Psalm 48 ~ Beautiful in elevation

Monastery of St. Catherine - the monastery has a library with the second finest collection of manuscripts in the world (after the Vatican), including 3,500 manuscripts and 2,000 scrolls. - First Century fragments of the gospels - one of the earliest copies of the Bible (4th century A.D.) -The monastery sits at an elevation of 5150 feet (1570 meters). The mountain of Jebel Musa rises to 7498 feet in elevation (2286 m). Jebel Musa is Arabic for "the mountain of Moses." - near according to tradition this is the area where Moses received the 10 commandments. In the area: the site of the burning bush, the cave where Moses lived with Zipporah. In the 4th century, the Jebel Musa had 12 known chapels.

It has withstood numerous attacks over its 14 hundred year existence thus protecting a rich store of art, and today, while it is one of the oldest monasteries in the world, its original, preserved state is unmatched.


Psalm 48


Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised
in the city of our God. His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation,
is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north,
the city of the great King. Within its citadels God
has shown himself a sure defence.

Then the kings assembled, they came on together.
As soon as they saw it, they were astounded; they were in panic,
they took to flight; trembling took hold of them there,
pains as of a woman in labour, as when an east wind shatters
the ships of Tarshish. As we have heard, so have we seen
in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God,
which God establishes for ever.
Selah

We ponder your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple.
Your name, O God, like your praise, reaches to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with victory.
Let Mount Zion be glad, let the towns of Judah rejoice because of your judgments.

Walk about Zion, go all around it, count its towers, consider well its ramparts; go through its citadels, that you may tell the next generation that this is God, our God for ever and ever. He will be our guide for ever.

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