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.
• 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 most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain. Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth, like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King. 3God is in her citadels; he has shown himself to be her fortress. 4When the kings joined forces, when they advanced together,

Psalms 48:2 word by word

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• 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 50:2From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.
• Jeremiah 3:19“I myself said, “ ‘How gladly would I treat you like my children and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.’ I thought you would call me ‘Father’ and not turn away from following me.
• Lamentations 2:15All who pass your way clap their hands at you; they scoff and shake their heads at Daughter Jerusalem: “Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth?”
• Daniel 8:9Out of one of them came another horn, which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land.
• Daniel 11:16The invader will do as he pleases; no one will be able to stand against him. He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land and will have the power to destroy it.
• Isaiah 60:15“Although you have been forsaken and hated, with no one traveling through, I will make you the everlasting pride and the joy of all generations.
• Isaiah 66:10“Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her.
• Ezekiel 20:6On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands.
• Malachi 3:12“Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty.
• Hebrews 12:22But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,
• Isaiah 14:13You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.
• Psalms 47:7For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise.
• Malachi 1:14“Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations.
• Matthew 5:35or by the earth, for it is his footstool; 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