PSALM 48
This psalm celebrates God’s power and his protection of Jerusalem. It was probably written after some military victory, when enemies attacked Jerusalem and were defeated through the actions of the Lord.
48:1-3
God’s Presence in the City
The first sentence contains two great truths: (1) the Lord is great and (2) he is to be praised greatly.
The word “great” is overused and undervalued in our culture. It means something that is much more than normal or average. God is much more than any other being. We should not think of him as less than he is.
He has blessed us by allowing us to have a relationship with him, to talk to him, and to be loved by him. But that does not lessen who he is. It is a great condescension on his part to allow you to relate to him. But, if you lessen who God is, in your thinking, you will be less inclined to praise him and to be grateful for your relationship with him.
The Bible tells us many of the attributes of God that are praiseworthy: he is all powerful, he is knows all things, he is just, he is merciful, he is loving, and much more. As you read your Bible, you can highlight the attributes of God that are mentioned or revealed. Or you can write them down to help you praise God.
We praise him for his attributes, for who he is.
The Bible also tells us of great things he has done. He created all things, he destroyed the world by flood, he delivered Israel from Egypt, he protected Israel from strong nations, he destroyed Israel when it became apostate, he brought them back from exile and re-established the nation, he provided a way of salvation, and much more.
We praise God for his mighty works.
Since God is great, he deserves great praise. Our praise should be much more than our normal praise of normal things. It should not be lukewarm or a matter of heartless ritual, but heartfelt, intense, undistracted praise.
After making this statement, the psalmist rejoiced in God’s presence in the city of Jerusalem, through his presence in the temple. To him, the whole city is beautiful because God’s presence is in it. And it was secure because God protected it.
He remembered God’s protection. God “has made himself known as a fortress”. (3)
We do see here, though, an eschatological reference, a looking to the end times. The psalmist sees the mountain on which the temple was placed as the “joy of all the earth”. (2) We do not have any Old Testament reference to that happening.
The Psalmist also refers to the temple mount, Mount Zion, as being in the “far north”. Geographically, that was not the case. Jerusalem was not in the northern part of Israel, much less in the northern parts of the world.This seems to be a semitic way of referring to God’s throne in heaven. Some pagan religions used this saying as well.
It appears, then, that the psalmist not only saw the Jerusalem of his time as grand, but looked to the heavenly Jerusalem where God rules and where believers of all nations will come and find joy.
48:4-8
God’s Protection of the City
In these verses, the psalmist recounts an attack on Jerusalem by several kings who came together to create a strong force. This may have a real event as the basis, such as Assyria’s attack on Jerusalem. In the alternative, we might see it as a metaphor for the great struggle between the Lord’s people and the world as expressed in Psalm 2:1-6.
He writes in hyperbole, saying the very sight of Jerusalem terrified the enemy and made it run away. He gives credit to God for destroying (shattered) the ships of Tarshish with the wind.
This reminds us of the final battle in the book of Revelation. John saw the armies of the beast and the kings of the earth gathered to make war against Jesus and the host of angels. And Jesus slew them by his word. He captured the beast and false prophet and threw them in the lake of fire. (Revelation 19) After the judgment, the new Jerusalem appeared and would last forever under the rule and reign of the Lord. (Revelation 20-21)
48:9-11
God’s Praise
The psalmist said the people had thought about God’s steadfast love symbolized by his presence in the temple. God had shown his love for Israel by making a covenant with them and dwelling among them. The psalmist realized that god had done many great things for Jerusalem and Israel over the centuries.
This thinking about God led the psalmist to praise, saying:
God’s praise filled the earth;
God is righteous;
His judgments were cause for rejoicing.
48:12-14
Enjoying God’s Presence
Here the psalmist encourages the people to fully enjoy the evidences of God’s presence. The psalmist see Jerusalem as magnificent and wants the people to take note of her towers and strongholds so that they can tell the next generation.
But the greatness of the city is attributed to God. He has made it great because he is great. He is eternal and he will guide and protect his people forever.
Like these Old Testament saints, we can praise God for his greatness. We can rejoice that he is in our midst. He dwells with us individually and as a church. And we can see God as our fortress, as he protects us from the evil one and many other dangers.
Praise God this week for his great attributes and deeds. And rest in his protection as your fortress.
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