Psalms 48:1-7

1 1Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised in 2the city of our God! His 3holy mountain,
2 4beautiful in elevation, is 5the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, 6the city of the great King.
3 Within her citadels God has made himself known as a fortress.
4 For behold, 7the kings assembled; they came on together.
5 As soon as they saw it, they were astounded; they were in panic; they took to flight.
6 8Trembling took hold of them there, anguish 9as of a woman in labor.
7 By 10the east wind you 11shattered the ships of 12Tarshish.

Psalms 48:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 48

\\<>\\. This psalm is entitled a "song psalm", a psalm to be sung vocally; or "a song and psalm" to be sung both vocally and instrumentally; and is one of the spiritual songs the apostle speaks of, Eph 5:19; It was occasioned, as some think, by David's spoiling the Philistines, 2Sa 5:17-21; or, as others, by the deliverance of the people from the Moabites and Ammonites in the times of Jehoshaphat, 2Ch 20:27,28; or, as others, by the deliverance of the inhabitants of Jerusalem from Sennacherib in the times of Hezekiah, 2Ki 19:34,35; though as Kimchi, a celebrated Jewish commentator, owns, it belongs to the times of the Messiah, as the other preceding psalms; and treats of his greatness, and of the praise and glory due to him, and gives large encomiums of his church.

Cross References 12

  • 1. Psalms 96:4; Psalms 145:3
  • 2. See Psalms 46:4
  • 3. Psalms 2:6; Psalms 87:1; Zechariah 8:3; [Isaiah 2:3; Micah 4:1]
  • 4. See Psalms 50:2
  • 5. Lamentations 2:15; [Ezekiel 20:6]
  • 6. Matthew 5:35
  • 7. See 2 Samuel 10:6-19
  • 8. [Exodus 15:15]
  • 9. Isaiah 13:8; Hosea 13:13
  • 10. Jeremiah 18:17
  • 11. 1 Kings 22:48; Ezekiel 27:26
  • 12. 1 Kings 10:22
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.