Psalms 48:2

Psalms 48:2 in other versions

• New International Version (NIV)Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth, like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King.
• English Standard Version (ESV)beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Beautiful in elevation, The joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, The city of the great King.
• New Living Translation (NLT)It is high and magnificent; the whole earth rejoices to see it! Mount Zion, the holy mountain, is the city of the great King!

Context of Psalms 48:2

1Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful 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.

Psalms 48:2 word by word

יְפֵ֥ה נוֹף֮ מְשׂ֪וֹשׂ כָּל־הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ הַר־צִ֭יּוֹן יַרְכְּתֵ֣י צָפ֑וֹן קִ֝רְיַ֗ת מֶ֣לֶךְ רָֽב׃Read the interlinear

• Beautifulיָפֶהyâpheh · beautifulH3303
• for situationנוֹףnôph · elevationH5131
• the joyמָשׂוֹשׂmâώôώ · rejoicingH4885
• of the whole earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• mountהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
• Zionצִיּוֹןtsîyôn · ZionH6726
• the sidesיַרְכָהyerêkâh · flankH3411
• of the northצָפוֹןtsâphôn tsâphôn · ZaphonH6828
• the cityקִרְיָהqiryâh · townH7151
• of the greatרַבrab · manyH7227
• Kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428

Cross-references for Psalms 48:2

• Psalms 50:2Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.
• Jeremiah 3:19But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.
• Lamentations 2:15All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?
• Daniel 8:9And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.
• Daniel 11:16But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed.
• Isaiah 60:15Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.
• Isaiah 66:10Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:
• Ezekiel 20:6In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:
• Malachi 3:12And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.
• Hebrews 12:22But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
• Isaiah 14:13For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
• Psalms 47:7For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.
• Malachi 1:14But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.
• Matthew 5:35Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

Commentaries on Psalms 48:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2The joy of the whole earth - Commentators have been greatly puzzled to show in what sense Zion, or the temple, could be said to be the joy of the whole earth. If we take the earth here for the habitable globe, there is no sense in which it ever was the joy of the whole earth; but If we take הארץ כל col haarets, as signifying the whole of this land, (and it has no other meaning), the assertion is plain and easy to be understood, for the temple was…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Beautiful for situation - The word rendered “situation” - נוף nôph - means properly “elevation, height,” (Ges. Lexicon); and the idea here is, that the mountain referred to is “beautiful for elevation;” that is, it rises gracefully. The allusion here is to Jerusalem as it would appear to one approaching it, and especially as it appeared to the “kings” Psalm 48:4 who came to invest it, and who were so impressed with its marvelous beauty and strength, that…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-14This song of Zion (see also Psalms 46, 76, 87, 122) clearly describes Jerusalem (Zion) as the city of the Great King, where the godly find protection (48:1–3). God rules from Zion with faithfulness, righteousness, and justice, inspiring his people with confidence and joy (Psalm 48:9–11). They dedicate themselves to witnessing Zion's glory so they can share it with the next generation (Psalm 48:8, 12–14).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-32-3. situation--literally, "elevation." joy of, &c.--source of joy. sides of the north--poetically for eminent, lofty, distinguished, as the ancients believed the north to be the highest part of the earth (compare Is 14:13).Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 48:2

• Church
• Jerusalem
• Zion

In the dictionaries

• Guide
• Hasted
• Psalms
• Bible, the
• Ethics
• Korahites; Sons of Korah
• Omnipresence
• Pentateuch
• Psalms, Book of
• Korahite

Commentaries on Psalms 48

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings