Psalms 48:6
Trembling took hold of them there, anguish as of a woman in labor.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Psalms 48:6
Trembling took hold of them there, anguish as of a woman in labor.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The shock of seeing Zion was so profound and disorienting that it's described not just as fear, but as intense, incapacitating physical pain, mirroring the sudden, overwhelming agony of childbirth. This imagery highlights that the enemies' defeat wasn't just a military setback, but a complete, agonizing shattering of their confidence and plans.
This psalm celebrates the security and glory of Zion, God's holy city, recounting a miraculous deliverance from invading kings. The enemies, who had gathered with confidence, are suddenly struck with overwhelming terror and a paralyzing pain, causing them to flee in disarray without a fight. The intense fear and anguish are compared to the sharp pangs of a woman giving birth, highlighting the suddenness and severity of their defeat.
Ever felt overwhelmed by the sheer force of opposition, as if facing an unstoppable tide? This verse reveals that even the mightiest human forces can crumble when faced with God's intervention.
Psalm 48 describes a dramatic moment when powerful kings, enemies of Jerusalem, approach the city with intent to conquer.
The Enemy Assembled
'Behold, the kings assembled; they marched on together' (Psalm 48:4). Imagine the scene: armies gathering, kings plotting, a united front aimed at destroying God's chosen city. This isn't just a historical event; it's a picture of how overwhelming opposition can feel.
The Turning Point
But then, the text shifts dramatically: 'They saw, they were astonished; they were dismayed; they fled in panic' (Psalm 48:5). Their strength and unity shattered instantly. It wasn't a battle fought with swords and shields; it was a psychological and spiritual collapse triggered by the sheer presence and power of God protecting His city.
God's Unseen Hand
This isn't about Jerusalem's fortifications, but about God's direct action. Their astonishment and flight weren't from fear of a human army, but from a divinely-induced terror that rendered their might useless. God's power is the ultimate equalizer, capable of turning overwhelming might into utter panic.
What does it feel like to be utterly defeated, not just physically, but in your very core? This verse uses a visceral image to describe the enemy's sudden, agonizing downfall.
The psalm doesn't just say the enemies fled; it describes the quality of their defeat with a powerful metaphor.
A Woman in Labor
'Trembling took hold of them there, anguish as of a woman in labor' (Psalm 48:6). This isn't a gentle discomfort. It's intense, overwhelming, involuntary pain.
Understand the original words
chîlâh · Hebrew Noun
A state of intense physical or mental distress, often used in Scripture to describe the sudden, overwhelming pain of childbirth or the terror experienced by God's enemies when confronted with His judgment.
Psalm 48 vividly describes the terror experienced by invading armies when they confronted Jerusalem, portraying their fear as sudden and overwhelming, like the intense pain of childbirth. This imagery strongly suggests a specific historical deliverance, likely the miraculous repulse of Sennacherib's Assyrian army in 701 BC, where the enemy was struck with sudden dread and forced to flee without a battle in the city itself.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
King Sennacherib of Assyria besieges Jerusalem. Though his army inflicted heavy losses on surrounding Judean cities, Jerusalem itself was miraculously spared after a divine intervention that destroyed the Assyrian forces.
c. 8th century BC
Assyrian Empire's Expansion
The Neo-Assyrian Empire, under rulers like Tiglath-Pileser III and Sargon II, was at its peak, aggressively expanding its territory and demanding tribute from smaller kingdoms, including Judah.
c. 730s BC - 701 BC
Syrian-Ephraimite War
The kingdoms of Syria (Aram) and Israel (Ephraim) tried to force Judah into an anti-Assyrian alliance, even invading Judah and placing their own candidate on the throne. King Ahaz of Judah appealed to Assyria for help, leading to further Assyrian influence.
c. 605 BC
This passage uses the same vivid imagery of anguish 'as of a woman in labor' to describe the deep distress and sorrow a people will experience due to their own sin and downfall.
Isaiah 13:8Here, the prophet Isaiah uses the intense pain of childbirth to describe the terror and upheaval that will accompany the judgment of God against nations, mirroring the sudden, overwhelming distress mentioned in Psalms 48:6.
Exodus 15:14-15After the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, the surrounding nations heard of Israel's deliverance and 'trembling seized them,' indicating a profound, paralyzing fear brought about by God's mighty acts, similar to the reaction of the kings in Psalm 48.
Matthew 24:8Jesus uses the phrase 'all these are but the beginning of birth pains' to describe the intense suffering and tribulation that will precede His return, connecting the imagery of labor pains to times of great crisis and divine judgment.
poolePsalms 48:6: "Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail."
Partly at the tidings of Tirhakah’s coming against them, 2 Kings 19:9 , and partly for that terrible slaughter of their army there, 2 Kings 19:35 .
expositorsPsalms 48:1-14: "A Song and Psalm for the sons of Korah. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness."
Psalm 48:1-14 THE situation seems the same as in Psalm 46:1-11 , with which this psalm has many points of contact. In both we have the same triumph, the same proud affection for the holy city and sanctuary, the same confidence in God’s dwelling there, the same vivid picturing of the mustering of enemies and their rapid dispersion, the sa…
The shock of seeing Zion was so profound and disorienting that it's described not just as fear, but as intense, incapacitating physical pain, mirroring the sudden, overwhelming agony of childbirth. This imagery highlights that the enemies' defeat wasn't just a military setback, but a complete, agonizing shattering of their confidence and plans.
This psalm celebrates the security and glory of Zion, God's holy city, recounting a miraculous deliverance from invading kings. The enemies, who had gathered with confidence, are suddenly struck with overwhelming terror and a paralyzing pain, causing them to flee in disarray without a fight. The intense fear and anguish are compared to the sharp pangs of a woman giving birth, highlighting the suddenness and severity of their defeat.
This psalm celebrates the security and glory of Zion, God's holy city, recounting a miraculous deliverance from invading kings. The enemies, who had gathered with confidence, are suddenly struck with overwhelming terror and a paralyzing pain, causing them to flee in disarray without a fight. The intense fear and anguish are compared to the sharp pangs of a woman giving birth, highlighting the suddenness and severity of their defeat.
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More Than Just Fear
This 'pain' isn't just physical; it's the anguish of dashed hopes, the terror of divine judgment, and the deep distress of realizing their power meant nothing. It’s the agony of facing a force far greater than themselves, leading to a complete and humiliating collapse.
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon deports Judean elites, including the prophet Daniel, to Babylon following a victory over Egypt. This marks the beginning of Judah's subjugation to Babylon.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar II conquer Jerusalem, destroy the Temple, and deport most of the remaining population to Babylon, ending the Davidic monarchy.
"Trembling took hold of them there, anguish as of a woman in labor." — The shock of seeing Zion was so profound and disorienting that it's described not just as fear, but as intense, incapacitating physical pain, mirroring the sudden, overwhelming agony of childbirth. T…