Psalms 48
1 A Song; a Psalm. Of the sons of Korah. Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the hill of his holiness.
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 elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, [on] the sides of the north, 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 known in her palaces as a high 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 themselves, they passed by together;
Many kings gathered [with their armies] to attack [that city],
5 They saw, — so they marvelled; they were troubled, they fled in consternation:
but when they saw it, they were amazed; they became terrified, and ran away.
6 Trembling took hold upon them there; anguish, as of a woman in travail.
Because they were very afraid, they trembled like a woman who is about to give birth to a child;
7 With an east wind thou hast broken the ships of Tarshish.
they shook [like] ships sailing from Tarshish are shaken by a strong wind.
8 As we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of Jehovah of hosts, in the city of our God: God doth establish it for ever. (Selah)
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 We have thought, O God, of thy loving-kindness, in the midst of thy temple.
God, [here] in your temple we think about how you faithfully love us.
10 According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy 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 Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy 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 Walk about Zion, and go round about her: count the towers thereof;
[You Israeli people should] walk around Zion [Hill] and count the towers there;
13 Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces: that ye may tell it to the generation following.
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 for ever and ever; he will be our guide until 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.”
