Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth. Kings assembled and fled in terror. We have seen in the city of the LORD what we heard. Walk about Zion; count her towers. This God is our God forever and ever; He will guide us even unto death.
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Read Psalms Chapter 48 Summary
Original
Characters in This Chapter
David
Primary author of the Psalms, writing about half of the collection
Asaph
Levitical musician who wrote twelve psalms about suffering and God's justice
Moses
Author of Psalm 90, reflecting on God's eternity and human frailty
Korah
Levite who Rebelled Against Moses
Judah
Son of Jacob, Ancestor of David and Christ
Places in This Chapter
Mount Zion
View on MapMount Zion originally referred to the fortified hill that David captured from the Jebusites, making it the City of David. Over time, the name expanded to include the Temple Mount and came to represent Jerusalem as a whole, and ultimately the dwelling place of God. In Scripture, Zion symbolizes God's chosen city, His people, and the heavenly Jerusalem. The prophets spoke of Zion as the place from which salvation would come and where God would reign forever.
Position in Book
Book IChapters 1-41
Book IIChapters 42-72
Psalms of David and the Sons of Korah, including laments, royal psalms, and praise.
Book IIIChapters 73-89
Book IVChapters 90-106
Book VChapters 107-150
Bible Bites
'The apple of my eye' comes from the Bible
The everyday phrase 'the apple of my eye', meaning someone deeply cherished, comes straight from Scripture: 'Keep me as the apple of your eye' (Psalm 17:8). Many common English sayings, from 'a drop in the bucket' to 'the writing on the wall,' were born in the Bible.
Psalms 17:8The Longest Book by Chapter Count
With 150 chapters (psalms), the book of Psalms contains more chapters than any other book in the Bible. These ancient songs range from the shortest chapter in Scripture (Psalm 117 with just 2 verses) to the longest (Psalm 119 with 176 verses).
PsalmsNobody knows what 'Selah' means
The little word 'Selah' appears about 74 times in the Psalms, and its exact meaning has been lost. It may signal a musical pause, a swelling of the instruments, or a moment to stop and reflect. After thousands of years, it remains one of the Bible's small unsolved mysteries.
Psalms