psalm #48 "Beauty and glory of Zion"

Psalm 48 (New International Version)

Psalm 48

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.

 ¹ Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise,
       in the city of our God, his holy mountain. ² It is beautiful in its loftiness,
       the joy of the whole earth.
       Like the utmost heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion,
       the city of the Great King.
 ³ God is in her citadels;
       he has shown himself to be her fortress.
 ⁴ When the kings joined forces,
       when they advanced together,
 ⁵ they saw her and were astounded;
       they fled in terror.
 ⁶ Trembling seized them there,
       pain like that of a woman in labor.
 ⁷ You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish
       shattered by an east wind.
 ⁸ As we have heard,
       so have we seen
       in the city of the LORD Almighty,
       in the city of our God:
       God makes her secure forever.
       Selah
 ⁹ Within your temple, O God,
       we meditate on your unfailing love.
 ¹⁰ Like your name, O God,
       your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;
       your right hand is filled with righteousness.
 ¹¹ Mount Zion rejoices,
       the villages of Judah are glad
       because of your judgments.
 ¹² Walk about Zion, go around her,
       count her towers,
 ¹³ consider well her ramparts,
       view her citadels,
       that you may tell of them to the next generation.
 ¹⁴ For this God is our God for ever and ever;
       he will be our guide even to the end.