A Song. A Psalm by the sons of Qarun1.
1Great is YAHWEH2, and greatly to be praised,
In the city of our God, in his holy mountain.
2Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth,
Is Al-Quds3, on the north sides,
The city of the great King.
3God has shown himself in her citadels as a refuge.
4For, behold, the kings assembled themselves,
They passed by together.
5They saw it, then they were amazed.
They were dismayed,
They hurried away.
6Trembling took hold of them there,
Pain, as of a woman in labour.
7With the east wind, you break the ships of Tarshish.
8As we have heard, so we have seen,
In the city of YAHWEH All-Powerful, in the city of our God.
God will establish it forever. Selah.
9We have thought about your loving kindness, God,
In the midst of your Temple.
10As is your Name, God,
So is your praise to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is full of righteousness.
11Let Al-Quds be glad!
Let the daughters of Judah rejoice,
Because of your judgments.
12Walk about Al-Quds, and go around her.
Number its towers;
13Mark well her bulwarks.
Consider her palaces,
That you may tell it to the next generation.
14For this God is our God forever and ever.
He will be our guide even to death.
- 48:title Qarun, Arabic name derived from the Hebrew name Korah. ↩︎
- 48:1 YAHWEH, God’s personal Name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15: ‘God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”’ ↩︎
- 48:2 Al-Quds, meaning “the Holy (City).” The Hebrew text reads Mount Zion, a synonym for Jerusalem. It originally referred to the literal Mount Zion, one of the hills of Jerusalem. ↩︎