Psalm 48

The Glory and Strength of Zion

A Song. A Psalm of the Korahites.
¹Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised
   in the city of our God.
His holy mountain, ²beautiful in elevation,
   is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
   the city of the great King.
³Within its citadels God
   has shown himself a sure defence.

⁴Then the kings assembled,
   they came on together.
⁵As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;
   they were in panic, they took to flight;
⁶trembling took hold of them there,
   pains as of a woman in labour,
⁷as when an east wind shatters
   the ships of Tarshish.
⁸As we have heard, so have we seen
   in the city of the Lord of hosts,
in the city of our God,
   which God establishes for ever.
          Selah

⁹We ponder your steadfast love, O God,
   in the midst of your temple.
¹⁰Your name, O God, like your praise,
   reaches to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with victory.
¹¹   Let Mount Zion be glad,
let the towns^* of Judah rejoice
   because of your judgements.

¹²Walk about Zion, go all around it,
   count its towers,
¹³consider well its ramparts;
   go through its citadels,
that you may tell the next generation
¹⁴   that this is God,
our God for ever and ever.
   He will be our guide for ever.