Broken Bondage 1 UST Yahweh is great, and he deserves to have people praise him greatly in{ Jerusalem}, the city that belongs to him. That city is high up on the mountain that he chose as the place where people would worship him. BSB BSB: A song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, His holy mountain.
2 UST The height of Mount Zion is magnificent. People from all over the world are happy when they see it. The city{ of Jerusalem,} where Yahweh rules as the great king, is on the northern ridge of that mountain. BSB BSB: Beautiful in loftiness, the joy of all the earth, like the peaks of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the great King.
3 UST God is present{ as a defender} in the city’ s fortifications. He has shown that he protects the people of the city. BSB BSB: God is in her citadels; He has shown Himself to be a fortress.
4 UST Listen to why Yahweh deserves our praise. Kings joined together and led their armies to attack our city. BSB BSB: For behold, the kings assembled; they all advanced together.
5 UST However, when they saw it, its secure position and defenses amazed them. They became so frightened that they ran away. BSB BSB: They saw and were astounded; they fled in terror.
6 UST Their bodies shook because they were so afraid. They screamed as if they were women who were giving birth. BSB BSB: Trembling seized them there, anguish like a woman in labor.
7 UST Just as you, Yahweh, can sent a strong east wind that wrecks even the sturdiest ships at sea{, so you destroyed the armies that were attacking us}. BSB BSB: With a wind from the east You wrecked the ships of Tarshish.
8 UST Jerusalem belongs to Yahweh, the commander of the heavenly armies, who is our God. We had heard{ from our ancestors} that God would always keep the city secure. Now we who live in the city have seen for ourselves that this is true. Selah BSB BSB: 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
9 UST We went into your temple, God, and recognized that you faithfully kept your covenant when you protected us. We acknowledged that you had been just as faithful to us as you were to our ancestors. BSB BSB: Within Your temple, O God, we contemplate Your loving devotion.
10 UST People throughout the world praise you as you deserve. You use your power to make sure that people treat each other right. BSB BSB: Your name, O God, like Your praise, reaches to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness.
11 UST The people who live in Jerusalem and in other parts of the kingdom of Judah should celebrate the way you judge people fairly. BSB BSB: Mount Zion is glad, the daughters of Judah rejoice, on account of Your judgments.
12 UST You Judeans should walk around the walls of the city of Jerusalem. See how many defensive towers it has! BSB BSB: March around Zion, encircle her, count her towers,
13 UST You should observe the strength of the walls and the fortifications so that you can tell your descendants about them. BSB BSB: consider her ramparts, tour her citadels, that you may tell the next generation.
14 UST The people of Judah and Jerusalem should praise Yahweh because he is our God and he will always be our God. He will lead us for as long as we live. BSB BSB: For this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even till death.
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