Psalms 48:1-6

1 A song. A psalm of the descendants of Korach: Great is ADONAI and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, his holy mountain,

2 beautiful in its elevation, the joy of all the earth, Mount Tziyon, in the far north, the city of the great king.

3 In its citadels God has been revealed as a strong defense.

4 For the kings met by agreement; together they advanced.

5 They saw and were filled with consternation; terrified, they took to flight.

6 Trembling took hold of them, pains like those of a woman in labor,

Psalms 48:1-6 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.