The New Jerusalem, part 11

Shalom, everyone.

Sorry it's been a while since I last posted; a bit of computer trouble. All fixed. (Maybe?)

I was last talking about other locations in Scripture that mention the New Jerusalem, one way or another, and I last mentioned the locations in the book of Hebrews.

Today, I'd like to draw your attention to another group of Scriptures: Scriptures that talk about the city being a mountain and/or the mountain being the city. Here's a familiar passage (familiar to me, that is, because I've heard it put to song), Psalm 48:1-2:

Ps. 48:1-2
1 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.
2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.
KJV
To get a real appreciation for these verses, one should look at the Hebrew version:

2 Gaadowl YHVH uwmhulaal m’od b`iyr Eloheeynuw Har-Qaadshow:
3 Yfeeh nowf msows kaal-haa’aarets Har-Tsiyown yarkteey tsaafown qiryat Melekh raav:
JPS Hebrew-English TANAKH by Jewish Publication Society (transliterated)

2 Gaadowl = 2 (Is)-Great
YHVH = ADONAI
uwmhulaal = and-to-be-celebrated
m’od = passionately
b`iyr = in-a-city
Eloheeynuw = of-our-God
Har = Mountain
Qaadshow: = of-His-Holiness:
3 Yfeeh = 3 (Is)-Magnificent
nowf = (its)-elevation
msows = with-delight
kaal = all
haa’aarets = the-earth/land
Har = Mountain
Tsiyown = of-Zion
yarkteey = (its)-sides
tsaafown = of-north
qiryat = of-the-construction
Melekh = of-(the)-King
raav: = generous/lavish/extravagant:

2 (Is)-Great ADONAI and-to-be-celebrated passionately in-a-city of-our-God Mountain of-His-Holiness:

3 (Is)-Magnificent (its)-elevation with-delight of all the-earth/land Mountain of-Zion (its)-sides of-north of-the-construction of-(the)-King generous/lavish/extravagant:

2 ADONAI is great and is to be passionately celebrated in (the) city of our God, “Mountain of His Holiness!”

3 Its elevation is magnificent with delight of all the earth Mountain of Zion, its sides aligned with north, the construction of the extravagant King!
 
Some have taken this passage to be interpreted allegorically and not actually talking about a mountain that could be called a city, saying that a mountain represents a kingdom. However, after our look at the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 and 22, I hope one can see that this passage could indeed be taken literally!

In the Messiah's love,
Retrobyter