תהילים 48

1 שיר מזמור לבני-קרח ב גדול יהוה ומהלל מאד-- בעיר אלהינו הר-קדשו

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

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 אלהים בארמנותיה נודע למשגב

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

4 כי-הנה המלכים נועדו עברו יחדו

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

5 המה ראו כן תמהו נבהלו נחפזו

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

6 רעדה אחזתם שם חיל כיולדה

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

7 ברוח קדים-- תשבר אניות תרשיש

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

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

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 דמינו אלהים חסדך-- בקרב היכלך

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

10 כשמך אלהים-- כן תהלתך על-קצוי-ארץ צדק מלאה ימינך

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

11 ישמח הר ציון--תגלנה בנות יהודה למען משפטיך

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 סבו ציון והקיפוה ספרו מגדליה

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

13 שיתו לבכם לחילה--פסגו ארמנותיה למען תספרו לדור אחרון

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

14 כי זה אלהים אלהינו--עולם ועד הוא ינהגנו על-מות

[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.”