1Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain.2Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth, like the heights of Zaphon[1] is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King.3God is in her citadels; he has shown himself to be her fortress.4When the kings joined forces, when they advanced together,5they saw her and were astounded; they fled in terror.6Trembling seized them there, pain like that of a woman in labour.7You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish shattered by an east wind.8As we have heard, so we have seen in the city of the Lord Almighty, in the city of our God: God makes her secure for ever.[2]9Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.10Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness.11Mount Zion rejoices, the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments.12Walk about Zion, go round her, count her towers,13consider well her ramparts, view her citadels, that you may tell of them to the next generation.14For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.
Psalm 48
English Standard Version
Zion, the City of Our God
1A Song. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain, (Ps 2:6; Ps 42:1; Ps 46:1; Ps 46:4; Ps 87:1; Ps 96:4; Ps 145:3; Isa 2:3; Mic 4:1; Zec 8:3)2beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King. (Ps 50:2; La 2:15; Eze 20:6; Mt 5:35)3Within her citadels God has made himself known as a fortress.4For behold, the kings assembled; they came on together. (2Sa 10:6)5As soon as they saw it, they were astounded; they were in panic; they took to flight.6Trembling took hold of them there, anguish as of a woman in labor. (Ex 15:15; Isa 13:8; Ho 13:13)7By the east wind you shattered the ships of Tarshish. (1Ki 10:22; 1Ki 22:48; Jer 18:17; Eze 27:26)8As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God, which God will establish forever. (Ps 48:1; Ps 87:5; Isa 2:2; Mic 4:1)9We have thought on your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple. (Ps 26:3; Ps 40:10)10As your name, O God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is filled with righteousness. (Ex 34:5; De 28:58; Ps 22:27; Ps 113:3; Mal 1:11; Mal 1:14)11Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments! (Ps 97:8)12Walk about Zion, go around her, number her towers,13consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels, that you may tell the next generation (Ps 78:4; Ps 122:7)14that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.[1] (Ps 23:3)