Psalm 48:4 kjv
For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together.
Psalm 48:4 nkjv
For behold, the kings assembled, They passed by together.
Psalm 48:4 niv
When the kings joined forces, when they advanced together,
Psalm 48:4 esv
For behold, the kings assembled; they came on together.
Psalm 48:4 nlt
The kings of the earth joined forces
and advanced against the city.
Psalm 48 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 2:2-4 | The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD... He who sits in the heavens laughs... | Futility of human rulers against God's decree. |
| Ps 76:5-6 | The stouthearted were plundered; they sank into sleep; all the men of might have not found their hands... At Your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both rider and horse lay fast asleep. | Divine rebuke causing swift, supernal defeat/panic of enemies. |
| Ps 83:3-5 | They plot with cunning against Your people... For they conspire with one accord; against You they make a covenant... | Nations forming malicious alliances against God's chosen. |
| 2 Kgs 19:35 | That night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians... | God's direct intervention defending Jerusalem from Sennacherib. |
| Isa 37:36 | Then the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians... | Illustrates God's unassailable protection of Jerusalem. |
| 2 Chr 20:1-30 | A vast army of Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites came against Jehoshaphat... The LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir... | God confounds and defeats a powerful enemy coalition without Judah fighting. |
| Joel 3:9-11 | Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!... For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. | Future judgment of nations gathered for battle against God's people. |
| Ezek 38:8, 16 | In the latter years you will come into a land... against my people Israel, when they are living securely, all of them. | Prophecy of Gog and Magog, a vast coalition against Israel. |
| Ezek 39:2-4 | I will turn you around and drag you along and lead you up from the uttermost parts of the north and bring you against the mountains of Israel... | God's sovereign defeat of the Gog/Magog alliance. |
| Zech 12:3, 9 | On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples... On that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. | Jerusalem as an impregnable obstacle defended by God. |
| Zech 14:2-3 | For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle... Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations... | Eschatological gathering of nations against Jerusalem, God fights for it. |
| Rev 16:14 | For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. | Worldwide kings gathering for the final, great battle. |
| Rev 19:19 | And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against Him who was sitting on the horse and against His army. | Earthly kings and armies arrayed against Christ's return. |
| Neh 4:8, 15 | And all of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem... when God had frustrated their plan... | Example of plots against Jerusalem divinely thwarted. |
| Ps 46:6 | The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; He utters His voice, the earth melts. | God's mighty word causes chaos and collapse among nations. |
| Isa 8:9-10 | Be shattered, O peoples, and be broken; give ear, all you distant lands; gird yourselves and be shattered; gird yourselves and be broken! | Empires planning against God's design come to nothing. |
| Ps 33:10 | The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. | Divine frustration of human and national designs. |
| 2 Sam 10:6-8 | The Ammonites sent and hired 20,000 foot soldiers... When the Syrians of Zobah... saw that they had been put to flight, they gathered together. | Historical instance of combined enemy forces gathering. |
| 1 Chr 19:6-7 | The Ammonites sent 1,000 talents... to hire chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia... they gathered together... | Parallel account demonstrating multi-national alliance against God's people. |
| Hab 1:5 | "Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told." | God's unexpected and decisive actions against opposing forces. |
| Isa 41:11-12 | Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame... Those who contend with you shall be as nothing. | Those hostile to God's people ultimately face defeat and disgrace. |
| Zech 1:15 | "And I am very angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was a little angry, they furthered the disaster." | God's wrath against nations who oppress His chosen people. |
Psalm 48 verses
Psalm 48 4 Meaning
Psalm 48:4 describes a unified gathering of earthly kings who converged with hostile intent upon Jerusalem, the holy city of God. The verse highlights the deliberate assembly and concerted advance of these formidable rulers, establishing them as a collective threat. This pre-planned movement sets the immediate context for God's dramatic and supernaturally orchestrated response, which is elaborated in the subsequent verses, ultimately demonstrating His effortless triumph over their combined might.
Psalm 48 4 Context
Psalm 48 is a powerful hymn dedicated to extolling the greatness and splendor of Mount Zion, Jerusalem, as the city of God. It functions as a triumphant declaration of God's presence and protection over His chosen dwelling place. The psalm likely alludes to a historical incident (or represents a recurring pattern) where a confederation of hostile kings attempted to assault Jerusalem. However, before any human battle could be engaged, God supernaturally intervened, instilling terror and confusion among the aggressors, causing their immediate retreat and dispersion. This specific verse (Psalm 48:4) initiates the narrative of this thwarted attack, establishing the formidable nature of the threat by describing the united and purposeful movement of these kings. It thereby sets the stage for the dramatic revelation of God's unmatched power in their instant, panic-stricken rout (vv. 5-7), proving Jerusalem's unassailable security under divine guardianship.
Psalm 48 4 Word analysis
- כִּי (Ki) – "For, indeed": This conjunction introduces the foundational reason or explanation for the praises of God's magnificence and Jerusalem's beauty proclaimed in the preceding verses (Ps 48:1-3). It indicates that the subsequent statement provides tangible evidence or a demonstration of the attributes just celebrated, initiating the unfolding of a pivotal event.
- הִנֵּה (Hinneh) – "Behold!, Lo!": An emphatic interjection that serves to immediately draw attention to the ensuing revelation. It creates a sense of suddenness, surprise, or solemn importance, emphasizing the dramatic and astonishing nature of the kings' assembly and their subsequent, unexpected reaction. It aims to invoke awe and readiness for what is about to be described.
- הַמְּלָכִים (hammelakhim) – "the kings": The definite article signifies a specific, often large, and powerful group of rulers. In ancient Near Eastern thought and biblical narratives, coalitions of "kings" typically represented significant, formidable earthly powers united in hostile opposition to God's people or His purposes. Their combined might stands in stark contrast to God's singular, overwhelming power.
- נוֹעֲדוּ (no'adu) – "were assembled, met by agreement": Derived from the root יָעַד (ya'ad), meaning "to meet, appoint, assemble." The Niph'al perfect form indicates that these kings gathered in a passive but deliberate manner, suggesting a concerted or conspiratorial coalition. This implies a pre-planned military or political maneuver, underscoring the serious and united nature of the threat they posed to Jerusalem.
- עָבְרוּ ('avru) – "they passed by, passed through": This verb denotes movement, signifying their advance. It can suggest marching "by" or moving "through" a region. In this context, juxtaposed with "together" and the ensuing description of their panic (v. 5), it indicates a deliberate advance or march towards Jerusalem with offensive intentions. While some interpret it as merely passing by without engagement, the subsequent terror they experience strongly points to an attempted assault that was divinely cut short.
- יַחְדָּו (yahdaw) – "together, unitedly": This adverb emphasizes the singular focus and concerted action of the kings. Their unity reinforces the perceived formidable nature of their combined military strength and strategic intent. Yet, this very unity in opposition highlights the profound paradox of their sudden and effortless defeat by the singular, overwhelming power of God.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- כִּי הִנֵּה ("For, behold"): This potent opening draws the reader directly into the dramatic scene, announcing an important event that provides clear evidence of God's praise. It is a clarion call to witness divine action.
- הַמְּלָכִים נוֹעֲדוּ ("the kings were assembled"): This phrase precisely delineates the powerful nature and collective resolve of the adversaries. It describes a purposeful and formidable alliance of multiple sovereign entities, laying bare the scope of the human challenge intended against Zion, only to set the stage for its divine dissolution.
- עָבְרוּ יַחְדָּו ("they passed by together"): This group of words paints a vivid picture of their united movement and coordinated advance. While conveying a show of force, it subtly foreshadows their subsequent undignified "passing away" in panicked retreat, illustrating the stark and immediate reversal of their intended trajectory at the hands of God.
Psalm 48 4 Bonus section
- The use of perfect tense verbs in Hebrew (
נוֹעֲדוּ,עָבְרוּ) treats the described event as a completed action, suggesting a specific historical occurrence known to the original audience or a paradigmatic instance of God's recurring faithfulness in protecting His city. - The lack of specific identification for the "kings" and the precise event allows the psalm to resonate across different periods of Israel's history and serves as a timeless promise of divine protection for God's people against any array of enemies.
- The imagery implicitly critiques the pagan belief in the power of their gods or the invincibility of their earthly rulers, positioning YHWH as the sole, true deity capable of effortlessly thwarting the mightiest of human conspiracies.
- This verse contributes to the "Zion theology," which asserts Jerusalem's sacred and secure status because it is the dwelling place of God, an idea that profoundly shaped ancient Israelite identity and worship.
Psalm 48 4 Commentary
Psalm 48:4 opens a dramatic vignette by stating, with an urgent "For, behold," that "the kings were assembled; they passed by together." This verse succinctly establishes a scene of imposing earthly power mobilized against Jerusalem, God's city. It portrays a deliberate, united gathering of hostile rulers who, by implication, were marching with ill intent, seeking to assault or conquer Zion. This initial image of a formidable, cohesive enemy coalition serves to heighten the contrast with what follows: the seemingly effortless, instantaneous, and panic-inducing rout by God himself. The strength and unity of the kings, meticulously noted by the psalmist, thus paradoxically underscore the absolute and unmatched sovereignty of Yahweh. Their combined force, which appears overwhelming, ultimately becomes merely a backdrop against which divine protection of Zion shines forth most gloriously, affirming the city's unique security due to God's indwelling presence. The verse, therefore, acts as the initial statement of the threat that God then majestically and undeniably neutralizes.