Psalms 48:1-11

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.

11 Rejoice doth Mount Zion, The daughters of Judah are joyful, For the sake of Thy judgments.

Psalms 48:1-11 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.