Lexical Summary cheylah: Strength, power, force Original Word: חֵילָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bulwark Feminine of chayil; an intrenchment -- bulwark. see HEBREW chayil Brown-Driver-Briggs חֵילָה Psalm 48:14, see חֵל above Topical Lexicon Range of Meaning and Imagery The term designates the protective outer works of a fortified city—its ramparts, bulwarks, or defensive earthworks. In the ancient Near East such structures surrounded walls and towers to absorb the first force of attack. Figuratively, the word evokes security, stability, and the visible testimony of a city’s strength. Biblical Usage Psalm 48:13 is the sole occurrence: “Consider her ramparts, examine her citadels, so that you may tell the next generation.” (Berean Standard Bible) Here the ramparts of Zion serve as a tangible witness to the power and faithfulness of the Lord who dwells there. Pilgrims are urged to inspect these defenses, not merely as architectural feats but as evidence of divine protection worthy to be recounted to succeeding generations. Historical Setting Psalm 48 celebrates Jerusalem, likely during the reign of a Davidic king after a dramatic deliverance from foreign threat (compare 2 Kings 19:35-36). Jerusalem’s fortifications were expanded by David (2 Samuel 5:9), strengthened under Solomon (1 Kings 3:1), and repaired by subsequent kings such as Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:9) and Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 32:5). The outer ramparts mentioned in the psalm would have included stone revetments built against steep slopes around the City of David and the Ophel. These works impressed visitors, attesting that the Lord “makes her fortress secure forever” (Psalm 48:8). Theological Significance 1. Assurance of Salvation: The ramparts illustrate God Himself as the ultimate defense. “God is our refuge and strength” (Psalm 46:1) stands in parallel with the physical ramparts of Psalm 48, teaching that visible defenses point to an invisible Protector. Practical Ministry Applications • Intergenerational Discipleship: Believers are called to rehearse God’s past deliverances so that faith is transmitted (Psalm 78:4-7). Tours of historical sites, testimonies, and church history lessons serve a similar role today. Typological Connection to Christ Jesus Christ fulfills the image of the rampart. He is “a refuge for the oppressed” (Psalm 9:9) and the “wall of fire” around His people (Zechariah 2:5). Through His atoning work He secures believers eternally (Hebrews 7:25). The physical ramparts of Zion thus foreshadow the complete protection found in union with Christ. Summary Statement Though the word appears only once, its placement in Psalm 48 anchors a rich theme: the visible strength of God’s city pointing to the invisible strength of God Himself. From ancient Jerusalem’s earthworks to the consummate security of the Church in Christ, the concept of ramparts summons God’s people to remember, recount, and rely upon their divine Defender. Forms and Transliterations לְֽחֵילָ֗ה לחילה lə·ḥê·lāh lecheiLah ləḥêlāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 48:13 HEB: שִׁ֤יתוּ לִבְּכֶ֨ם ׀ לְֽחֵילָ֗ה פַּסְּג֥וּ אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֑יהָ KJV: ye well her bulwarks, consider INT: Mark well her bulwarks Go her palaces 1 Occurrence |
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