(A song and a psalm by the clan of Korah.)
The City of God
1 The Lord God is wonderful!
He deserves all praise
in the city where he lives.
His holy mountain,
2 beautiful and majestic,
brings joy to all on earth.
Mount Zion, truly sacred,
is home for the Great King.
3 God is there to defend it
and has proved to be
its protector.
4 Kings joined forces
to attack the city,
5 but when they saw it,
they were terrified
and ran away.
6 They trembled all over
like women giving birth
7 or like seagoing ships
wrecked by eastern winds.
8 We had heard about it,
and now we have seen it
in the city of our God,
the Lord All-Powerful.
This is the city that God
will let stand forever.
9 Our God, here in your temple
we think about your love.
10 You are famous and praised
everywhere on earth,
as you win victories
with your powerful arm.
11 Mount Zion will celebrate,
and all Judah will be glad,
because you bring justice.
12 Let's walk around Zion
and count its towers.
13 We will see its strong walls
and visit each fortress.
Then you can say
to future generations,
14 “Our God is like this forever
and will always guide us.”
1 A song or Psalme committed to the sonnes of Korah. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praysed, in the Citie of our God, euen vpon his holy Mountaine. 2 Mount Zion, lying Northwarde, is faire in situation: it is the ioy of the whole earth, and the Citie of the great King. 3 In the palaces thereof God is knowen for a refuge. 4 For lo, the Kings were gathered, and went together. 5 When they sawe it, they marueiled: they were astonied, and suddenly driuen backe. 6 Feare came there vpon them, and sorowe, as vpon a woman in trauaile. 7 As with an East winde thou breakest the shippes of Tarshish, so were they destroyed. 8 As we haue heard, so haue we seene in the citie of the Lord of hostes, in the Citie of our God: God will stablish it for euer. Selah. 9 We waite for thy louing kindnes, O God, in the middes of thy Temple. 10 O God, according vnto thy Name, so is thy prayse vnto the worlds end: thy right hand is full of righteousnes. 11 Let mount Zion reioyce, and the daughters of Iudah be glad, because of thy iudgements. 12 Compasse about Zion, and goe round about it, and tell the towres thereof. 13 Marke well the wall thereof: beholde her towres, that ye may tell your posteritie. 14 For this God is our God for euer and euer: he shall be our guide vnto the death.