Psalms 48

1 A song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, His holy mountain.

Yahweh is great, and he deserves to be greatly praised in the city where he [lives], [which is built on Zion], his sacred hill.

2 Beautiful in loftiness, the joy of all the earth, like the peaks of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the great King.

That city, on a high [hill], is beautiful; it is the city where the true [God], the great king, [lives], and it causes people all over the world to rejoice [when they see it].

3 God is in her citadels; He has shown Himself to be a fortress.

God is in the strong towers there, and he shows that he protects the people in that city.

4 For behold, the kings assembled; they all advanced together.

Many kings gathered [with their armies] to attack [that city],

5 They saw and were astounded; they fled in terror.

but when they saw it, they were amazed; they became terrified, and ran away.

6 Trembling seized them there, anguish like a woman in labor.

Because they were very afraid, they trembled like a woman who is about to give birth to a child;

7 With a wind from the east You wrecked the ships of Tarshish.

they shook [like] ships sailing from Tarshish are shaken by a strong 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 her forever.

We had heard [that this city is glorious], and now we have seen that it is. It is the city in which Yahweh, the almighty one, [lives]. It is the city which God will preserve/protect forever.

9 Within Your temple, O God, we contemplate Your loving devotion.

God, [here] in your temple we think about how you faithfully love us.

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

You [MTY] are famous and (are praised/people praise you) all over the earth, because you rule powerfully [MTY] and justly.

11 Mount Zion is glad, the daughters of Judah rejoice, on account of Your judgments.

The people who live near Zion Hill should be happy! The people in [all] the cities [MTY] in Judah should rejoice because you judge people fairly.

12 March around Zion, encircle her, count her towers,

[You Israeli people should] walk around Zion [Hill] and count the towers there;

13 consider her ramparts, tour her citadels, that you may tell the next generation.

notice the walls there and examine the forts in order that you can tell about them to your children.

14 For this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even till death.

[Say to them], “This is [the city that belongs to] our God, [the one who lives] forever; he will guide us all of our lives.”