Psalm 48

Zion is the city of the LORD God.

 


 

ZION IS THE CITY OF THE LORD

A Song. A Psalm by the sons of Korah.

 

VERSE 1. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.

 

VERSE 2. Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, on the north sides, the city of the great King.

the joy of the whole earth. Even today people from around the world travel to Jerusalem.

on the north sides. This is probably a reference to Mount Zaphon.

 

VERSE 3. God has shown himself in her citadels as a refuge.

 

VERSE 4. For, behold, the kings assembled themselves, they passed by together.

the kings assembled. This might be a tribute to the LORD God having delivered Jerusalem from the invading Assyrian army.

 

VERSE 5. They saw it, then they were amazed. They were dismayed. They hurried away.

 

VERSE 6. Trembling took hold of them there, pain, as of a woman in travail.

 

VERSE 7. With the east wind, you break the ships of Tarshish.

Tarshish. This might refer to the Phoenician colony of Tartessus in Spain:

1 Kings 10:22.  For the king had a fleet of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s fleet. Once every three years the fleet of Tarshish came, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

 

VERSE 8. As we have heard, so we have seen, in the city of the LORD of Hosts, in the city of our God. God will establish it forever. Selah.

 

VERSE 9. We have thought about your loving kindness, God, in the middle of your temple.

NIV translation. Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.

Within your temple. In the Old Testament era, the temple in Jerusalem was the House of God. But in our New Testament era, the LORD God dwells within his people. Read more »

 

VERSE 10. As is your name, God, so is your praise to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is full of righteousness.

right hand. The Bible often mentions “the right hand” of God. That is a position of power and honor. We believe it refers to Jesus Christ. More verses about the right hand.

 

VERSE 11. Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice, Because of your judgments.

 

VERSE 12. Walk about Zion, and go around her. Number its towers.

 

VERSE 13. Mark well her bulwarks. Consider her palaces, that you may tell it to the next generation.

 

VERSE 14. For this God is our God forever and ever. He will be our guide even to death.

 


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PSALMS

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 1617, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 3435, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 5253, 5455, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 7071, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 888990, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104105, 106, 107108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148149, 150

Deuterocanonical chapter: 151

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, MemorizeDavid’s Fasting

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.