Psalm 48, YHWH is in Zion!

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.

This is a song of excitement and praise. "Yes, we are in Jerusalem, the City of God!" claims the psalmist.

Psalm 48: 1-3, YHWH is in the temple

 Great is the LORD, 

and most worthy of praise, 

in the city of our God, 

his holy mountain.

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.

 God is in her citadels; 

he has shown himself to be her fortress.

YHWH is in this temple, in the city of God. The city of God, with God in the center, is, of course, beautiful.

Psalm 48: 4-7, The kings flee from Jerusalem

 When the kings joined forces, 

when they advanced together,

 they saw [her] and were astounded; 

they fled in terror.

Trembling seized them there, 

pain like that of a woman in labor.

 You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish

shattered by an east wind.

Enemies flee from God and from the city, shattered.

Alter sees word play in the Hebrew nowda in verse 4, translated by the NIV as "shown himself", followed in the next line by nowadu (verse 5), translated as "joined forces". (God has nowda while the kings nowadu.)

Psalm 48: 8, The city is secure

 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.

The city of God is protected by YHWH Almighty.

Psalm 48: 9-10, Praise

 Within your temple, O God, 

we meditate on your unfailing love.

 Like your name, O God, 

your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; 

your right hand is filled with righteousness.

And so, with YHWH protecting us, we praise Him.

Psalm 48: 11-13, Mount Zion

 Mount Zion rejoices, 

the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments.

 Walk about Zion, 

go around her, 

count her towers,

 consider well her ramparts, 

view her citadels,

 that you may tell of them to the next generation.

We rejoice at the city and the surrounding villages, protected by God. The audience is urged to walk around the city and rejoice in its details.

The phrase translated "villages of Judah" is literally "daughters of Judah", says Alter. The city of Jerusalem was "mother" to her nearby "daughter" villages.

Psalm 48: 14, Until the end

 For this God is our God for ever and ever; 

he will be our guide even to the end.

Even to the end of time, we, the citizens of the city, rely on God. The physical city of God for the Sons of Korah is to become an eternal city. John's vision in Revelation 21: 1-4 describes the fulfillment of this claim, adding "There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." I look forward to that event.