Psalm 48:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King.

NIV: Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth, like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King.

NASB: Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion in the far north, The city of the great King.

CSB: rising splendidly, is the joy of the whole earth. Mount Zion--the summit of Zaphon-- is the city of the great King.

NLT: It is high and magnificent; the whole earth rejoices to see it! Mount Zion, the holy mountain, is the city of the great King!

KJV: Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.

NKJV: Beautiful in elevation, The joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, The city of the great King.

This psalm uses Jerusalem as a living example of God's greatness. "His holy mountain" (Psalm 48:1) is Zion. This term is used for more than one location in or around the city. The name "Mount Zion" is sometimes applied to the hill just south of old Jerusalem, and at other times to the temple mount. It's likely the mention of Zion's location "in the far north" refers to the position of the temple mount within ancient Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is said to be "beautiful in elevation," using a Hebrew phrase word that has more to do with an advantageous position than extreme height. Jerusalem is located among a low mountain range which runs north and south; approaching from the east or west, it would appear to be situated "above" the traveler.

Prophetically, Jerusalem has brought joy to all the earth. Jesus died outside the city (Hebrews 13:12; Mark 15:20) to pay the penalty of sin and give eternal life to all who believe on Him as their Savior (John 3:16–18). Jesus will reign over all the earth from Jerusalem when He makes it His kingdom's capital city (Psalm 2:6; Isaiah 65:17–19). People throughout the kingdom will invite one another to go to Jerusalem to learn the Lord's ways (Isaiah 2:3).

Psalm 48:1–9 extols the Lord's excellence and power. These verses establish Jerusalem, "the city of our God," as a shining example of His greatness. Scholars suggest this passage may refer to God's miraculous acts during the reign of Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20), or to the defeat of the Assyrian army who attacked Hezekiah (2 Kings 19).

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.