Mazmur 48:1-14
KonteksA song, a psalm by the Korahites.
48:1 The Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise
in the city of our God, 2 his holy hill.
48:2 It is lofty and pleasing to look at, 3
a source of joy to the whole earth. 4
Mount Zion resembles the peaks of Zaphon; 5
it is the city of the great king.
48:3 God is in its fortresses;
he reveals himself as its defender. 6
48:4 For 7 look, the kings assemble; 8
they advance together.
48:5 As soon as they see, 9 they are shocked; 10
they are terrified, they quickly retreat. 11
48:6 Look at them shake uncontrollably, 12
like a woman writhing in childbirth. 13
48:7 With an east wind
you shatter 14 the large ships. 15
48:8 We heard about God’s mighty deeds, now we have seen them, 16
in the city of the Lord, the invincible Warrior, 17
in the city of our God.
God makes it permanently secure. 18 (Selah)
48:9 We reflect on your loyal love, O God,
within your temple.
48:10 The praise you receive as far away as the ends of the earth
is worthy of your reputation, O God. 19
You execute justice! 20
48:11 Mount Zion rejoices;
the towns 21 of Judah are happy, 22
because of your acts of judgment. 23
48:12 Walk around 24 Zion! Encircle it!
Count its towers!
48:13 Consider its defenses! 25
Walk through 26 its fortresses,
so you can tell the next generation about it! 27
48:14 For God, our God, is our defender forever! 28
Mazmur 87:1-7
KonteksWritten by the Korahites; a psalm, a song.
87:1 The Lord’s city is in the holy hills. 32
87:2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
87:3 People say wonderful things about you, 33
O city of God. (Selah)
87:4 I mention Rahab 34 and Babylon to my followers. 35
Here are 36 Philistia and Tyre, 37 along with Ethiopia. 38
It is said of them, “This one was born there.” 39
87:5 But it is said of Zion’s residents, 40
“Each one of these 41 was born in her,
and the sovereign One 42 makes her secure.” 43
87:6 The Lord writes in the census book of the nations, 44
“This one was born there.” 45 (Selah)
87:7 As for the singers, as well as the pipers –
all of them sing within your walls. 46
Mazmur 122:1-9
KonteksA song of ascents, 48 by David.
122:1 I was glad because 49 they said to me,
“We will go to the Lord’s temple.”
122:2 Our feet are 50 standing
inside your gates, O Jerusalem.
122:3 Jerusalem 51 is a city designed
to accommodate an assembly. 52
122:4 The tribes go up 53 there, 54
the tribes of the Lord,
where it is required that Israel
give thanks to the name of the Lord. 55
122:5 Indeed, 56 the leaders sit 57 there on thrones and make legal decisions,
on the thrones of the house of David. 58
122:6 Pray 59 for the peace of Jerusalem!
May those who love her prosper! 60
122:7 May there be peace inside your defenses,
and prosperity 61 inside your fortresses! 62
122:8 For the sake of my brothers and my neighbors
I will say, “May there be peace in you!”
122:9 For the sake of the temple of the Lord our God
I will pray for you to prosper. 63
Ibrani 11:10
Konteks11:10 For he was looking forward to the city with firm foundations, 64 whose architect and builder is God.
Wahyu 3:12
Konteks3:12 The one who conquers 65 I will make 66 a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never depart from it. I 67 will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God (the new Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven from my God), 68 and my new name as well.
Wahyu 21:2
Konteks21:2 And I saw the holy city – the new Jerusalem – descending out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride adorned for her husband.
Wahyu 21:9-11
Konteks21:9 Then 69 one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues came and spoke to me, 70 saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb!” 21:10 So 71 he took me away in the Spirit 72 to a huge, majestic mountain 73 and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. 21:11 The city possesses 74 the glory of God; its brilliance is like a precious jewel, like a stone of crystal-clear jasper. 75
[48:1] 1 sn Psalm 48. This so-called “Song of Zion” celebrates the greatness and glory of the Lord’s dwelling place, Jerusalem. His presence in the city elevates it above all others and assures its security.
[48:1] 2 sn The city of our God is Jerusalem, which is also referred to here as “his holy hill,” that is, Zion (see v. 2, as well as Isa 66:20; Joel 2:1; 3:17; Zech 8:3; Pss 2:6; 15:1; 43:3; 87:1; Dan 9:16).
[48:2] 3 tn Heb “beautiful of height.” The Hebrew term נוֹף (nof, “height”) is a genitive of specification after the qualitative noun “beautiful.” The idea seems to be that Mount Zion, because of its lofty appearance, is pleasing to the sight.
[48:2] 4 sn A source of joy to the whole earth. The language is hyperbolic. Zion, as the dwelling place of the universal king, is pictured as the world’s capital. The prophets anticipated this idealized picture becoming a reality in the eschaton (see Isa 2:1-4).
[48:2] 5 tn Heb “Mount Zion, the peaks of Zaphon.” Like all the preceding phrases in v. 2, both phrases are appositional to “city of our God, his holy hill” in v. 1, suggesting an identification in the poet’s mind between Mount Zion and Zaphon. “Zaphon” usually refers to the “north” in a general sense (see Pss 89:12; 107:3), but here, where it is collocated with “peaks,” it refers specifically to Mount Zaphon, located in the vicinity of ancient Ugarit and viewed as the mountain where the gods assembled (see Isa 14:13). By alluding to West Semitic mythology in this way, the psalm affirms that Mount Zion is the real divine mountain, for it is here that the
[48:3] 6 tn Heb “he is known for an elevated place.”
[48:4] 7 tn The logical connection between vv. 3-4 seems to be this: God is the protector of Zion and reveals himself as the city’s defender – this is necessary because hostile armies threaten the city.
[48:4] 8 tn The perfect verbal forms in vv. 4-6 are understood as descriptive. In dramatic style (note הִנֵּה, hinneh, “look”) the psalm describes an enemy attack against the city as if it were occurring at this very moment. Another option is to take the perfects as narrational (“the kings assembled, they advanced”), referring to a particular historical event, such as Sennacherib’s siege of the city in 701
[48:5] 9 tn The object of “see” is omitted, but v. 3b suggests that the
[48:5] 10 tn Heb “they look, so they are shocked.” Here כֵּן (ken, “so”) has the force of “in the same measure.”
[48:5] 11 tn The translation attempts to reflect the staccato style of the Hebrew text, where the main clauses of vv. 4-6 are simply juxtaposed without connectives.
[48:6] 12 tn Heb “trembling seizes them there.” The adverb שָׁם (sham, “there”) is used here, as often in poetic texts, to point “to a spot in which a scene is localized vividly in the imagination” (BDB 1027 s.v.).
[48:6] 13 tn Heb “[with] writhing like one giving birth.”
[48:6] sn The language of vv. 5-6 is reminiscent of Exod 15:15.
[48:7] 14 tn The switch to the imperfect, as well as the introduction of the ship metaphor, perhaps signals a change to a generalizing tone; the
[48:7] 15 tn Heb “the ships of Tarshish.” This probably refers to large ships either made in or capable of traveling to and from the distant western port of Tarshish. These ships, which were the best of their class, here symbolize the mere human strength of hostile armies, which are incapable of withstanding the
[48:8] 16 tn Heb “As we have heard, so we have seen.” The community had heard about God’s mighty deeds in the nation’s history. Having personally witnessed his saving power with their own eyes, they could now affirm that the tradition was not exaggerated or inaccurate.
[48:8] 17 tn Heb “the
[48:8] 18 tn Or “God makes it secure forever.” The imperfect highlights the characteristic nature of the generalizing statement.
[48:10] 19 tn Heb “like your name, O God, so [is] your praise to the ends of the earth.” Here “name” refers to God’s reputation and revealed character.
[48:10] 20 tn Heb “your right hand is full of justice.” The “right hand” suggests activity and power.
[48:11] 21 tn Heb “daughters.” The reference is to the cities of Judah surrounding Zion (see Ps 97:8 and H. Haag, TDOT 2:336).
[48:11] 22 tn The prefixed verbal forms are understood as generalizing imperfects. (For other examples of an imperfect followed by causal לְמַעַן [lÿma’an], see Ps 23:3; Isa 49:7; 55:5.) Another option is to interpret the forms as jussives, “Let Mount Zion rejoice! Let the towns of Judah be happy!” (cf. NASB, NRSV; note the imperatives in vv. 12-13.)
[48:11] 23 sn These acts of judgment are described in vv. 4-7.
[48:12] 24 tn The verb forms in vv. 12-13 are plural; the entire Judahite community is addressed.
[48:13] 25 tn Heb “set your heart to its rampart.”
[48:13] 26 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew word translated “walk through,” which occurs only here in the OT, is uncertain. Cf. NEB “pass…in review”; NIV “view.”
[48:13] 27 sn The city’s towers, defenses, and fortresses are outward reminders and tangible symbols of the divine protection the city enjoys.
[48:14] 28 tn Heb “for this is God, our God, forever and ever.” “This” might be paraphrased, “this protector described and praised in the preceding verses.”
[48:14] 29 tn The imperfect highlights the characteristic nature of the generalizing statement.
[48:14] 30 tn In the Hebrew text the psalm ends with the words עַל־מוּת (’al-mut, “upon [unto?] dying”), which make little, if any, sense. M. Dahood (Psalms [AB], 1:293) proposes an otherwise unattested plural form עֹלָמוֹת (’olamot; from עוֹלָם, ’olam, “eternity”). This would provide a nice parallel to עוֹלָם וָעֶד (’olam va’ed, “forever”) in the preceding line, but elsewhere the plural of עוֹלָם appears as עֹלָמִים (’olamim). It is preferable to understand the phrase as a musical direction of some sort (see עַל־מוּת [’al-mut] in the superscription of Ps 9) or to emend the text to עַל־עֲלָמוֹת (’al-’alamot, “according to the alamoth style”; see the heading of Ps 46). In either case it should be understood as belonging with the superscription of the following psalm.
[87:1] 31 sn Psalm 87. The psalmist celebrates the Lord’s presence in Zion and the special status of its citizens.
[87:1] 32 tn Heb “his foundation [is] in the hills of holiness.” The expression “his foundation” refers here by metonymy to the
[87:3] 33 tn Heb “glorious things are spoken about you.” The translation assumes this is a general reference to compliments paid to Zion by those who live within her walls and by those who live in the surrounding areas and lands. Another option is that this refers to a prophetic oracle about the city’s glorious future. In this case one could translate, “wonderful things are announced concerning you.”
[87:4] 34 sn “Rahab,” which means “proud one,” is used here as a title for Egypt (see Isa 30:7).
[87:4] 35 tn Heb “to those who know me” (see Ps 36:10). Apparently the
[87:4] 37 map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[87:4] 39 tn Heb “and this one was born there.” The words “It is said of them” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for clarification and stylistic purposes (see v. 5). Those advocating the universalistic interpretation understand “there” as referring to Zion, but it seems more likely that the adverb refers to the nations just mentioned. The foreigners are identified by their native lands.
[87:5] 40 tn Heb “and of Zion it is said.” Another option is to translate, “and to Zion it is said.” In collocation with the Niphal of אָמַר (’amar), the preposition lamed (-לְ) can introduce the recipient of the statement (see Josh 2:2; Jer 4:11; Hos 1:10; Zeph 3:16), carry the nuance “concerning, of” (see Num 23:23), or mean “be named” (see Isa 4:3; 62:4).
[87:5] 41 tn Heb “a man and a man.” The idiom also appears in Esth 1:8. The translation assumes that the phrase refers to each of Zion’s residents, in contrast to the foreigners mentioned in v. 4. Those advocating the universalistic interpretation understand this as a reference to each of the nations, including those mentioned in v. 4.
[87:5] 42 tn Traditionally “Most High.”
[87:5] 43 tn Heb “and he makes her secure, the Most High.”
[87:6] 44 tn Heb “the
[87:6] 45 tn As noted in v. 4, the translation assumes a contrast between “there” (the various foreign lands) and “in her” (Zion). In contrast to foreigners, the citizens of Zion have special status because of their birthplace (v. 5). In this case vv. 4 and 6 form a structural frame around v. 5.
[87:7] 46 tc Heb “and singers, like pipers, all my springs [are] in you.” The participial form חֹלְלִים (kholÿlim) appears to be from a denominative verb meaning “play the pipe,” though some derive the form from חוּל (khul, “dance”). In this case the duplicated lamed (ל) requires an emendation to מְחֹלְלִים (mÿkholÿlim, “a Polel form). The words are addressed to Zion. As it stands, the Hebrew text makes little, if any, sense. “Springs” are often taken here as a symbol of divine blessing and life”), but this reading does not relate to the preceding line in any apparent way. The present translation assumes an emendation of כָּל־מַעְיָנַי (kol-ma’yanay, “all my springs”) to כֻּלָּם עָנוּ (kullam ’anu, “all of them sing,” with the form עָנוּ being derived from עָנָה, ’anah, “sing”).
[122:1] 47 sn Psalm 122. The psalmist expresses his love for Jerusalem and promises to pray for the city’s security.
[122:1] 48 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
[122:1] 49 tn Heb “in the ones saying to me.” After the verb שָׂמַח (samakh), the preposition בְּ (bet) usually introduces the reason for joy.
[122:3] 51 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[122:3] 52 tc Heb “Jerusalem, which is built like a city which is joined to her together.” The meaning of the Hebrew text is unclear. Many regard this as a description of the compact way in which the city was designed or constructed. The translation assumes an emendation of the verb חֻבְּרָה (khubbÿrah, “is joined”) to a noun חֶבְרָה (khevrah, “association; company”). The text then reads literally, “Jerusalem, which is built like a city which has a company together.” This in turn can be taken as a reference to Jerusalem’s role as a city where people congregated for religious festivals and other civic occasions (see vv. 4-5).
[122:4] 54 tn Heb “which is where the tribes go up.”
[122:4] 55 tn Heb “[it is] a statute for Israel to give thanks to the name of the
[122:5] 58 tn Heb “Indeed, there they sit [on] thrones for judgment, [on] thrones [belonging] to the house of David.”
[122:6] 59 tn Heb “ask [for].”
[122:7] 62 tn The psalmist uses second feminine singular pronominal forms to address personified Jerusalem.
[122:9] 63 tn Heb “I will seek good for you.” The psalmist will seek Jerusalem’s “good” through prayer.
[11:10] 64 tn Grk “that has foundations.”
[3:12] 65 tn Or “who is victorious”; traditionally, “who overcomes.”
[3:12] 66 tn Grk “I will make him,” but the pronoun (αὐτόν, auton, “him”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.
[3:12] 67 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[3:12] 68 sn This description of the city of my God is parenthetical, explaining further the previous phrase and interrupting the list of “new names” given here.
[21:9] 69 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
[21:9] 70 tn Grk “with me.” The translation “with me” implies that John was engaged in a dialogue with the one speaking to him (e.g., Jesus or an angel) when in reality it was a one-sided conversation, with John doing all the listening. For this reason, μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ (met’ emou, “with me”) was translated as “to me.” See also v. 15.
[21:10] 71 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s invitation.
[21:10] 72 tn Or “in the spirit.” “Spirit” could refer either to the Holy Spirit or the human spirit, but in either case John was in “a state of spiritual exaltation best described as a trance” (R. H. Mounce, Revelation [NICNT], 75).
[21:10] 73 tn Grk “to a mountain great and high.”
[21:11] 74 tn Grk “from God, having the glory of God.” Here a new sentence was started in the translation by supplying the words “the city” to refer back to the previous clause and translating the participle (“having”) as a finite verb.
[21:11] 75 tn On the term ἰάσπιδι (iaspidi) BDAG 465 s.v. ἴασπις states, “jasper, a precious stone found in various colors, mostly reddish, somet. green…brown, blue, yellow, and white. In antiquity the name was not limited to the variety of quartz now called jasper, but could designate any opaque precious stone. Rv 21:18f. W. λίθος 4:3 (TestSol C 11:8). λίθος ἴασπις κρυσταλλίζων a stone of crystal-clear jasper 21:11 (cp. Is 54:12); perh. the opal is meant here; acc. to some, the diamond.”
