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A Song. A Psalm by the sons of Korah.

48 Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised,
    in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.
Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth,
    is Mount Zion, on the north sides,
    the city of the great King.
God has shown himself in her citadels as a refuge.
For, behold, the kings assembled themselves,
    they passed by together.
They saw it, then they were amazed.
    They were dismayed.
    They hurried away.
Trembling took hold of them there,
    pain, as of a woman in travail.
With the east wind, you break the ships of Tarshish.
As we have heard, so we have seen,
    in the city of Yahweh of Armies, in the city of our God.
God will establish it forever. Selah.
We have thought about your loving kindness, God,
    in the middle of your temple.
10 As is your name, God,
    so is your praise to the ends of the earth.
    Your right hand is full of righteousness.
11 Let Mount Zion be glad!
    Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments.
12 Walk about Zion, and go around her.
    Number its towers.
13 Notice her bulwarks.
    Consider her palaces,
    that you may tell it to the next generation.
14 For this God is our God forever and ever.
    He will be our guide even to death.

Psalm 48

A song. A psalm of the descendants of Korah.

How great is the Lord,
    how deserving of praise,
in the city of our God,
    which sits on his holy mountain!
It is high and magnificent;
    the whole earth rejoices to see it!
Mount Zion, the holy mountain,[a]
    is the city of the great King!
God himself is in Jerusalem’s towers,
    revealing himself as its defender.

The kings of the earth joined forces
    and advanced against the city.
But when they saw it, they were stunned;
    they were terrified and ran away.
They were gripped with terror
    and writhed in pain like a woman in labor.
You destroyed them like the mighty ships of Tarshish
    shattered by a powerful east wind.

We had heard of the city’s glory,
    but now we have seen it ourselves—
    the city of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
It is the city of our God;
    he will make it safe forever. Interlude

O God, we meditate on your unfailing love
    as we worship in your Temple.
10 As your name deserves, O God,
    you will be praised to the ends of the earth.
    Your strong right hand is filled with victory.
11 Let the people on Mount Zion rejoice.
    Let all the towns of Judah be glad
    because of your justice.

12 Go, inspect the city of Jerusalem.[b]
    Walk around and count the many towers.
13 Take note of the fortified walls,
    and tour all the citadels,
that you may describe them
    to future generations.
14 For that is what God is like.
    He is our God forever and ever,
    and he will guide us until we die.

Footnotes

  1. 48:2 Or Mount Zion, in the far north; Hebrew reads Mount Zion, the heights of Zaphon.
  2. 48:12 Hebrew Zion.