Bible Commentaries
Psalms 48

Verse 1

Title. A Song. Hebrew. Shir . See App-65 .

Psalm. Hebrew. mizmor. See App-65 .

for the sons of Korah . See App-63 . The fifth of nine so ascribed; and the last of the four Psalms celebrating the deliverance of Zion and Hezekiah (44, 46-48).

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

the city: i.e. Zion, recently delivered from Sennacherib.

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .

the mountain of His holiness , or of His Sanctuary. Genitive of Character.

Verse 2

situation = elevation.

earth: or land.

mount Zion. Immediately south of Moriah. See App-68 .

the sides of the north: i.e. with Moriah and the Temple immediately on the north side.

The city of the great King = [is] Jerusalem as a whole. Note the three points of view: (1) the elevated mount; (2) the south side of Moriah; (3) Jerusalem proper. Compare Matthew 5:35 .

Verse 3

is known = hath made Himself known.

Verse 4

lo. Figure of speech Asterismos.

the kings: i.e. the vassal kings of Sennacherib.

Verse 7

wind. Hebrew. ruach. App-9 .

Verse 8

As we have heard. Thus linking on Psalms 44:1 .

the LORD of hosts. Compare Psalms 46:7 , Psalms 46:11 .

Selah. Connecting the demand of Psalms 46:10 , to "be still" and exalt Jehovah, with the "rest" in the thought of His lovingkindness.

Verse 9

thought = been silent (Hebrew. damah), or stood still (Psalms 46:10 ) and rested in thought. midst. Same word as in Psalms 46:5 .

Verse 10

name. See note on Psalms 20:1 .

Verse 11

daughters = cities. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), for cities (compare Numbers 21:25 .Joshua 17:11 , Joshua 17:16 ). These cities of Judah had cause for rejoicing, for they were now free from Sennacherib, who had captured them (Isaiah 36:1 ). See Sennacherib's cylinder. App-67 .

judgments: on the Assyrian host.

Verse 12

Walk about. They were now free to do this.

towers. Many discovered on the east side of Ophel in recent excavations.

Verse 13

bulwarks = outer walls or ramparts.

Consider = single out. Occurs only here.

Verse 14

this God: or, such a God.

even unto death = for evermore, according to some codices, five early printed editions, Aramaean, Septuagint, and Vulgate The Massorites divided the one word ( 'almuth ) into two ( 'al moth) , making it = "over death". But the correspondence is with the preceding line, and with Psalms 48:8 , as shown in the Structure.

To the chief Musician. Though written (probably by Hezekiah, Isaiah 38:20 ) for this special occasion, it was handed over for public use in the Temple worship. couplets in one being answered by quatrains in the other. If written by Hezekiah after his recovery the date would be about 602 B.C.