Psalm 48

Jerusalem, the City of God

A psalm of the sons of Korah.

48The Lord is great; he should be praised

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

²It is high and beautiful

and brings joy to the whole world.

Mount Zion is like the high mountains of the north;

it is the city of the Great King.

³God is within its palaces;

he is known as its defender.

⁴Kings joined together

and came to attack the city.

⁵But when they saw it, they were amazed.

They ran away in fear.

⁶Fear took hold of them;

they hurt like a woman having a baby.

⁷You destroyed the large trading ships

with an east wind.

⁸First we heard

and now we have seen

that God will always keep his city safe.

It is the city of the Lord All-Powerful,

the city of our God.

Selah

⁹God, we come into your Temple

to think about your love.

¹⁰God, your name is known everywhere;

all over the earth people praise you.

Your right hand is full of goodness.

¹¹Mount Zion is happy

and all the towns of Judah rejoice,

because your decisions are fair.

¹²Walk around Jerusalem

and count its towers.

¹³Notice how strong they are.

Look at the palaces.

Then you can tell your children about them.

¹⁴This God is our God forever and ever.

He will guide us from now on.