Psalms – Chapter 48

Old Testament21 Verses

1Unto the end, a psalm for the sons of Core.

2Hear these things, all ye nations: give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world.

3All you that are earthborn, and you sons of men: both rich and poor together.

4My mouth shall speak wisdom: and the meditation of my heart understanding.

5I will incline my ear to a parable; I will open my proposition on the psaltery.

6Why shall I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall encompass me.

7They that trust in their own strength, and glory in the multitude of their riches,

8No brother can redeem, nor shall man redeem: he shall not give to God his ransom,

9Nor the price of the redemption of his soul: and shall labour for ever,

10And shall still live unto the end.

11He shall not see destruction, when he shall see the wise dying: the senseless and the fool shall perish together: And they shall leave their riches to strangers:

12And their sepulchres shall be their houses for ever. Their dwelling places to all generations: they have called their lands by their names.

13And man when he was in honour did not understand; he is compared to senseless beasts, and is become like to them.

14This way of theirs is a stumblingblock to them: and afterwards they shall delight in their mouth.

15They are laid in hell like sheep: death shall feed upon them. And the just shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their help shall decay in hell from their glory.

16But God will redeem my soul from the hand of hell, when he shall receive me.

17Be not thou afraid, when a man shall be made rich, and when the glory of his house shall be increased.

18For when he shall die he shall take nothing away; nor shall his glory descend with him.

19For in his lifetime his soul will be blessed: and he will praise thee when thou shalt do well to him.

20He shall go in to the generations of his fathers: and he shall never see light.

21Man when he was in honour did not understand: he hath been compared to senseless beasts, and made like to them.

Reflection for Today

The message of Psalms Chapter 48 unfolds within the broader narrative of prayer, praise, and the full range of human emotion before God. Catholic theology, drawing on the Psalms are the prayer book of the Church, prayed daily in the Liturgy of the Hours (CIC 2585-2589), sees in this chapter a call to deeper faith. The principle that God invites us to bring all our emotions to Him guides our interpretation.

The Church Fathers, including St. Augustine, St. Jerome, and St. John Chrysostom, devoted themselves to explaining Scripture for the faithful. Their insights, preserved in the Church's Tradition, continue to illuminate our reading. The Catechism reminds us that "the Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures as she venerated the Body of the Lord" (CIC 103).

As you engage with this chapter, bring your questions, struggles, and hopes to the text. God's Word addresses the whole person—mind, heart, and will. Through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, we receive the grace to live what we read. May this chapter strengthen your faith and deepen your love for Christ and His Church.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

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