New International VersionTrembling seized them there, pain like that of a woman in labor.
New Living TranslationThey were gripped with terror and writhed in pain like a woman in labor.
English Standard VersionTrembling took hold of them there, anguish as of a woman in labor.
Berean Standard BibleTrembling seized them there, anguish like a woman in labor.
King James BibleFear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.
New King James VersionFear took hold of them there, And pain, as of a woman in birth pangs,
New American Standard BiblePanic seized them there, Anguish, as that of a woman in childbirth.
NASB 1995Panic seized them there, Anguish, as of a woman in childbirth.
NASB 1977 Panic seized them there, Anguish, as of a woman in childbirth.
Legacy Standard Bible Panic seized them there, Anguish, as of a woman in childbirth.
Amplified BiblePanic seized them there, And pain, as that of a woman in childbirth.
Christian Standard BibleTrembling seized them there, agony like that of a woman in labor,
Holman Christian Standard BibleTrembling seized them there, agony like that of a woman in labor,
American Standard VersionTrembling took hold of them there, Pain, as of a woman in travail.
Contemporary English VersionThey trembled all over like women giving birth
English Revised VersionTrembling took hold of them there; pain, as of a woman in travail.
GOD'S WORD® TranslationTrembling seized them like the trembling that a woman experiences during labor.
Good News TranslationThere they were seized with fear and anguish, like a woman about to bear a child,
International Standard VersionTrembling seized them there, pains like those of a woman in labor,
NET BibleLook at them shake uncontrollably, like a woman writhing in childbirth.
New Heart English BibleTrembling took hold of them there, pain, as of a woman in travail.
Webster's Bible TranslationFear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleTrembling seized them there, anguish like a woman in labor.
World English BibleTrembling took hold of them there, pain, as of a woman in travail. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionTrembling has seized them there, "" Pain, as of a travailing woman.
Young's Literal Translation Trembling hath seized them there, Pain, as of a travailing woman.
Smith's Literal TranslationTrembling seized them there, pain as of her bringing forth. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims Bibletrembling took hold of them. There were pains as of a woman in labour.
Catholic Public Domain Version Audio Bible
Context Broken Bondage… 5They saw and were astounded; they fled in terror. 6Trembling seized them there, anguish like a woman in labor. 7With a wind from the east You wrecked the ships of Tarshish.…
Cross References Isaiah 13:8Terror, pain, and anguish will seize them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look at one another, their faces flushed with fear.
Jeremiah 6:24We have heard the report; our hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped us, pain like that of a woman in labor.
Jeremiah 50:43The king of Babylon has heard the report, and his hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped him, pain like that of a woman in labor.
Nahum 2:10She is emptied! Yes, she is desolate and laid waste! Hearts melt, knees knock, bodies tremble, and every face grows pale!
Isaiah 21:3Therefore my body is filled with anguish. Pain grips me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am bewildered to hear, I am dismayed to see.
Isaiah 26:17As a woman with child about to give birth writhes and cries out in pain, so were we in Your presence, O LORD.
Micah 4:9-10Why do you now cry aloud? Is there no king among you? Has your counselor perished so that anguish grips you like a woman in labor? / Writhe in agony, O Daughter of Zion, like a woman in labor. For now you will leave the city and camp in the open fields. You will go to Babylon; there you will be rescued; there the LORD will redeem you from the hand of your enemies!
Hosea 13:13Labor pains come upon him, but he is an unwise son. When the time arrives, he fails to present himself at the opening of the womb.
1 Thessalonians 5:3While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
Matthew 24:8All these are the beginning of birth pains.
Mark 13:8Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, as well as famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.
John 16:21A woman has pain in childbirth because her time has come; but when she brings forth her child, she forgets her anguish because of her joy that a child has been born into the world.
Revelation 12:2She was pregnant and crying out in the pain and agony of giving birth.
Isaiah 66:7-8“Before she was in labor, she gave birth; before she was in pain, she delivered a boy. / Who has heard of such as this? Who has seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be delivered in an instant? Yet as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children.
Jeremiah 4:31For I hear a cry like a woman in labor, a cry of anguish like one bearing her first child—the cry of the Daughter of Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands to say, “Woe is me, for my soul faints before the murderers!”
Exodus 15:15,16
Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away… Isaiah 13:6-8
Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty… Daniel 5:6
Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. pain Isaiah 21:3
Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it. Jeremiah 30:6,7
Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? … Hosea 13:13
The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children. Jump to Previous Anguish Childbirth Fear Hold Labor Pain Pangs Panic Seized Shaking Travail Travailing TremblingJump to Next Anguish Childbirth Fear Hold Labor Pain Pangs Panic Seized Shaking Travail Travailing TremblingPsalm 48 1. The ornaments and privileges of the churchTrembling seized them thereThis phrase captures the immediate and overwhelming fear experienced by the enemies of Zion. In the biblical context, Zion often represents the city of Jerusalem, a symbol of God's presence and protection. The imagery of trembling suggests a divine intervention that causes fear among those who oppose God's people. This can be connected to various instances in the Old Testament where God instills fear in the hearts of Israel's enemies, such as in Exodus 15:14-16, where the nations tremble at the power of God displayed during the Exodus. The "there" indicates a specific location, likely referring to the site of God's deliverance or judgment, emphasizing the tangible reality of God's protection over His people. Anguish like a woman in labor
This simile draws on the universal and intense experience of childbirth to describe the depth of the enemies' distress. In ancient Near Eastern culture, labor pain was a common metaphor for extreme fear or distress, as seen in Isaiah 13:8 and Jeremiah 6:24. The use of this imagery highlights the inevitability and intensity of the anguish faced by those who oppose God. It also reflects the suddenness and inescapability of divine judgment. This phrase can be seen as a type of prophetic warning, illustrating the ultimate futility of resisting God's will. The comparison to labor pains also subtly points to the idea of new beginnings or transformations, as labor results in birth, suggesting that God's deliverance of His people may lead to a new era or phase in their history. Persons / Places / Events 1. Zion/JerusalemThe city of God, often symbolizing God's presence and protection. In Psalm 48, Zion is depicted as a place of divine strength and beauty. 2. Kings of the EarthThese are the rulers who gather against Zion but are ultimately overwhelmed by God's power and presence. 3. God's DeliveranceThe event of God protecting and delivering Zion from its enemies, causing them to tremble and experience anguish. Teaching Points The Power of God Over Earthly PowersGod's sovereignty is unmatched, and even the mightiest rulers tremble before Him. This should encourage believers to trust in God's ultimate authority and protection. The Reality of Divine JudgmentThe imagery of labor pains signifies the inevitability and intensity of God's judgment. Believers are reminded to live in readiness and reverence, acknowledging God's righteous judgment. The Assurance of God's PresenceJust as Zion is protected by God's presence, believers can find comfort and security in knowing that God is with them, even in times of distress. The Call to Fear God, Not ManThe fear and trembling of the kings serve as a reminder that reverence should be directed towards God rather than human authorities or circumstances. Preparation for Spiritual BattlesUnderstanding that spiritual battles are real and that God's power is our defense encourages believers to be spiritually vigilant and reliant on God's strength. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Psalm 48:6?
2. How does Psalm 48:6 illustrate God's power over earthly rulers and nations?
3. What emotions are described in Psalm 48:6, and why are they significant?
4. How can Psalm 48:6 encourage believers facing worldly challenges today?
5. Connect Psalm 48:6 with another Scripture about God's sovereignty over nations.
6. How can we apply the fear and trembling in Psalm 48:6 to our lives?
7. What historical events might Psalm 48:6 be referencing with "trembling seized them there"?
8. How does Psalm 48:6 reflect the power of God over nations?
9. What is the significance of fear and trembling in Psalm 48:6?
10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Psalm 48?
11. What does 'travail' mean in the Bible?
12. What does "travail" mean in the Bible?
13. What does the Bible say about dealing with angst?
14. Psalm 48:5–6: Is there any historical or scientific evidence that opposing kings literally “saw and were amazed” to the point of trembling? What Does Psalm 48:6 Mean Trembling seized them therePsalm 48:4 has just pictured “the kings assembled, they advanced together.” The next breath tells us how swiftly God turns their confidence into terror: “Trembling seized them there.” • The word “seized” paints fear that grabs and paralyzes—just as “the peoples heard and trembled” when Israel crossed the Red Sea (Exodus 15:14-16). • “There” points to Zion itself, the place God had chosen and promised to defend (Psalm 46:5). The same ground that gave His people security became the ground of dread for their enemies. • Scripture shows this pattern repeatedly: Rahab testified, “terror of you has fallen on us” (Joshua 2:9-11), and the Assyrian army melted when the Lord struck them outside Jerusalem (2 Kings 19:35-36). In every case the trembling is not random panic; it is the direct result of encountering the living God who “breaks the spirit of rulers; He is feared by the kings of the earth” (Psalm 76:12).
Anguish like a woman in laborThe image intensifies: “anguish like a woman in labor.” Childbirth pain is unavoidable, overwhelming, and steadily increasing until delivery. God chooses this comparison to show that the foes of Zion cannot escape what is coming. • Isaiah uses the same language: “They will be dismayed, pangs and agony will seize them; they will writhe like a woman in labor” (Isaiah 13:8). The thought is in Jeremiah 6:24 and Micah 4:9-10 as well. • Labor pains arrive suddenly yet follow an ordered progression—just as God’s judgments are both unexpected to the wicked and perfectly timed by Him (1 Thessalonians 5:3). • For His people, labor imagery can signal hopeful anticipation (John 16:21), but for the unrepentant it speaks of inescapable distress. Here the enemies of Zion experience the latter: pain with no relief until they retreat in defeat. The verse therefore reinforces that the Lord’s protection of His city is not symbolic—real adversaries feel real anguish when they collide with His sovereign power.
summaryPsalm 48:6 pictures the instant, God-given panic that strikes the assembled kings attacking Jerusalem. First, fear grips them on the very ground they expected to conquer; then the terror deepens into unstoppable agony likened to labor pains. The verse celebrates the Lord’s faithful defense of Zion and assures believers that any force opposing His purposes will ultimately be overwhelmed by His might. Verse 6. - Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail. This description is wholly inapplicable to the destruction of Sennacherib's host, unperceived until it was accomplished ( 2 Kings 19:35), but is sufficiently in agreement with the narrative of 2 Chronicles 20:1-23.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew Tremblingרְ֭עָדָה (rə·‘ā·ḏāh)Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 7461: A tremblingseizedאֲחָזָ֣תַם (’ă·ḥā·zā·ṯam)Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 270: To grasp, take hold, take possessionthem there,שָׁ֑ם (šām)Adverb
Strong's 8033: There, then, thitheranguishחִ֝֗יל (ḥîl)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2427: A writhing, anguishlike a woman in labor.כַּיּוֹלֵֽדָה׃ (kay·yō·w·lê·ḏāh)Preposition-k, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 3205: To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineage
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OT Poetry: Psalm 48:6 Trembling took hold of them there pain (Psalm Ps Psa.) |
