48  A song by Korah’s descendants.

1 Yahweh is incredible and deserves to be praised a lot,

in our god’s city on his sacred hill.

2 Beautiful on the high hills,

making the whole world happy,

is Mt. Tsiyyon, on the northern sides—

the great king’s city.

3 God has made himself known in her towers as protector,

4 because, look, the kings assembled themselves.

They passed by together.

5 They saw it, then they were astounded.

They were dismayed, and they hurried away.

6 Trembling took hold of them there—

pain like woman who’s in labour.

7 You smash the ships from Tarshish

with the east wind.

8 We’ve now seen what we’d heard about in Commander-in-chief Yahweh’s city—

in the city of our god.

God will establish it forever. (Instrumental break.)

9 We thought about your loyal commitment, God,

when we were in the middle of your temple.

10 Your praise reaches the ends of the earth

≈ as does your reputation, God.

→ You rule with power and with justice.

11 Let Mt. Tsiyyon (Zion) be glad.

≈ Let Yehudah’s daughters celebrate

→ because of your righteous decrees.

12 Walk around Mt. Tsiyyon.

≈ Go round about her.

→ Count her towers,

13 Take good notice of her walls,

≈ and look at her palaces

→ so that you can tell it to the next generation,

14 because this god is our god forever and ever.

≈ He will be our guide all the way through to death.