Clear morning: Jerusalem seen small across the Kidron valley, its plain wall and flat roofs on the ridge, a long plain stone temple on the height, pale sky above.

Song of Zion · Sons of Korah

Psalm 48

Walk around the city, count what God has kept, and go tell your children.

14 verses≈ 3 minBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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Where we are

1–41Book IDavid's prayers: 'The LORD is my shepherd'
42–72Book II'As the deer pants'; the throne under pressurePsalm 48
73–89Book IIIAsaph and Korah: the kingdom falls
90–106Book IVBack to Moses: the LORD reigns
107–150Book VSongs of ascents, and the last Hallelujah

Broken Bondage

A song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

Great is the LORD,

and greatly to be praised

in the city of our God,

His holy mountain.

Beautiful in loftiness,

the joy of all the earth,

like the peaks of Zaphon is Mount Zion,

the city of the great King.

God is in her citadels;

He has shown Himself to be a fortress.

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

Stylised map · locations approximate

On the map

Zaphon and Zion

Zaphon was the great sacred peak of Canaan’s gods, far to the north. Zion is small. The psalm puts it in Zaphon’s place.

As we have heard, so we have seen

in the city of the LORD of Hosts,

in the city of our God:

God will establish her forever.

Selah

Within Your temple, O God,

we contemplate Your loving devotion.

Your name, O God, like Your praise,

reaches to the ends of the earth;

Your right hand is full of righteousness.

Mount Zion is glad,

the daughters of Judah rejoice,

on account of Your judgments.

Reflect

Pass it on

What has God done that the next generation in your family hasn’t heard yet? Write it down the way you would tell it to them.

Looking up along the outside of a thick stone city wall: plain flat-topped square towers one after another up the ridge, a father and small son walking at its foot, seen from behind.

March around Zion, encircle her,

count her towers,

consider her ramparts, tour her citadels,

that you may tell the next generation.

0:09

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

For this God is our God forever and ever;

He will be our guide even till death.

You’ve experienced

Psalm 48

0 of 150 psalms read

A verse to carry with you

For this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even till death.

Psalm 48:14

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