Discovery BoxPsalms 48:11 
Context48:11 Mount Zion rejoices;
the towns 1 of Judah are happy, 2
because of your acts of judgment. 3
Psalms 60:7
Context60:7 Gilead belongs to me,
as does Manasseh! 4
Ephraim is my helmet, 5
Judah my royal scepter. 6
Psalms 78:68
Context78:68 He chose the tribe of Judah,
and Mount Zion, which he loves.
Psalms 97:8
Context97:8 Zion hears and rejoices,
the towns 7 of Judah are happy,
because of your judgments, O Lord.
Psalms 108:8
Context108:8 Gilead belongs to me,
as does Manasseh! 8
Ephraim is my helmet, 9
Judah my royal scepter. 10
1 tn Heb “daughters.” The reference is to the cities of Judah surrounding Zion (see Ps 97:8 and H. Haag, TDOT 2:336).
2 tn The prefixed verbal forms are understood as generalizing imperfects. (For other examples of an imperfect followed by causal לְמַעַן [lÿma’an], see Ps 23:3; Isa 49:7; 55:5.) Another option is to interpret the forms as jussives, “Let Mount Zion rejoice! Let the towns of Judah be happy!” (cf. NASB, NRSV; note the imperatives in vv. 12-13.)
3 sn These acts of judgment are described in vv. 4-7.
4 sn Gilead was located east of the Jordan. Half of the tribe of Manasseh lived east of the Jordan in the region of Bashan.
5 tn Heb “the protection of my head.”
sn Ephraim, named after one of Joseph’s sons, was one of two major tribes located west of the Jordan. By comparing Ephraim to a helmet, the Lord suggests that the Ephraimites played a primary role in the defense of his land.
6 sn Judah, like Ephraim, was the other major tribe west of the Jordan. The Davidic king, symbolized here by the royal scepter, came from this tribe.
7 tn Heb “daughters.” The term “daughters” refers to the cities of Judah surrounding Zion (see Ps 48:11 and H. Haag, TDOT 2:336).
8 tn Gilead was located east of the Jordan River. Half of the tribe of Manasseh lived east of the Jordan in the region of Bashan.
9 tn Heb “the protection of my head.”
sn Ephraim, one of Joseph’s sons, was one of two major tribes located west of the Jordan River. By comparing Ephraim to a helmet, the Lord suggests that the Ephraimites played a primary role in the defense of his land.
10 sn Judah, like Ephraim, was the other major tribe west of the Jordan River. The Davidic king, symbolized here by the royal scepter, came from this tribe.
