TRV
Translation
King James Version
¶ 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.
Complete Jewish Bible
We heard it, and now we see for ourselves in the city of ADONAI-Tzva'ot, in the city of our God. May God establish it forever. (Selah)
Berean Standard Bible
As we have heard, so we have seen in the city of the LORD of Hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish her forever. Selah
American Standard Version
As we have heard, so have we seen In the city of Jehovah of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. [Selah
World English Bible Messianic
As we have heard, so we have seen, in the city of the LORD of Hosts, in the city of our God. God will establish it forever. Selah.
Geneva Bible (1599)
As we haue heard, so haue we seene in the citie of the Lord of hostes, in the Citie of our God: God will stablish it for euer. Selah.
Young's Literal Translation
As we have heard, so we have seen, In the city of Jehovah of hosts, In the city of our God, God doth establish her--to the age. Selah.
In the KJVVerse 14,643 of 31,102
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Commentary on Psalms 48 verses 8–14
8 ¶ 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.
9 We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.
10 According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness.
11 Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.
12 Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.
13 Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.
14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.
We have here the good use and improvement which the people of God are taught to make of his late glorious and gracious appearances for them against their enemies, that they might work for their good.
I. Let our faith in the word of God be hereby confirmed. If we compare what God has done with what he has spoken, we shall find that, as we have heard, so have we seen (Psa 48:8), and what we have seen obliges us to believe what we have heard. 1. "As we have heard done in former providences, in the days of old, so have we seen done in our own days." Note, God's latter appearances for his people against his and their enemies are consonant to his former appearances, and should put us in mind of them. 2. "As we have heard in the promise and prediction, so have we seen in the performance and accomplishment. We have heard that God is the Lord of hosts, and that Jerusalem is the city of our God, is dear to him, is his particular care; and now we have seen it; we have seen the power of our God; we have seen his goodness; we have seen his care and concern for us, that he is a wall of fire round about Jerusalem and the glory in the midst of her." Note, In the great things that God has done, and is doing, for his church, it is good to take notice of the fulfilling of the scriptures; and this would help us the better to understand both the providence itself and the scripture that is fulfilled in it.
II. Let our hope of the stability and perpetuity of the church be hereby encouraged. "From what we have seen, compared with what we have heard, in the city of our God, we may conclude that God will establish it for ever." This was not fulfilled in Jerusalem (that city was long since destroyed, and all its glory laid in the dust), but has its accomplishment in the gospel church. We are sure that that shall be established for ever; it is built upon a rock, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against it, Mat 16:18. God himself has undertaken the establishment of it; it is the Lord that has founded Zion, Isa 14:32. And what we have seen, compared with what we have heard, may encourage us to hope in that promise of God upon which the church is built.
III. Let our minds be hereby filled with good thoughts of God. "From what we have heard, and seen, and hope for, we may take occasion to think much of God's loving-kindness, whenever we meet in the midst of his temple," Psa 48:9. All the streams of mercy that flow down to us must be traced up to the fountain of God's lovingkindness. It is not owing to any merit of ours, but purely to his mercy, and the peculiar favour he bears to his people. This therefore we must think of with delight, think of frequently and fixedly. What subject can we dwell upon more noble, more pleasant, more profitable? We must have God's lovingkindness always before our eyes (Psa 26:3), especially when we attend upon him in his temple. When we enjoy the benefit of public ordinances undisturbed, when we meet in his temple and there is none to make us afraid, we should take occasion thence to think of his lovingkindness.
IV. Let us give to God the glory of the great things which he has done for us, and mention them to his honour (Psa 48:10): "According to thy name, O God! so is thy praise, not only in Jerusalem, but to the ends of the earth." By the late signal deliverance of Jerusalem God had made himself a name; that is, he had gloriously discovered his wisdom, power, and goodness, and made all the nations about sensible of it; and so was his praise; that is, some in all parts would be found giving glory to him accordingly. As far as his name goes his praise will go, at least it should go, and, at length, it shall go, when all the ends of the world shall praise him, Psa 22:27; Rev 11:15. Some, by his name, understand especially that glorious name of his, the Lord of hosts; according to that name, so is his praise; for all the creatures, even to the ends of the earth, are under his command. But his people must, in a special manner, acknowledge his justice in all he does for them. "Righteousness fills thy right hand;" that is, all the operations of thy power are consonant to the eternal rules of equity.
V. Let all the members of the church in particular take to themselves the comfort of what God does for his church in general (Psa 48:11): "Let Mount Zion rejoice, the priests and Levites that attend the sanctuary, and then let all the daughters of Judah, the country towns, and the inhabitants of them, be glad: let the women in their songs and dances, as usual on occasion of public joys, celebrate with thankfulness the great salvation which God has wrought for us." Note, When we have given God the praise we may then take the pleasure of the extraordinary deliverances of the church, and be glad because of God's judgments (that is, the operations of his providence), all which we may see wrought in wisdom (therefore called judgments) and working for the good of his church.
VI. Let us diligently observe the instances and evidences of the church's beauty, strength, and safety, and faithfully transmit our observations to those that shall come after us (Psa 48:12, Psa 48:13): Walk about Zion. Some think this refers to the ceremony of the triumph; let those who are employed in that solemnity walk round the walls (as they did, Neh 12:31), singing and praising God. In doing this let them tell the towers and mark well the bulwarks, 1. That they might magnify the late wonderful deliverance God had wrought for them. Let them observe, with wonder, that the towers and bulwarks are all in their full strength and none of them damaged, the palaces in their beauty and none of them blemished; there is not the least damage done to the city by the kings that were assembled against it (Psa 48:4): Tell this to the generation following, as a wonderful instance of God's care of his holy city, that the enemies should not only not ruin or destroy it, but not so much as hurt or deface it. 2. That they might fortify themselves against the fear of the like threatening danger another time. And so, (1.) We may understand it literally of Jerusalem, and the strong-hold of Zion. Let the daughters of Judah see the towers and bulwarks of Zion, with a pleasure equal to the terror with which the kings their enemies saw them, Psa 48:5. Jerusalem was generally looked upon as an impregnable place, as appears, Lam 4:12. All the inhabitants of the world would not have believed that an enemy should enter the gates of Jerusalem; nor could they have entered if the inhabitants had not sinned away their defence. Set your heart to her bulwarks. This intimates that the principal bulwarks of Zion were not the objects of sense, which they might set their eye upon, but the objects of faith, which they must set their hearts upon. It was well enough fortified indeed both by nature and art; but its bulwarks that were mostly to be relied upon were the special presence of God in it, the beauty of holiness he had put upon it, and the promises he had made concerning it. "Consider Jerusalem's strength, and tell it to the generations to come, that they may do nothing to weaken it, and that, if at any time it be in distress, they may not basely surrender it to the enemy as not tenable." Calvin observes here that when they are directed to transmit to posterity a particular account of the towers, and bulwarks, and palaces of Jerusalem, it is intimated that in process of time they would all be destroyed and remain no longer to be seen; for, otherwise, what need was thee to preserve the description and history of them? When the disciples were admiring the buildings of the temple their Master told them that in a little time one stone of it should not be left upon another, Mat 24:1, Mat 24:2. Therefore, (2.) This must certainly be applied to the gospel church, that Mount Zion, Heb 12:22. "Consider the towers, and bulwarks, and palaces of that, that you may be invited and encouraged to join yourselves to it and embark in it. See it founded on Christ, the rock fortified by the divine power, guarded by him that neither slumbers nor sleeps. See what precious ordinances are its palaces, what precious promises are its bulwarks; tell this to the generation following, that they may with purpose of heart espouse its interests and cleave to it."
VII. Let us triumph in God, and in the assurances we have of his everlasting lovingkindness, Psa 48:14. Tell this to the generation following; transmit this truth as a sacred deposit to your posterity, That this God, who has now done such great things for us, is our God for ever and ever; he is constant and unchangeable in his love to us and care for us. 1. If God be our God, he is ours for ever, not only through all the ages of time, but to eternity; for it is the everlasting blessedness of glorified saints that God himself will be with them and will be their God, Rev 21:3. 2. If he be our God, he will be our guide, our faithful constant guide, to show us our way and to lead us in it; he will be so, even unto death, which will be the period of our way, and will bring us to our rest. He will lead and keep us even to the last. He will be our guide above death (so some); he will so guide us as to set us above the reach of death, so that it shall not be able to do us any real hurt. He will be our guide beyond death (so others); he will conduct us safely to a happiness on the other side death, to a life in which there shall be no more death. If we take the Lord for our God, he will conduct and convey us safely to death, through death, and beyond death - down to death and up again to glory.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 8–14. Public domain.
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Ambrose of MilanAD 397
Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms, On Psalm 48
Outside the city, we have heard. Inside the city, we have seen. God is the eternal light of this city. The light of day shines there without the sun we know in this world, and of the moon there is no need. The foundation of this city belongs not to time but to eternity.
John ChrysostomAD 407
COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 48:3
So what did he hear, and what did he see? That the grace of God renders the city stronger and intact. This, in fact, is its foundation, this its strength, this makes it impregnable—not human aid and help, or the power of weapons or towers and ramparts. What instead? God rules it as his own. This most of all it was, in fact, that they should have been taught, and towards this the inspired author constantly urges them.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 48
"We have received Your mercy, O God, in the midst of Your people" [Psalm 48:8]. Who have received, and where received? Hath not the same Your people received Your mercy. If Your people has received Your mercy, how then, "in the midst of Your people"? As if they who received were one party, they in the midst of whom they received another. A great mystery, but yet well known. When hence also, that is, out of these verses, has been extracted and brought forth what ye know; it will be not ruder, but sweeter. Now forsooth all are reckoned the people of God, who carry His Sacraments, but not all belong to His Mercy. All forsooth receiving the Sacrament of the Baptism of Christ, are called Christians, but not all live worthily of that Sacrament. There are some of whom says the Apostle, "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." [2 Timothy 3:5] Yet on account of this form of godliness they are named among God's people. As to the floor, until the grain is threshed, belongs not the wheat only, but the chaff. But will it also belong to the garner? In the midst then of an evil people is a good people, which has received the Mercy of God. He lives worthily of the Mercy of God who hears, and holds, and does what the Apostle says, "We beseech you that you receive not the Grace of God in vain." [2 Corinthians 6:1] Whoso then receives not the Grace of God in vain, the same receives not only the Sacrament, but also the Mercy of God as well....So those who have the Sacraments, and have not good manners, are both said to be of God, and not of God; are both said to be His, and to be strangers: His because of His own Sacraments, strangers because of their own vice. So also strange daughters: [Song of Songs 2:2] daughters, because of the form of godliness; strange, because of their loss of virtue. Be the lily there; let it receive the Mercy of God: hold fast the root of a good flower, be not ungrateful for soft rain coming from heaven. Be thorns ungrateful, let them grow by the showers: for the fire they grow, not for the garner. In the midst of Your people not receiving Your mercy, we have received Your mercy. For "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not," yet, in the midst of them, "as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God." [John 1:11-12] ...
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 48:8 stands as a profound declaration of divine faithfulness and the tangible manifestation of God's protective power over His chosen city, Jerusalem. It encapsulates the awe and conviction of a people who have not only heard of God's mighty deeds but have also witnessed them firsthand, confirming His unwavering commitment to establish and secure His dwelling place eternally. This verse serves as a triumphant affirmation that God's promises are not mere words but are actively fulfilled in history, solidifying the trust of His people in His sovereign rule and enduring presence.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 48:8 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message. Parallelism is evident in the symmetrical structure of "As we have heard, so have we seen," creating a clear cause-and-effect or confirmation relationship. This is reinforced by the Repetition of "in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God," which serves to emphasize Jerusalem's unique divine ownership and sacred status, driving home the point that this is no ordinary city but God's very own. The phrase "God will establish it for ever" contains an element of Hyperbole, as the physical city has indeed faced destruction throughout history. However, this hyperbole points to a deeper theological truth: the spiritual and eschatological permanence of God's kingdom and His ultimate dwelling place, which transcends the physical limitations of Jerusalem. The entire verse functions as a Testimony, a personal and communal declaration of witnessed divine power, designed to inspire faith and worship.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 48:8 stands as a powerful testament to the unwavering faithfulness of God, bridging the gap between divine promise and historical reality. It underscores the biblical principle that God's word is not merely theoretical but is active and effective, consistently fulfilling what He declares. The experience of "hearing" about God's power and then "seeing" its manifestation instills profound confidence in His character and His sovereign control over all circumstances. This verse affirms God's unique relationship with His people and His chosen dwelling place, demonstrating His commitment to defend and preserve what is His. It invites believers to trust that the God who acted decisively in the past continues to establish His purposes in the present and for eternity, providing an unshakeable foundation for faith.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 48:8 offers a profound source of encouragement and a powerful call to faith for believers today. In a world often characterized by instability, uncertainty, and the apparent triumph of evil, this verse reminds us that the God we worship is not a distant deity but an active, faithful, and sovereign Lord. What we have "heard" through the Scriptures—His promises of presence, protection, provision, and ultimate victory—we are invited to "see" manifested in our lives and in the unfolding of His redemptive plan. This verse challenges us to cultivate a posture of expectant faith, trusting that God will establish His purposes, even when circumstances seem to contradict His word. It encourages us to find our ultimate security not in earthly institutions or human strength, but in the unshakeable foundation of God Himself, the One who establishes His kingdom forever.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of "Selah" at the end of Psalms 48:8?
Answer: "Selah" is a Hebrew term found frequently in the Psalms and Habakkuk, believed to be a musical or liturgical notation. While its precise meaning is debated, common interpretations suggest it signifies a pause for reflection, a musical interlude, or an instruction to lift up voices or instruments. In the context of Psalms 48:8, "Selah" serves as a powerful prompt for the reader or worshiper to stop and meditate deeply on the profound truth just declared: that God's promises are tangibly fulfilled and He will establish His city forever. It encourages a moment of solemn contemplation, allowing the weight of God's faithfulness and eternal sovereignty to fully sink in and resonate with the heart.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Psalms 48:8 speaks of the historical and enduring establishment of Jerusalem, its ultimate fulfillment is found in Jesus Christ and His eternal kingdom. The "city of the LORD of hosts" finds its true and perfect reality not in a physical earthly city, but in Christ Himself and the spiritual Jerusalem, the Church. Jesus declared that He would build His church, and the gates of hell would not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). He is the true Temple, the dwelling place of God among humanity (John 2:19-21). What was "heard" in the Old Testament prophecies of a coming King and an eternal kingdom is "seen" in the person and work of Jesus, who established a new covenant through His sacrifice and resurrection (Hebrews 8:6). He is the ultimate "establishment" of God's presence and reign, guaranteeing an eternal, unshakeable kingdom for all who believe (Colossians 1:13). The New Testament culminates with the vision of the New Jerusalem, where God's dwelling is finally and eternally with His people, a reality secured by the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, who reigns forever and ever (Revelation 22:3-5). Thus, the promise of eternal establishment in Psalms 48:8 points to the ultimate and perfect security found in Christ, the foundation and head of the eternal City of God.