Psalm 48:1–13

Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised

in the city of our God!

His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation,

is the joy of all the earth,

Mount Zion, in the far north,

the city of the great King.

Within her citadels God

has made himself known as a fortress.

For behold, the kings assembled;

they came on together.

As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;

they were in panic; they took to flight.

Trembling took hold of them there,

anguish as of a woman in labor.

By the east wind you shattered

the ships of Tarshish.

As 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

We have thought on your steadfast love, O God,

in the midst of your temple.

As your name, O God,

so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth.

Your right hand is filled with righteousness.

Let Mount Zion be glad!

Let the daughters of Judah rejoice

because of your judgments!

Walk about Zion, go around her,

number her towers,

consider well her ramparts,

go through her citadels,

that you may tell the next generation

Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise,

in the city of our God, his holy mountain.

Beautiful in its loftiness,

the joy of the whole earth,

like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion,

the city of the Great King.

God is in her citadels;

he has shown himself to be her fortress.

When the kings joined forces,

when they advanced together,

they saw her and were astounded;

they fled in terror.

Trembling seized them there,

pain like that of a woman in labor.

You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish

shattered by an east wind.

As 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.

Within your temple, O God,

we meditate on your unfailing love.

Like your name, O God,

your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;

your right hand is filled with righteousness.

Mount Zion rejoices,

the villages of Judah are glad

because of your judgments.

Walk about Zion, go around her,

count her towers,

consider well her ramparts,

view her citadels,

that you may tell of them

to the next generation.

The Lord is great and highly praised

in the city of our God.

His holy mountain, rising splendidly,

is the joy of the whole earth.

Mount Zion—the summit of Zaphon—

is the city of the great King.

God is known as a stronghold

in its citadels.

Look! The kings assembled;

they advanced together.

They looked and froze with fear;

they fled in terror.

Trembling seized them there,

agony like that of a woman in labor,

as you wrecked the ships of Tarshish

with the east wind.

Just as we heard, so we have seen

in the city of the Lord of Armies,

in the city of our God;

God will establish it forever.

Selah

God, within your temple,

we contemplate your faithful love.

Like your name, God, so your praise

reaches to the ends of the earth;

your right hand is filled with justice.

Mount Zion is glad.

Judah’s villages rejoice

because of your judgments.

Go around Zion, encircle it;

count its towers,

note its ramparts; tour its citadels

so that you can tell a future generation:

How great is the Lord,

how deserving of praise,

in the city of our God,

which sits on his holy mountain!

It is high and magnificent;

the whole earth rejoices to see it!

Mount Zion, the holy mountain,

is the city of the great King!

God himself is in Jerusalem’s towers,

revealing himself as its defender.

The kings of the earth joined forces

and advanced against the city.

But when they saw it, they were stunned;

they were terrified and ran away.

They were gripped with terror

and writhed in pain like a woman in labor.

You destroyed them like the mighty ships of Tarshish

shattered by a powerful east wind.

We had heard of the city’s glory,

but now we have seen it ourselves—

the city of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

It is the city of our God;

he will make it safe forever.

Interlude

O God, we meditate on your unfailing love

as we worship in your Temple.

As your name deserves, O God,

you will be praised to the ends of the earth.

Your strong right hand is filled with victory.

Let the people on Mount Zion rejoice.

Let all the towns of Judah be glad

because of your justice.

Go, inspect the city of Jerusalem.

Walk around and count the many towers.

Take note of the fortified walls,

and tour all the citadels,

that you may describe them

to future generations.

Yahweh is great and very worthy of praise

in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.

Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth,

is Mount Zion, in the far north,

the city of the great king.

God is in her citadels;

he is known as a high stronghold.

For see, the kings assembled;

they advanced together.

They themselves saw it, so they were astonished.

They were terrified; they ran off.

Trembling seized them there—

pain as of a woman in labor.

With an east wind

you shatter the ships of Tarshish.

As we have heard, so we have seen

in the city of Yahweh of hosts, in the city of our God.

God will establish her forever. Selah

We have pondered your loyal love, O God,

in the midst of your temple.

As is 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 rejoice

because of your judgments.

Walk about Zion and circle it;

count her towers.

Consider well her ramparts.

Go through her citadels

so that you can tell the next generation

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.