in labor,
(7) as when the wind out of the east
wrecks the “Tarshish” ships.
(8) We heard it, and now we see for ourselves
in the city of Adonai-Tzva’ot,
in the city of our God.
May God establish it forever. (Selah)

10 (9) God, within your temple
we meditate on your grace.
11 (10) God, your praise, like your name,
extends to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with righteousness.
12 (11) Let Mount Tziyon rejoice,
let the daughters of Y’hudah be glad,
because of your judgment [on the enemy].

13 (12) Walk through Tziyon, go all around it;
count how many towers it has.
14 (13) Note its ramparts, pass through its citadels,
so that you can tell generations to come
15 (14) that such is God, our God forever;
he will guide us eternally.

Psalm 48

A song. A psalm of the Korahites.

48 In the city belonging to our God,
    the Lord is great and so worthy of praise!
His holy mountain is a beautiful summit,
    the joy of the whole world.
    Mount Zion, in the far north,
    is the city of the great king.
God is in its fortifications,
    revealing himself as a place of safety.

Look: the kings assembled themselves,
    advancing all together—
    when they saw it, they were stunned;
    they panicked and ran away frightened.
Trembling took hold of them right there—
    like a woman giving birth,
    or like the east wind when it smashes
    the ships of Tarshish.
Just like we had heard,
    now we’ve seen it for ourselves
    in the city of the Lord of heavenly forces,
    in the city of our God.
        May God make it secure forever! Selah

We dwell on your faithful love, God,
    in your temple.
10 Your praise, God, just like your reputation,
    extends to the far corners of the earth.
        Your strong hand is filled with righteousness.
11 Let Mount Zion be glad;
    let the towns of Judah rejoice
        because of your acts of justice!

12 Walk around Zion;
    go all the way around it;
    count its towers.
13 Examine its defenses closely;
    tour its fortifications
    so that you may tell future generations:
14 “This is God,
    our God, forever and always!
    He is the one who will lead us
    even to the very end.”[a]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 48:14 LXX; Heb uncertain; Heb al muth (unto death or against death), but see the notes at Pss 9–10, 46—the words might belong in the heading of Ps 49.