1 G reat is the Lord, and highly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain,

The Lord is great and should be given much praise, in the city of our God, His holy mountain.

2 F air and beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth— Mount Zion, to the northern side, the city of the Great King!

Mount Zion in the far north is beautiful and high, the joy of the whole earth, the city of the great King.

3 G od has made Himself known in her palaces as a Refuge (a High Tower and a Stronghold).

God has made Himself known as a safe place in that city.

4 F or, behold, the kings assembled, they came onward and they passed away together.

For, see, the kings gathered themselves and went up together.

5 T hey looked, they were amazed; they were stricken with terror and took to flight.

They saw it, then they were surprised and afraid. And they ran away fast in fear.

6 T rembling took hold of them there, and pain as of a woman in childbirth.

They began shaking there. And they suffered pain like a woman giving birth.

7 W ith the east wind You shattered the ships of Tarshish.

You wreck the ships of Tarshish with the east wind.

8 A s 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 forever. Selah!

As we have heard, so we have seen in the city of the Lord of All, in the city of our God. God will make her last forever.

9 W e have thought of Your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of Your temple.

O God, we have thought about Your loving-kindness within Your holy house.

10 A s is Your name, O God, so is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness (rightness and justice).

Like Your name, O God, Your praise is heard to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is full of what is right and good.

11 L et Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of Your judgments!

Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the people of Judah be full of joy because You are right in how You judge.

12 W alk about Zion, and go round about her, number her towers (her lofty and noble deeds of past days),

Walk in Zion, and go around her. See how many towers she has.

13 C onsider well her ramparts, go through her palaces and citadels, that you may tell the next generation.

Give thought to her walls. Go through her beautiful houses where kings live. And tell about it to the children-to-come.

14 F or this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide until death.

This is God, our God forever and ever. He will show us the way until death.