Psalms 48
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Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.
2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.
3 God is known in her palaces for a refuge.
4 For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together.
5 They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away.
6 Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.
7 Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.
8 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.
9 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.
Public Domain KJV text from Wordproject.org
Psalm 48:1-14
Zion, the City of Our God
A Song. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.
1Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised
in the city of our God!
His holy mountain, 2beautiful in elevation,
is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
the city of the great King.
3Within her citadels God
has made himself known as a fortress.
4For behold, the kings assembled;
they came on together.
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.
7By the east wind you shattered
the ships of Tarshish.
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. Selah
9We have thought on your steadfast love, O God,
in the midst of your temple.
10As your name, O God,
so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with righteousness.
11Let Mount Zion be glad!
Let the daughters of Judah rejoice
because of your judgments!
12Walk about Zion, go around her,
number her towers,
13consider well her ramparts,
go through her citadels,
that you may tell the next generation
14that this is God,
our God forever and ever.
He will guide us forever.
ESV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Psalm 48:1-14
Psalm 48
A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.
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 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 labor.
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
forever.
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 around 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.
NIV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Commentary
“We ponder your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple.” Psalm 48:9
Psalm 48 gives us a window into the reality of heaven and the new earth. “When God establishes His city forever” (Ps 48:8) we will “ ponder your steadfast love, O God, …” Ps 48:9. This is our future reality. Jerusalem, the city of God, was not established forever. It was destroyed. More than once. But the New Jerusalem will be established forever.
Forever is a long time. Longer than our human minds can grasp. But maybe that’s all right. Because how can our minds grasp the fullness of God’s steadfast love? Could it be that this contemplation will also last an eternity? Perhaps it is an endeavor that will never end.
The idea of “steadfast love” is one of those words in Hebrew that is so rich that scholars need pages and pages to explain it, and no matter how much they try there’s always more to say. Just like with God. His love is so deep that we can indeed spend an eternity pondering it. Getting to know Him better. And just think who will be with us on that journey? God Himself.
“He will be our guide forever.” Psalm 48:14
Thomas Rasmussen
Pastor, Odense and Lille Nørlund Seventh-day Adventist churches, Denmark (as of this writing)
