Psalms 48

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

A SONG. A PSALM OF THE SONS OF KORAH. Great [is] YHWH, and greatly praised, In the city of our God—His holy hill.

2 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].

Beautiful [for] elevation, A joy of all the land, [is] Mount Zion, The sides of the north, the city of [the] great King.

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

God is known for a tower in her high places.

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

For behold, the kings met, they passed by together,

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

They have seen—so they have marveled, They have been troubled, they were hurried away.

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

Trembling has seized them there, Pain, as of a travailing woman.

7 they shook [like] ships sailing from Tarshish are shaken by a strong wind.

By an east wind You shatter ships of Tarshish.

8 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.

As we have heard, so we have seen, In the city of YHWH of hosts, In the city of our God, God establishes her for all time. (Selah)

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

We have thought, O God, of Your kindness, In the midst of Your temple,

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

As [is] Your Name, O God, so [is] Your praise, Over the ends of the earth, Righteousness has filled Your right hand.

11 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.

Mount Zion rejoices, The daughters of Judah are joyful, For the sake of Your judgments.

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

Surround Zion, and go around her, count her towers,

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

Set your heart to her bulwark, Consider her high places, So that you recount to a later generation,

14 [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.”

That this God [is] our God—For all time and forever, He leads us over death!