The Meaning of Psalms 48:6 Explained

Psalms 48:6

KJV: Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.

YLT: Trembling hath seized them there, Pain, as of a travailing woman.

Darby: Trembling took hold upon them there; anguish, as of a woman in travail.

ASV: Trembling took hold of them there, Pain, as of a woman in travail.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Fear  took hold  upon them there, [and] pain,  as of a woman in travail. 

What does Psalms 48:6 Mean?

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 48:6 mean?

Fear took hold of them there [And] pain as of a woman in birth pangs
רְ֭עָדָה אֲחָזָ֣תַם שָׁ֑ם חִ֝֗יל כַּיּוֹלֵֽדָה

רְ֭עָדָה  Fear 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: רַעַד 
Sense: trembling, fear.
אֲחָזָ֣תַם  took  hold  of  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: אָחוּז 
Sense: grasp, take hold, seize, take possession.
חִ֝֗יל  [And]  pain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חִיל 
Sense: pain, agony, sorrow, a writhing, anguish.
כַּיּוֹלֵֽדָה  as  of  a  woman  in  birth  pangs 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.