Psalm 48:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: As your name, O God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is filled with righteousness.

NIV: Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness.

NASB: As is Your name, God, So is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness.

CSB: Like your name, God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with justice.

NLT: As your name deserves, O God, you will be praised to the ends of the earth. Your strong right hand is filled with victory.

KJV: According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness.

NKJV: According to Your name, O God, So is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness.

This psalm has celebrated God's glory and power, using the city of Jerusalem as a living example (Psalm 48:1–7). Scholars suggest this might be connected to real-world events. These include the defeat of Sennacherib (2 Kings 19) or the miraculous subversion of the attack against Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20). God's righteousness is, in part, demonstrated in these responses to enemies of His people (Psalm 48:8–9).

God would be seen as unrighteous—unjust—if He allowed sin to go unpunished. Romans 3:10 declares that no one is righteous, and no one can be acceptable to God by performing religious deeds (Romans 3:20). However, God demonstrated that He is righteous by providing redemption for sinners. This was necessary to justify them through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:21–26). When a person believes on Jesus Christ as Savior, he becomes the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).

The psalmist describes both God's name and His praise reaching the entire world. He sees the truth of God's glory, and the Lord's deserving of honor, as being acknowledged everywhere. As believers carry the good news throughout the world, God's praise reaches to the ends of the earth. Someday in heaven, praise will ascend to Jesus, the Lamb of God, for who He is and for what He did to redeem sinners (Revelation 5:8–14).

The psalm begins with a declaration of God's superiority and that He is worthy of worship. In this song, Jerusalem is used as an example of the Lord's greatness. Prior victories over enemies and the preservation of city walls and defenses attest to His loyal, persistent love for the city. Notes about assembled kings fleeing may refer to the miraculous rescue of Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20), where Israel didn't even need to fight to see her enemies flee. This psalm echoes themes found in Psalms 46 and 47, as well as the concept of passing along these truths to successive generations, as seen in Psalm 44:1–3.

Like Psalm 47, this psalm celebrates the Lord's deliverance of Jerusalem. This might refer to the defeat of Sennacherib (2 Kings 19) or the miraculous rout of an enemy coalition (2 Chronicles 20). The focus of the psalm is on Jerusalem as a living example of God's love and power. This shares themes with Psalms 46 and 47. Phrasing in certain verses resembles text found in Isaiah (Isaiah 33:14, 18, 21, 22). The "Sons of Korah" appear to be descendants of those who survived God's judgment during the exodus (Numbers 16:25–32; 26:9–11) and were especially connected to the tabernacle (1 Chronicles 9:19–21:).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.