Psalms
Summary
Psalm 48 is a song of Zion, praising the beauty and security of the city of God. It declares that Mount Zion is "beautiful in its loftiness" and the "joy of the whole earth." The psalm describes how the kings of the earth assembled against the city but were seized with trembling and fled in haste. The psalmist marvels at God's lovingkindness in the midst of the temple and invites the people to "walk about Zion" and consider her bulwarks, so they can tell the next generation. It concludes with the profound assurance that "this God is our God for ever and ever."
Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain.
Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, on the heights of the north, the city of the Great King.
God is in her citadels; he has shown himself to be her fortress.
When the kings assembled, they advanced together;
they saw her and were astounded; they fled in terror.
Trembling seized them there, pain like that of a woman in labour.
You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish shattered by an east wind.
As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD Almighty, in the city of our God: God makes her secure for ever. Selah.
Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.
Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness.
Mount Zion rejoices, the villages of Judah are glad because of your righteous judgements.
Walk about Zion, go around her, count her towers,
consider well her ramparts, view her citadels, that you may tell of them to the next generation.
For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.