The Meaning of Psalms 48:1 Explained

Psalms 48:1

KJV: {A Song and Psalm for the sons of Korah.} Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.

YLT: A Song, a Psalm, by sons of Korah. Great is Jehovah, and praised greatly, In the city of our God -- His holy hill.

Darby: {A Song; a Psalm. Of the sons of Korah.} Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the hill of his holiness.

ASV: Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised, In the city of our God, in his holy mountain.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

{{A Song  [and] Psalm  for the sons  of Korah.  }} Great  [is] the LORD,  and greatly  to be praised  in the city  of our God,  [in] the mountain  of his holiness. 

What does Psalms 48:1 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Ancient peoples connected the glory of a god with the place where he dwelt. That association is clear in this psalm. The holy mountain where His Ark resided reflected God"s greatness. This verse summarizes the theme of the Psalm , namely, that God is worthy of great praise.

Context Summary

Psalm 48:1-14 - "the City Of Our God"
This psalm also probably dates from 2 Chronicles 20:20. Tekoa was only three hours' march from Jerusalem and commanded an extensive view, so that Psalms 48:4-5 were literally true.
The psalmist celebrates the beauty and glory of Zion, Psalms 48:1-3. The Church today is the City of the great King. Apart from God, the fairest palace is no refuge; but a cottage becomes a palace if God is known and loved there. Judah's recent deliverance is gratefully commemorated, Psalms 48:4-8. It is a sublime picture: the gathered array, the dismay, flight, and destruction of the foe. Then comes the call to loving thought on God's care and goodness, Psalms 48:9-14. Notice those two sentences-"As we have heard, so we have seen," Psalms 48:8; and, "As is thy name, so is thy praise," Psalms 48:10. Whatever we have been told by our fathers about God, God is prepared to be and do for us; and our aim should be to praise Him worthily. Think of His love till your heart kindles to praise; and remember that this God is yours forever and ever. Let us surrender to Him the guidance of every step, until we pass through death into His immediate presence. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 48

1  The ornaments and privileges of the church

What do the individual words in Psalms 48:1 mean?

A Song a Psalm of the sons of Korah Great [is] Yahweh and to be praised greatly in the city of our God [In] mountain His holy
שִׁ֥יר מִ֝זְמוֹר לִבְנֵי־ קֹֽרַח גָּ֘ד֤וֹל יְהוָ֣ה וּמְהֻלָּ֣ל מְאֹ֑ד בְּעִ֥יר אֱ֝לֹהֵ֗ינוּ הַר־ קָדְשֽׁוֹ

שִׁ֥יר  A  Song 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁיר 
Sense: song.
מִ֝זְמוֹר  a  Psalm 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְמֹור  
Sense: melody, psalm.
לִבְנֵי־  of  the  sons 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
קֹֽרַח  of  Korah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹרַח  
Sense: son of Izhar, grandson of Kohath, great grandson of Levi and leader of the rebellion of the Israelites against Moses and Aaron while in the wilderness; punished and died by an earthquake and flames of fire.
גָּ֘ד֤וֹל  Great 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
יְהוָ֣ה  [is]  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וּמְהֻלָּ֣ל  and  to  be  praised 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Pual, Participle, masculine singular
Root: הָלַל 
Sense: to shine.
מְאֹ֑ד  greatly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.
בְּעִ֥יר  in  the  city 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
אֱ֝לֹהֵ֗ינוּ  of  our  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
הַר־  [In]  mountain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
קָדְשֽׁוֹ  His  holy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.