The LORD is great and greatly praised in the city of God, whose beauty, joy, and royal identity are defined by His holy presence and fortress-like protection.
1 Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.
2 Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, on the north sides, the city of the great King.
3 God has shown himself in her citadels as a refuge.
Kings gather and advance against Zion, but their confidence collapses into terror and flight when confronted with the reality of God's protected city.
4 For, behold, the kings assembled themselves, they passed by together.
5 They saw it, then they were amazed. They were dismayed. They hurried away.
6 Trembling took hold of them there, pain, as of a woman in travail.
7 With the east wind, you break the ships of Tarshish.
The congregation moves from received testimony to present confirmation, confessing that the LORD of hosts establishes His city forever.
8 As we have heard, so we have seen, in the city of Yahweh of Armies, in the city of our God. God will establish it forever.
Temple meditation on God's steadfast love expands into worldwide praise and Zion's joy because God's right hand is filled with righteousness and His judgments are just.
9 We have thought about your loving kindness, God, in the middle of your temple.
10 As is your name, God, so is your praise to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is full of righteousness.
11 Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments.
The people are commanded to inspect Zion's towers, ramparts, and citadels, not as architectural tourism, but so they can testify to God's preserving work.
12 Walk about Zion, and go around her. Number its towers.
13 Notice her bulwarks. Consider her palaces, that you may tell it to the next generation.
The psalm closes with covenant confession: the God who protects, reveals, establishes, and receives praise is the people's God forever and their guide to the end.
14 For this God is our God forever and ever. He will be our guide even to death.