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Psalms 48

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The ornaments and privileges of the church.

A Song and Psalm for the sons of Korah.

1. 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.

A Song and Psalm for the sons of Korah. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. God is known in her palaces for a refuge. For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away. Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail. Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind. 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. We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple. According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness. Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments. Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following. For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.

NKJV

1. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised
In the city of our God,
In His holy mountain.

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

3. God is in her palaces;
He is known as her refuge.

4. For behold, the kings assembled,
They passed by together.

5. They saw it, and so they marveled;
They were troubled, they hastened away.

6. Fear took hold of them there,
And pain, as of a woman in birth pangs,

7. As when You break the ships of Tarshish
With an east wind.

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

9. We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness,
In the midst of Your temple.

10. According to Your name, O God,
So is Your praise to the ends of the earth;
Your right hand is full of righteousness.

11. Let Mount Zion rejoice,
Let the daughters of Judah be glad,
Because of Your judgments.

12. Walk about Zion,
And go all around her.
Count her towers;

13. Mark well her bulwarks;
Consider her palaces;
That you may tell it to the generation following.

14. For this is God,
Our God forever and ever;
He will be our guide
Even to death.

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised
In the city of our God,
In His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation,
The joy of the whole earth,
Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north,
The city of the great King. God is in her palaces;
He is known as her refuge. For behold, the kings assembled,
They passed by together. They saw it, and so they marveled;
They were troubled, they hastened away. Fear took hold of them there,
And pain, as of a woman in birth pangs, As when You break the ships of Tarshish
With an east wind. 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 We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness,
In the midst of Your temple. According to Your name, O God,
So is Your praise to the ends of the earth;
Your right hand is full of righteousness. Let Mount Zion rejoice,
Let the daughters of Judah be glad,
Because of Your judgments. Walk about Zion,
And go all around her.
Count her towers; Mark well her bulwarks;
Consider her palaces;
That you may tell it to the generation following. For this is God,
Our God forever and ever;
He will be our guide
Even to death.

Metrical version

Psalm 48

C.M. St. Magnus, Stockton

Great is the LORD, and greatly he
is to be praised still,
Within the city of our God,
upon his holy hill.

Mount Zion stands most beautiful,
the joy of all the land;
The city of the mighty King
on her north side doth stand.

The Lord within her palaces
is for a refuge known.
For, lo, the kings that gathered were
together, by have gone.

But when they did behold the same,
they, wond'ring, would not stay;
But, being troubled at the sight,
they thence did haste away.

Great terror there took hold on them;
they were possessed with fear;
Their grief came like a woman's pain,
when she a child doth bear.

Thou Tarshish ships with east wind break'st:
As we have heard it told,
So, in the city of the LORD,
our eyes did it behold;

In our God's city, which his hand
for ever stablish will.
We of thy loving-kindness thought,
Lord, in thy temple still.

O Lord, according to thy name,
through all the earth's thy praise;
And thy right hand, O Lord, is full
of righteousness always.

Because thy judgments are made known,
let Zion mount rejoice;
Of Judah let the daughters all
send forth a cheerful voice.

Walk about Zion, and go round;
the high tow'rs thereof tell:
Consider ye her palaces,
and mark her bulwarks well;

That ye may tell posterity.
  For this God doth abide
Our God for evermore; he will
ev'n unto death us guide.

John Brown

This psalm was no doubt composed to celebrate some remark able victory or deliverance, in the days of David, or Jehoshaphat, 2 Chron. 20; or of Hezekiah, 2 Kings 19. We have here, (1.) Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel, and type of the gospel church and heavenly state, celebrated for her beauty and relation to God, as the residence of his temple and ordinances, ver. 1-2. (2.) Jehovah, the God of Israel, celebrated for his kind and powerful protection of Jerusalem, and for making her enemies flee off with much precipitation and terror, ver. 3-7. (3.) The people of God, particularly in Jerusalem, meditating upon, and celebrating the gracious and mighty things, which God had, or would do for them, and for his discoveries of himself to them; and promising themselves sure and lasting happiness in his relation to, and direction of them, ver. 8-14.


While I sing these verses, let me be deeply affected with the glory, with the privileges, and chiefly with the God of the Christian church, and of the new- covenant state, and of the new Jerusalem, which is above, which is the mother, and the desired city of us all.