The Bible — World English Bible
Psalm 48
In brief
Psalm 48 is a song of the sons of Korah that celebrates God in Zion, the city of Jerusalem. It begins with the greatness of the LORD and the beauty of the holy mountain. Then it tells of kings who allied against the city and, seized with fear, fled. The people confess that they have seen with their own eyes what they had heard. The psalm then invites us to walk around the ramparts and tell everything to the next generation, because this God will be our guide.
The chapter in 4 parts
1Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.
2Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, on the north sides, the city of the great King.
3God has shown himself in her citadels as a refuge.
4For, behold, the kings assembled themselves, they passed by together.
5They saw it, then they were amazed. They were dismayed. They hurried away.
6Trembling took hold of them there, pain, as of a woman in travail.
7With the east wind, you break the ships of Tarshish.
8As we have heard, so we have seen, in the city of Yahweh of Armies, in the city of our God. God will establish it forever.
9We have thought about your loving kindness, God, in the middle of your temple.
10As is your name, God, so is your praise to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is full of righteousness.
11Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments.
12Walk about Zion, and go around her. Number its towers.
13Notice her bulwarks. Consider her palaces, that you may tell it to the next generation.
14For this God is our God forever and ever. He will be our guide even to death.
Key verses
Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.
The psalm opens with the greatness of the LORD and the praise due to him. Zion is honored because God is present there.
As we have heard, so we have seen, in the city of Yahweh of Armies, in the city of our God. God will establish it forever.
What the people had heard told, they now see with their own eyes. Faith moves from handed-down testimony to personal experience.
We have thought about your loving kindness, God, in the middle of your temple.
In the middle of the temple, the people think about God's kindness. Deliverance leads to gratitude rather than triumphalism.
Walk about Zion, and go around her. Number its towers. Notice her bulwarks. Consider her palaces, that you may tell it to the next generation.
The invitation to count the towers and observe the ramparts has a purpose: to pass on to the next generation what God has done.
For this God is our God forever and ever. He will be our guide even to death.
The psalm ends with a confession of faith: this God is our God forever, and he guides his people even to death.
Test your knowledge
Frequently asked questions about Psalm 48
What does Psalm 48 mean?
Psalm 48 celebrates God who protects his city. The kings who attack it flee before they even fight, which reminds us that Zion's security comes from God's presence and not from its walls. The psalm calls for gratitude and asks us to pass this story on to our children, confessing that God remains the guide of his people.
How can I pray or meditate on Psalm 48?
Start by praising God for his greatness, then remember a time when he helped you and tell it aloud, as the psalm asks us to do. You can also write down what you want to pass on to your children or your church. Finish with verse 14, entrusting your path to God as your guide.
Who wrote Psalm 48?
The title attributes it to the sons of Korah, a family of Levites responsible for singing in the sanctuary. The text does not specify the exact event, but it describes the defeat of allied kings against Jerusalem. Readers have often linked it to deliverances told in Israel's history, though traditions do not agree on which one.
Articles quoting Psalm 48
World English Bible translation — public domain.