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.

שיר מזמור לבני קרח גדול יהוה ומהלל מאד בעיר אלהינו הר קדשו׃

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].

יפה נוף משוש כל הארץ הר ציון ירכתי צפון קרית מלך רב׃

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

אלהים בארמנותיה נודע למשגב׃

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

כי הנה המלכים נועדו עברו יחדו׃

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

המה ראו כן תמהו נבהלו נחפזו׃

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

רעדה אחזתם שם חיל כיולדה׃

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

ברוח קדים תשבר אניות תרשיש׃

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.

כאשר שמענו כן ראינו בעיר יהוה צבאות בעיר אלהינו אלהים יכוננה עד עולם סלה׃

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

דמינו אלהים חסדך בקרב היכלך׃

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

כשמך אלהים כן תהלתך על קצוי ארץ צדק מלאה ימינך׃

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.

ישמח הר ציון תגלנה בנות יהודה למען משפטיך׃

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

סבו ציון והקיפוה ספרו מגדליה׃

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

שיתו לבכם לחילה פסגו ארמנותיה למען תספרו לדור אחרון׃

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.”

כי זה אלהים אלהינו עולם ועד הוא ינהגנו על מות׃