Psalm 48

¹The Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise

in the city of our God, his holy hill.

²It is lofty and pleasing to look at,[#tn Heb “beautiful of height.” The Hebrew term נוֹף (nof, “height”) is a genitive of specification after the qualitative noun “beautiful.” The idea seems to be that Mount Zion, because of its lofty appearance, is pleasing to the sight.]

a source of joy to the whole earth.

Mount Zion resembles the peaks of Zaphon;

it is the city of the great king.

³God is in its fortresses;

he reveals himself as its defender.

⁴For look, the kings assemble;[#tn The logical connection between vv. 3-4 seems to be this: God is the protector of Zion and reveals himself as the city’s defender – this is necessary because hostile armies threaten the city.; #tn The perfect verbal forms in vv. 4-6 are understood as descriptive. In dramatic style (note הִנֵּה, hinneh, “look”) the psalm describes an enemy attack against the city as if it were occurring at this very moment. Another option is to take the perfects as narrational (“the kings assembled, they advanced”), referring to a particular historical event, such as Sennacherib’s siege of the city in 701 b.c. (cf. NIV, NRSV). Even if one translates the verses in a dramatic-descriptive manner (as the present translation does), the Lord’s victory over the Assyrians was probably what served as the inspiration of the description (see v. 8).]

they advance together.

⁵As soon as they see, they are shocked;[#tn The object of “see” is omitted, but v. 3b suggests that the Lord’s self-revelation as the city’s defender is what they see.; #tn Heb “they look, so they are shocked.” Here כֵּן (ken, “so”) has the force of “in the same measure.”]

they are terrified, they quickly retreat.

⁶Look at them shake uncontrollably,[#tn Heb “trembling seizes them there.” The adverb שָׁם (sham, “there”) is used here, as often in poetic texts, to point “to a spot in which a scene is localized vividly in the imagination” (BDB 1027 s.v.).]

like a woman writhing in childbirth.

⁷With an east wind

you shatter the large ships.

⁸We heard about God’s mighty deeds, now we have seen them,[#tn Heb “As we have heard, so we have seen.” The community had heard about God’s mighty deeds in the nation’s history. Having personally witnessed his saving power with their own eyes, they could now affirm that the tradition was not exaggerated or inaccurate.]

in the city of the Lord , the invincible Warrior,

in the city of our God.

God makes it permanently secure. (Selah)

⁹We reflect on your loyal love, O God,

within your temple.

¹⁰The praise you receive as far away as the ends of the earth

is worthy of your reputation, O God.

You execute justice!

¹¹Mount Zion rejoices;

the towns of Judah are happy,

because of your acts of judgment.

¹²Walk around Zion! Encircle it![#tn The verb forms in vv. 12-13 are plural; the entire Judahite community is addressed.]

Count its towers!

¹³Consider its defenses![#tn Heb “set your heart to its rampart.”]

Walk through its fortresses,

so you can tell the next generation about it!

¹⁴For God, our God, is our defender forever![#tn Heb “for this is God, our God, forever and ever.” “This” might be paraphrased, “this protector described and praised in the preceding verses.”]

He guides us!