Psalm 48¹⁸

A song, a psalm by the Korachites
48:1 The LORD is great and certainly worthy of praise
in the city of our God, his holy hill.¹
48:2 It is lofty and pleasing to look at,²
a source of joy to the whole earth.³
Mount Zion resembles the peaks of Zaphon,⁴
it is the city of the great king.
48:3 God is in its fortresses,
he reveals himself as its defender.⁵
48:4 For,⁶ look, the kings assemble,⁷
they advance together.
48:5 As soon as they see,⁸ they are shocked,⁹
they are terrified, they quickly retreat.¹⁰
48:6 Look at them shake uncontrollably,¹¹
like a woman writhing in childbirth.¹²
48:7 With an east wind
you shatter¹³ the large ships.¹⁴
48:8 We heard about God’s mighty deeds, now we have seen them,¹⁵
in the city of the LORD, the invincible Warrior,¹⁶
in the city of our God.
God makes it permanently secure.¹⁷ (Selah)
48:9 We reflect on your loyal love, O God,
within your temple.
48:10 The praise you receive as far away as the ends of the earth
is worthy of your reputation, O God.¹⁸
You execute justice!¹⁹
48:11 Mount Zion rejoices,
the towns²⁰ of Judah are happy,²¹
because of your acts of judgment.²²
48:12 Walk around²³ Zion! Encircle it!
Count its towers!
48:13 Consider its defenses!²⁴
Walk through²⁵ its fortresses,
so you can tell the next generation about it!²⁶
48:14 For God, our God, is our defender forever!²⁷
He guides²⁸ us!²⁹