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

Psalm 48

The Glory and Strength of Zion

A Song. A Psalm of the Korahites.

Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised
    in the city of our God.
His holy mountain,(A) beautiful in elevation,
    is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
    the city of the great King.(B)
Within its citadels God
    has shown himself a sure defense.(C)

Then the kings assembled;
    they came on together.(D)
As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;
    they were in panic; they took to flight;(E)
trembling took hold of them there,
    pains as of a woman in labor,
as when an east wind shatters
    the ships of Tarshish.(F)
As we have heard, so have we seen
    in the city of the Lord of hosts,
in the city of our God,
    which God establishes forever. Selah

We ponder your steadfast love, O God,
    in the midst of your temple.
10 Your name, O God, like your praise,
    reaches to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with victory.(G)
11     Let Mount Zion be glad;
let the towns[a] of Judah rejoice
    because of your judgments.(H)

12 Walk about Zion; go all around it;
    count its towers;
13 consider well its ramparts;
    go through its citadels,
that you may tell the next generation(I)
14     that this is God,
our God forever and ever.
    He will be our guide forever.(J)

Footnotes

  1. 48.11 Heb daughters