A Song of the Holy City
A song. A psalm of the sons of Korah.
After an attack fails, worshipers walk Jerusalem's walls and count her towers as evidence. The kings who came to take the city looked once, panicked, and fled in labor pains. What they had heard about their Father they had now seen.
48 1Great is our Father, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our Father, on his holy mountain. 2Beautiful in its heights, the joy of all the earth, is Mount Zion, the far reaches of the north, the city of the great King. a a v2 "The far reaches of the north" is an ancient poetic name for the divine mountain, here applied to Mount Zion as God's holy dwelling. 3Our Father, within her citadels, has made himself known as a fortress.
4For look, the kings assembled; together they advanced. 5They saw, and at once they were astounded; they were terrified, they fled in alarm. 6Trembling seized them there, anguish like a woman in labor. 7With the east wind you shattered the ships of Tarshish.
8As we have heard, so we have seen, in the city of the Father of heaven's armies, in the city of our Father; he establishes her forever.
9We have pondered your covenant love, our Father, within your temple. 10Like your name, our Father, so is your praise to the ends of the earth; your right hand is full of righteousness. 11Let Mount Zion be glad, let the daughters of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments.
12Walk about Zion, go around her; count her towers. 13Mark her ramparts well, pass through her citadels, that you may tell the next generation.
14For this is our Father, ours forever and ever; he will be our guide to the end.
