Psalms 48:1-10

1 A Song, a Psalm, by sons of Korah. Great [is] Jehovah, and praised greatly, In the city of our God -- His holy hill.

2 Beautiful [for] elevation, A joy of all the land, [is] Mount Zion, The sides of the north, the city of a great king.

3 God in her high places is known for a tower.

4 For, lo, the kings met, they passed by together,

5 They have seen -- so they have marvelled, They have been troubled, they were hastened away.

6 Trembling hath seized them there, Pain, as of a travailing woman.

7 By an east wind Thou shiverest ships of Tarshish.

8 As we have heard, so we have seen, In the city of Jehovah of hosts, In the city of our God, God doth establish her -- to the age. Selah.

9 We have thought, O God, of Thy kindness, In the midst of Thy temple,

10 As [is] Thy name, O God, so [is] Thy praise, Over the ends of the earth, Righteousness hath filled Thy right hand.

Psalms 48:1-10 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.