Fathers

Psalms 48

Tap a verse to read the Fathers. Press and hold, then drag, to make a card.

Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. God is known in her palaces for a refuge. For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away. Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail. Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind. As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah. We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple. According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness. Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments. Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following. For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.

About · Privacy · Credits · Support VRSZ

What the Fathers say

Psalms 48:1

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

"Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised" [Psalm 48:1]....That is, "in the city of our God, in His holy mountain." This is the city set upon an hill, which cannot be hid: this is the candle which is not hidden under a bushel, [Matthew 5:14-15] to all known, to all proclaimed. …

Exposition on Psalm 48 ↗

Ambrose of Milan

He is everywhere great and powerful, but our narrow mind cannot take in the greatness of his divine power and grace. The closer our knowledge gets to God, the more wonderful his majesty appears to be.

Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalm 48 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Above, the Psalmist invited the nations to sing praise to God for the benefits of God; here, however, he describes the great exultation of the people or of the city. The title: "A Psalm, a song of praise of the sons of Korah, for the second day of the sabbath." Among the Jews, the sabbath was held as the most solemn day, and they named all the weekdays from the sabbath, so that Sunday was called the first of the sabbath, Monday was called the second of the sabbath, and so on for the other days. …

Exposition on the Psalms of David ↗