Psalms 48:2

Psalms 48:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.
• 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.

Context of Psalms 48:2

1Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, In the city of our God, His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion in the far north, The city of the great King. 3God, in her palaces, Has made Himself known as a stronghold. 4For, lo, the kings assembled themselves, 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
• in elevationנוֹףnôph · elevationH5131
• the joyמָשׂוֹשׂmâώôώ · rejoicingH4885
• of the wholeכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• Is Mountהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
• Zionצִיּוֹןtsîyôn · ZionH6726
• the farיַרְכָהyerêkâh · flankH3411
• northצָפוֹןtsâphôn tsâphôn · ZaphonH6828
• cityקִרְיָהqiryâh · townH7151
• of the greatרַבrab · manyH7227
• Kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428

Cross-references for Psalms 48:2

• Psalms 50:2Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth.
• Jeremiah 3:19“Then I said, ‘How I would set you among My sons And give you a pleasant land, The most beautiful inheritance of the nations!’ And I said, ‘You shall call Me, My Father, And not turn away from following Me.’
• Lamentations 2:15All who pass along the way Clap their hands in derision at you; They hiss and shake their heads At the daughter of Jerusalem, “Is this the city of which they said, ‘The perfection of beauty, A joy to all the earth’?”
• Daniel 8:9Out of one of them came forth a rather small horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Beautiful Land.
• Daniel 11:16But he who comes against him will do as he pleases, and no one will be able to withstand him; he will also stay for a time in the Beautiful Land, with destruction in his hand.
• Isaiah 60:15“Whereas you have been forsaken and hated With no one passing through, I will make you an everlasting pride, A joy from generation to generation.
• Isaiah 66:10“Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her; Be exceedingly glad with her, all you who mourn over her,
• Ezekiel 20:6on that day I swore to them, to bring them out from the land of Egypt into a land that I had selected for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands.
• Malachi 3:12“All the nations will call you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land,” says the Lord of hosts.
• Hebrews 12:22But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,
• Isaiah 14:13But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north.
• Psalms 47:7For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with a skillful psalm.
• Malachi 1:14“But cursed be the swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great King,” says the Lord of hosts, “and My name is feared among the nations.”
• Matthew 5:35or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or 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