Fathers

Psalms 48

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Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, in his holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, on the north sides, the city of the great King. God has shown himself in her citadels as a refuge. For, behold, the kings assembled themselves, they passed by together. They saw it, then they were amazed. They were dismayed. They hurried away. Trembling took hold of them there, pain, as of a woman in travail. With the east wind, you break the ships of Tarshish. 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. We have thought about your loving kindness, God, in the middle of your temple. As is your name, God, so is your praise to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is full of righteousness. Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments. Walk about Zion, and go around her. Number its towers. Notice her bulwarks. Consider her palaces, that you may tell it to the next generation. For this God is our God forever and ever. He will be our guide even to death.

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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 ↗