1 A song, a psalm for the sons of Korah.
2 Great [is] Jehovah, and exceedingly to be praised in the city of our God, the mountain of his holiness.
3 Beautiful for elevation, the joy of the whole earth [is] the mountain of Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.
4 God hath been known in her palaces as a refuge.
5 For lo! the kings met (i.e. by agreement), they passed through together.
6 They saw, so they wondered, they were terrified, they fled in alarm.
7 Trembling seized them there, pain as of one bringing forth.
8 With an east wind thou breakest the ships of Tarshish.
9 As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of Jehovah of hosts, in the city of our God; God will establish her for ever. Selah.
10 We have meditated on thy mercy, O God, in the midst of thy temple.
11 According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth; of righteousness is thy right hand full.
12 Mount Zion rejoiceth, the daughters of Judah exult because of thy judgments.
13 Surround ye Zion and encompass her; count ye her towers.
14 Set your heart to her rampart, consider her palaces, that ye may recount [it] to the generation following.
15 For this God [is] our God [for] ever and ever; he will lead us until death.
Notes on Psalm 48
It is “A song, a psalm for the sons of Korah.” The remnant rise in the expression of their faith and can now begin with Jehovah, as they see the vision of Zion in its beauty and glory, and all confederacies confounded, yea, vanished away. It is an advance even on the last. The glory of the king penetrates as it were place and people. So predicted Isaiah 2, 60, Micah 4, 5, Zechariah 14.