The king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites(A) who inhabited the land. The Jebusites had said to David, “You will never get in here. Even the blind and lame can repel you” thinking, “David can’t get in here.”

Yet David did capture the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David.(B) He said that day, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites must go through the water shaft to reach the lame and the blind who are despised by David.”[a] For this reason it is said, “The blind and the lame will never enter the house.”[b]

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Footnotes

  1. 5:8 Alt Hb tradition, LXX, Tg, Syr read who despise David
  2. 5:8 Or temple, or palace

David Conquers Jerusalem(A)(B)

The king and his men marched to Jerusalem(C) to attack the Jebusites,(D) who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” They thought, “David cannot get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion(E)—which is the City of David.(F)

On that day David had said, “Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft(G) to reach those ‘lame and blind’(H) who are David’s enemies.[a]” That is why they say, “The ‘blind and lame’ will not enter the palace.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 5:8 Or are hated by David

Psalm 48

Zion Exalted

A song. A psalm of the sons of Korah.

The Lord is great and highly praised
in the city of our God.(A)
His holy mountain, rising splendidly,
is the joy of the whole earth.
Mount Zion—the summit of Zaphon—
is the city of the great King.(B)
God is known as a stronghold
in its citadels.(C)

Look! The kings assembled;
they advanced together.(D)
They looked and froze with fear;
they fled in terror.(E)

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Psalm 48[a]

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.

Great is the Lord,(A) and most worthy of praise,(B)
    in the city of our God,(C) his holy mountain.(D)

Beautiful(E) in its loftiness,
    the joy of the whole earth,
like the heights of Zaphon[b](F) is Mount Zion,(G)
    the city of the Great King.(H)
God is in her citadels;(I)
    he has shown himself to be her fortress.(J)

When the kings joined forces,
    when they advanced together,(K)
they saw her and were astounded;
    they fled in terror.(L)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 48:1 In Hebrew texts 48:1-14 is numbered 48:2-15.
  2. Psalm 48:2 Zaphon was the most sacred mountain of the Canaanites.