Psalms 47:13
Surround Sion, and encompass her: tell ye in her towers.
Open Psalms 47:13 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Circumdate Sion, et complectimini eam ; narrate in turribus ejus.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- κυκλώσατε Σιὼν καὶ περιβάλετε αὐτήν, διηγήσασθε ἐν τοῖς πύργοις αὐτῆς·
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 48:13
- סֹ֣בּוּ צִ֭יּוֹן וְהַקִּיפ֑וּהָ סִ֝פְר֗וּ מִגְדָּלֶֽיהָ
Haydock's commentary
Surround. Hebrew, "walk round, (Haydock) tell her towers." (St. Jerome)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
Clement of Alexandria The Stromata, or Miscellanies, Chapter XIII. Description of the Gnostic Continued
Thence now, by knowledge collecting materials to be the food of contemplation, having embraced nobly the magnitude of knowledge, he advances to the holy recompense of translation hence. For he has heard the Psalm which says: “Encircle Zion, and encompass it, tell upon its towers.” For it intimates, I think, those who have sublimely embraced the Word, so as to become lofty towers, and to stand firmly in faith and knowledge.
St Augustine A Treatise on the Soul and its Origin, Just as the Mother Knows Not Whence Comes Her Child Within Her, So We Know Not Whence Comes the Soul
How I wish that, on so profound a question, so long as he is ignorant what he should say, he would imitate the mother of the Maccabean youths! Although she knew very well that she had conceived children of her husband, and that they had been created for her by the Creator of all, both in body and in soul and spirit, yet she says, “I cannot tell, my sons, how ye came into my womb.” Well now, I only wish this man would tell us that which she was ignorant of! She, of course, knew (on the points I have mentioned) how they came into her womb as to their bodily substance, because she could not possibly doubt that she had conceived them by her husband. She furthermore confessed, because this, too, she was, of course, well aware of, that it was God who gave them their soul and spirit, and that it was He also who formed for them their features and their limbs. …
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm XLVIII
12. “Set your hearts upon her might” ( ver. 12 ). Not that ye may have the form of godliness, deny the power thereof, but, “upon her might set your hearts. Speak ye in her towers.” What is the might of this city? Whoso would understand the might of this city, let him understand the force of love. That is a virtue which none conquereth. Love’s flame no waves of the world, no streams of temptation, extinguish. Of this it is said, “Love is strong as death.” For as when death cometh, it cannot be resisted; by whatever arts, whatever medicines, you meet it; the violence of death can none avoid who is born mortal; so against the violence of love can the world do nothing. For from the contrary the similitude is made of death; for as death is most violent to take away, so love is most violent to save. …