Psalms 48
The psalmist praises the greatness of the LORD in the city of our God. Mount Zion, beautiful for situation, is the joy of the whole earth; when kings see her they marvel and flee. The psalm calls God's people to walk about Zion and count her towers.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. | Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, His holy mountain. |
| 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. | Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth, like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King. |
| 3 | God is known in her palaces for a refuge. | God is in her citadels; He has shown Himself to be her fortress. |
| 4 | For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. | When the kings joined forces, when they advanced together, |
| 5 | They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away. | they saw her and were astounded; they fled in terror. |
| 6 | Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail. | Trembling seized them there, pain like that of a woman in labor. |
| 7 | Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind. | You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish shattered by 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. | 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 forever. Selah. |
| 9 | We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple. | We have thought of Your lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of Your 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. | Like Your name, O God, Your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is filled with righteousness. |
| 11 | Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments. | Mount Zion rejoices, the villages of Judah are glad because of Your judgments. |
| 12 | Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. | Walk about Zion, go around her, count her towers, |
| 13 | Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following. | consider well her ramparts, view her citadels, that You may tell of them to the next generation. |
| 14 | For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death. | For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end. |