The big picture
Psalms 48 opens in verse 1 with “Great is the LORD , and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 7 with “Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.”, and closes in verse 14 with “For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.” Repeated or prominent terms include city, Zion, earth, LORD, mount. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Psalms · King James Version · 14Psalms 48:1-7
1–7: Great is the LORD , and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in…
Psalms 48:1–7 opens with “Great is the LORD , and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his…” and reaches “Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 48 develops its own movement around city, Zion, earth, LORD, mount, with particular weight carried by city, assembled, Beautiful.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Great is the LORD , and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.” Naming Great keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Psalms 48:1-7
King James Version1Great is the LORD , and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.
2Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.
3God is known in her palaces for a refuge.
4For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together.
5They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away.
6Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.
7Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.
Psalms 48:8-14
8–14: As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in…
Psalms 48:8–14 opens with “As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God…” and reaches “For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 48 develops its own movement around city, Zion, earth, LORD, mount, with particular weight carried by city, tell, Zion.
Context that brings the passage to life
“As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for…” Naming Selah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Psalms 48:8-14
King James Version8As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah.
9We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.
10According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness.
11Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.
12Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.
13Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.
14For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Psalms 48:1 begins with “Great is the LORD , and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.”
Where the chapter turns
Psalms 48:7 forms a natural hinge: “Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.”
The final note
Psalms 48:14 leaves the reader with “For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words city, Zion, earth, LORD, mount, palaces help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What experiences shape Jacob's blessing?
God's lifelong shepherding, deliverance, the promise of land and the enduring memory of Rachel.
What earlier pattern do the crossed hands recall?
The promise repeatedly moves outside expected birth-order privilege, as with Isaac and Jacob.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.