Fathers

Psalms 48

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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.

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What the Fathers say

Psalms 48:12

Eastern Fathers

Clement of Alexandria

Thence now, by knowledge collecting materials to be the food of contemplation, having embraced nobly the magnitude of knowledge, he advances to the holy recompense of translation hence. For he has heard the Psalm which says: "Encircle Zion, and encompass it, tell upon its towers." For it intimates, I think, those who have sublimely embraced the Word, so as to become lofty towers, and to stand firmly in faith and knowledge.

The Stromata Book 7 ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

"Walk about Zion, and embrace her" [Psalm 48:11]. Be it said to them who live ill, in the midst of whom is the people, which has received the mercy of God. In the midst of you is a people living well, "Walk about Zion." But how? "embrace her." Not with scandals, but with love go round about her: that so those who live well in the midst of you ye may imitate, and by imitation of them, be incorporate with Christ, whose members they are. …

Exposition on Psalm 48 ↗

Ambrose of Milan

Those who have wisely surrounded Zion and embraced it spiritually climb up onto its towers. There they tell of it to those not able to ascend its turrets.… Always the insidious foe has his eye on it, to see if he can approach and capture it. For Satan has his armies, and with them he lays siege to souls. He has siege engines that he moves up close to the walls so as to take its towers by force. But you, says the psalm, must preach from the towers.… Preach, proclaim, without intermission, without end. …

Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalm 48 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

"Go around." Here he leads to a more diligent consideration, so that it may be understood that kings have already sometimes seen the great things; but David invites all to consider further. And first he invites to this. Second, he adds the reason for the invitation. He says, therefore, "Go around," namely the Church militant or triumphant, with the eye of contemplation: Song 3: "I will arise and go about," etc. Some go around the Church with an iniquitous eye, to attack it; but we go around it in order to love it. …

Exposition on the Psalms of David ↗