Notice her bulwarks. Consider her palaces, that you may tell it to the next generation.
Parallel Translations
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Notice her bulwarks. Consider her palaces, that you may tell it to the next generation.
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Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.
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(48-14) Mark ye well her ramparts, traverse her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.
Cross-references (8)
Passages linked to Psalms 48:13 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Psalms 71:18 Yes, even when I am old and gray-haired, God, don’t forsake me, until I have declared your strength to the next generation, your might to everyone who is to come.
- Psalms 122:7 Peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces.
- Deuteronomy 11:19 You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
- Psalms 78:4-6 We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of Yahweh, his strength, and his wondrous deeds that he has done. For he established a covenant in Jacob, and appointed a teaching in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know, even the children who should be born; who should arise and tell their children,
- Joel 1:3 Tell your children about it, and have your children tell their children, and their children, another generation.
- Isaiah 58:12 Those who will be of you will build the old waste places. You will raise up the foundations of many generations. You will be called Repairer of the Breach, Restorer of Paths with Dwellings.
- Amos 9:11 In that day I will raise up the tent of David who is fallen, and close up its breaches, and I will raise up its ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old;
- Acts 15:14-16 Simeon has reported how God first visited the nations to take out of them a people for his name. This agrees with the words of the prophets. As it is written, ‘After these things I will return. I will again build the tabernacle of David, which has fallen. I will again build its ruins. I will set it up
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (9 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Psa 48:13 Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her…
Psa 48:13 Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell [it] to the generation following.
Ver. 13. Mark ye well her bulwarks] Not at all impaired. The Great Turk could never have gotten the Rhodes but by treachery, notwithstanding his long and mighty batteries made upon that place day and night. How he raged at the last assault of Scodra, and blasphemed, see Turk. Hist. p. 423. Geneva is environed with enemies, French, Spanish, Savoy, Pope, and barred out from all aid of neighbour cities and Churches; yet is upheld, as it were, by an immediate hand of heaven, as Beza hath set forth in an elegant emblem, Hanc urbem non nisi miraculose stetisse et stare per multos annos res ipsa clamat.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Consider; or, exalt, or admire, Tell it to the…
Consider; or, exalt, or admire, Tell it to the generation following, that they may be excited to continue their praises to God for this mercy, by which they hold and enjoy all their blessings, and to trust in God in the like difficulties for the future.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Tell it - That they may continue their praises…
Tell it - That they may continue their praises to God for this mercy, by which they hold and enjoy all their blessings.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 13. Mark ye well her bulwarks] See the…
Verse 13. Mark ye well her bulwarks] See the redoubts by which she is defended.
Consider her palaces] See her courts, chambers, altars, c., c. make an exact register of the whole, that ye may have to tell to your children how Jerusalem was built in troublesome times how God restored you; and how he put it into the hearts of the heathen to assist to build, beautify, and adorn the temple of our God.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Mark ye well her bulwarks - Margin, as in…
Mark ye well her bulwarks - Margin, as in Hebrew, “Set your heart to her bulwarks.” That is, Pay close attention to them; make the investigation with care, not as one does whose heart is not in the thing, and who does it negligently. The word rendered “bulwarks” - חיל chêyl - means, properly, a host or army, and then a fortification or entrenchment, especially the “ditch” or “trench,” with the low wall or breastwork which surrounds it: 2Sa 20:15; Isa 26:1. (Gesenius, Lexicon) The Septuagint translates it here: δύναμις dunamis, power; the Vulgate, “virtus,” courage; Luther, “Mauern” - walls.
Consider her palaces - The word “palaces” here refers to the royal residences; and, as these were usually fortified and guarded, the expression here is equivalent to this: “Consider the “strength” of the city; its power to defend itself; its safety from the danger of being taken.” The word rendered “consider” - פסגוּ pasegû - is rendered in the margin “raise up.” The word occurs nowhere else in the Bible. According to Gesenius (Lexicon), it means to “divide up;” that is, to walk through and survey them; or, to consider them accurately, or in detail, one by one. The Vulgate renders it “distribute;” the Septuagint, “take a distinct view of (Thompson);” Luther, “lift up.” The idea is, “examine attentively” or “carefully.”
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That ye may tell it to the generation following - That you may be able to give a correct account of it to the next age. The “object” of this is to inspire the next generation with a belief that God is the protector of the city; that it is so strong that it cannot be vanquished; that there is safety in such a city as that. As applied to the church now, or at any time, it means that we are to take such views of its being a true church of God; of its being fixed on firm foundations; of its being so able to resist all the assaults of Satan, and of its being so directly under the divine protection, that it has nothing to fear. It will and must stand to all coming time, a place of absolute safety to all who seek protection and safety within it. The following remarks of Dr. Thomson (Land and the Book, vol. ii., 474, 475), may furnish an illustration of what the ancient defenses in the city may have been, and especially of the word “towers” in this passage in the Psalms: “The only castle of any particular importance is that at the Jaffa Gate, commonly called the Tower of David. The lower part of it is built of huge stones, roughly cut, and with a deep “bevel” round the edges.
They are undoubtedly ancient, but the interspersed patch-work proves that they are not in their original positions. I have been within it, and carefully explored all parts of it that are now accessible, but found nothing which could cast any light upon its history. It is believed by many to be the Hippicus of Josephus, and to this idea it owes its chief importance, for the historian makes that the point of departure in laying down the line of the ancient walls of Jerusalem. Volumes have been written in our day for and against the correctness of this identification, and the contest is still undecided; but, interesting as may be the result, we may safely leave it with those who are now conducting the controversy, and turn to matters more in unison with our particular inquiries. Everything that can be said about this grand old tower will be found in the voluminous works of Williams, Robinson, Schultz, Wilson, Fergusson, and other able writers on the topography of the Holy City.”
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 13. bulwarks] The outer wall or rampart.
13. bulwarks] The outer wall or rampart.
consider] Or, as R.V. marg., traverse. The word occurs here only, and is of doubtful meaning. But the rendering consider suits the context better. In either case the object is to convince themselves of the safety of the city. P.B.V. set up is derived from some Jewish authorities.
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that ye may tell it] Cp. Psa_22:30-31; Psa_44:1.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (13) Consider.—The Hebrew word is peculiar to this passage.…
(13) Consider.—The Hebrew word is peculiar to this passage. The root idea seems to be divide, and the natural sense of divide her palaces is, take them one by one and regard them.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Mark ye well her bulwarks (or, her ramparts), consider…
Mark ye well her bulwarks (or, her ramparts), consider her palaces. Note the height and fine masonry of her outer wall, which no people could destroy except the Romans. (Neh_1:3 Neh_2:13-17 Neh_4:6) And note also the grand houses of her princes and nobles, (Amo_6:11) which show themselves even above the ramparts. That ye may tell it to the generation following. That ye may let them know "how splendid Jerusalem appeared on the morrow of its great danger" (Cheyne).
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles H. Spurgeon 1885 · Public Domain Ver. 13. Mark ye well her bulwarks. Consider most…
Ver. 13. Mark ye well her bulwarks. Consider most attentively how strong are her ramparts, how safely her inhabitants are entrenched behind successive lines of defence. The security of the people of God is not a doctrine to be kept in the background, it may be safely taught, and frequently pondered; only to base hearts will that glorious truth prove harmful; the sons of perdition make a stumbling stone even of the Lord Jesus himself, it is little wonder that they pervert the truth of God concerning the final perseverance of the saints. We are not to turn away from inspecting Zion's ramparts, because idlers skulk behind them. Consider her palaces. Examine with care the fair dwellings of the city. Let the royal promises which afford quiet resting places for believers be attentively inspected. See how sound are the defences, and how fair are the pleasaunces of "that ancient citie, "of which you are citizens. A man should be best acquainted with his own home; and the church is our dear and blest abode. Would to God professors were more considerate of the condition of the church; so far from telling the towers, some of them scarcely know what or where they are; they are too busy counting their money, and considering their ledgers. Freehold and copyhold, and leasehold, men measure to an inch, but heaven hold and grace hold are too often taken at peradventure, and neglected in sheer heedlessness. That ye may tell it to the generation following. An excellent reason for studious observation. We have received and we must transmit. We must be students that we may be teachers. The debt we owe to the past we must endeavour to repay by handing down the truth to the future.
Ver. 13. Mark ye well her bulwarks. Margin as in the Hebrew, "Set your heart to her bulwarks." That is, pay close attention to them; make the investigation with care, not as one does whose heart is not in the thing, and who does it negligently. The word rendered bulwarks, (lyx), khail means properly, a host or army, and then a fortification or entrenchment, especially the ditch or trench, with the low wall or breastwork which surrounds it. 2Sa 20:15 Isa 26:1. (Gesenius, Lex.) Albert Barnes.
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Ver. 13. Mark ye well: set your heart, mind earnestly, set your affections on. Henry Ainsworth.
Ver. 13. Her bulwarks.
1. The designation and constitution of Jesus Christ to be King of the church, King of Zion, is the great bulwark of Zion.
2. The second bulwark of Zion is the promises of God, which are innumerable.
3. The watchful providence of God over the church.
4. Another bulwark is God's special presence. God is in a special manner present in his church.
5. The last bulwark unto which all others may be reduced, is the covenant of God: "For this God is our God." John Owen.
None.
Psalms 48:14*
Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.