Add parallel Print Page Options

Sion, monte di Dio

48 Cantico. Salmo. Dei figli di Core.

Grande è il Signore e degno di ogni lode
nella città del nostro Dio.
Il suo monte santo, altura stupenda,
è la gioia di tutta la terra.
Il monte Sion, dimora divina,
è la città del grande Sovrano.
Dio nei suoi baluardi
è apparso fortezza inespugnabile.

Ecco, i re si sono alleati,
sono avanzati insieme.
Essi hanno visto:
attoniti e presi dal panico,
sono fuggiti.
Là sgomento li ha colti,
doglie come di partoriente,
simile al vento orientale
che squarcia le navi di Tarsis.

Come avevamo udito, così abbiamo visto
nella città del Signore degli eserciti,
nella città del nostro Dio;
Dio l'ha fondata per sempre.
10 Ricordiamo, Dio, la tua misericordia
dentro il tuo tempio.
11 Come il tuo nome, o Dio,
così la tua lode si estende
sino ai confini della terra;
è piena di giustizia la tua destra.
12 Gioisca il monte di Sion,
esultino le città di Giuda
a motivo dei tuoi giudizi.

13 Circondate Sion, giratele intorno,
contate le sue torri.
14 Osservate i suoi baluardi,
passate in rassegna le sue fortezze,
per narrare alla generazione futura:
15 Questo è il Signore, nostro Dio
in eterno, sempre:
egli è colui che ci guida.

This is a psalm that the sons of Korah wrote.

Zion is God's city

48 The Lord is great.
He deserves that people praise him
    in the city of our God,
    on his holy mountain.
That place is high up and it is beautiful.
    It brings joy to the whole world.
Mount Zion is the city of the great King.
    It is where the true God lives.[a]
God is there in its strong places
    and he keeps the city safe.
Look! There are kings of other nations
    who join together to attack our city.
But when they come near and they see it,
    they are very surprised.
It frightens them so much
    that they quickly run away!
They cannot stop themselves shaking,
    like a woman who is giving birth to a baby!
You push them away,
    like an east wind that destroys great ships.
We had heard about the great things that God has done.
Now we have seen them for ourselves,
    here in the city of the Lord Almighty,
    the city of our God.
It is God who keeps the city safe for ever!
Selah.
When we are in your temple, God,
    we think about your faithful love.
10 You are famous all over the world,
    so that people praise you as you deserve.
You are powerful
    and you rule with justice.
11 Because you judge people in a right way,
    Mount Zion and all the towns of Judah will be happy.
12 Walk all round Zion and look at it.
    Count the towers.
13 Look at its strong buildings and its strong walls.
    Then you will be able to describe it to your children.[b]
14 Yes, this is our God, who is with us for ever!
    He will always be our guide.

Footnotes

  1. 48:2 The holy mountain is Mount Zion, where they built the temple. It was the home of Israel's true God, as other nations thought about Zaphon mountain. That was where other nations thought that their gods came down to the earth. The writer is saying that Jerusalem is the real Zaphon, where the Lord lives.
  2. 48:13 Verses 9-13: The writer tells the people to remember what God has done. They should look at all the places that God had made safe. Then they could tell their children what had happened, and the places where it had happened. This would help their children to believe God and to obey him. The Bible teaches us that it is important to tell our children what God has done for us.

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.

48 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.

Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.

God is known in her palaces for a refuge.

For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together.

They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away.

Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.

Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.

As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah.

We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.

10 According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness.

11 Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.

12 Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.

13 Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.

14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.