Psalm 48

Refrain:    We have waited on your loving-kindness, O God.

1    Great is the Lord and highly to be praised,  

in the city of our God.

2    His holy mountain is fair and lifted high,  

the joy of all the earth.

3    On Mount Zion, the divine dwelling place,  

stands the city of the great king.

4    In her palaces God has shown himself  

to be a sure refuge. [R]

5    For behold, the kings of the earth assembled  

and swept forward together.

6    They saw, and were dumbfounded;  

dismayed, they fled in terror.

7    Trembling seized them there;

they writhed like a woman in labour,  

as when the east wind shatters the ships of Tarshish.

8    As we had heard, so have we seen

in the city of the Lord of hosts, the city of our God:  

God has established her for ever. [R]

9    We have waited on your loving-kindness, O God,  

in the midst of your temple.

10  As with your name, O God,

so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;  

your right hand is full of justice.

11  Let Mount Zion rejoice and the daughters of Judah be glad,  

because of your judgements, O Lord.

12  Walk about Zion and go round about her;

count all her towers;  

consider well her bulwarks; pass through her citadels,

13  That you may tell those who come after

that such is our God for ever and ever.  

It is he that shall be our guide for evermore.

Refrain:    We have waited on your loving-kindness, O God.

Father of lights,

raise us with Christ to your eternal city,

that, with kings and nations,

we may wait in the midst of your temple

and see your glory for ever and ever.

 

Common Worship: Daily Prayer, material from which is included here,
is copyright © The Archbishops' Council 2005 and published by Church House Publishing.

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