Psalms 48:6

6 They were gripped with terror and writhed in pain like a woman in labor.

Psalms 48:6 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 48:6

Fear took hold upon them there
That is, either when they came up to the city, and passed by it, and saw what they did; or, as Kimchi observes, in the place where they thought to have made a great slaughter; that is, in Armageddon, ( Revelation 16:16 ) ; so upon the slaughter of the seven thousand names of men, or men of name and renown, such as the kings here assembled, the remnant will be frightened, ( Revelation 11:13 ) ;

[and] pain, as of a woman in travail;
this figure is made use of elsewhere, when the destruction of Babylon and the coming of Christ are spoken of; see ( Isaiah 13:8 ) ( 1 Thessalonians 5:2 1 Thessalonians 5:3 ) .

Psalms 48:6 In-Context

4 The kings of the earth joined forces and advanced against the city.

5 But when they saw it, they were stunned; they were terrified and ran away.

6 They were gripped with terror and writhed in pain like a woman in labor.

7 You destroyed them like the mighty ships of Tarshish shattered by a powerful east wind.

8 We had heard of the city’s glory, but now we have seen it ourselves— the city of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. It is the city of our God; he will make it safe forever. Interlude