Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from Ps 48:1-2 and following. Indeed, Psalm 48 concludes the prophetic glimpse begun in Psalm 42. We witness in shorthand the final attack of the kings of the earth on Jerusalem and their complete rout (verses 5 to 8). For thepious Jews then find that what they had heard is being done for their benefit (verse 9; Ps 44:1-3). Certainly they had not put in vain their trust in God. After suffering so much from exile, what value does each stone of the beloved city take for them! And they find themselves in the midst of this temple after which they had sighed so much (Ps 42:1-6; Ps 43:1-5), all filled with the feeling of their God’s goodness (verse 10). Is this not also our holy occupation when we are where the Lord has promised his presence: to meditate on his great love? But then praise will not only fill the hearts of believers scattered here and there as today; it will extend to the ends of the earth and will finally be worthy of the name of the great God whom it will celebrate (verse 11). Is this God who presides over the destinies of the world and who will fulfill what his mouth has said, your God forever and your guide until your last hour here on earth? (verse 15).
This psalm still presents the same God of Jacob in the brilliance of a new glory. In the previous psalm, he had just “ascended” to his throne, as in the aftermath of a victory. Here he sits, as King and Priest, in his temple and on his throne. And, as a result, Zion is the joy of the whole earth, just as it has just revealed itself as the terror of all coalitions of the wicked. Hope is now a reality, and faith has given way to sight. “As we heard, so we saw.” The prophets celebrate the beauty of Jerusalem in the days of its glory, as well as the beauty of the Messiah – the grace of the city as well as that of the Son of David – of the queen and king in the days of the kingdom (Ps 45). So we are invited to go around it and consider its rampart. Isaiah 60 exalts His glory and celebrates His praise in those days. For David and Jerusalem were by a decree of seniority united in the same covenant of peace and joy, according to the word of the God of Israel: “However, I will not tear the whole kingdom from him; I will give a tribe to your son, for the sake of David, my servant, and because of the Jerusalem which I have chosen” (1 Kings 11:13).
‘Great is the Lord,’ … the same as in the preceding psalm would have gone, to heaven with a cry, to sit on the throne of his holiness, to reign over the pagans and to be king over all the earth; who is awesome and the son of The Trè s-Haut; the great God and our Savior. Generally in his person as God-man, God manifests himself in the flesh, his father; and in the perfections of his nature, to be of great power, wisdom and fidelity, holiness and justice and wonderful grace and goodness; great in his works of creation and providence; in his miraculous operations when on Earth, and in the work of the redemption and salvation of man; Is he in all his worka great prophet resurrected in Israel, a high priest on the canvas of God, a savior and a great, and the great shepherd of the sheep.
And here in this city he poured the spirit extraordinarily upon his disciples on the Day of Pentecost, as proof of his ascension; and from where his gospel went in everyone; Sohe was to be praised a lot here, as he was by his disciples, churches, and inhabitants (Acts 2:46). For Jerusalem is a figure of the church of the gospel, often compared to a city (Isaiah 26:1); of which saints are citizens and fellow citizens of one another; It is a city built on Christ the foundation; is full of inhabitants, when together and considered as themselves; is governed by sound laws, promulgated by Christ His king, who has appointed officers under him to explain and enforce them and to see that they are carried out; and has many privileges and immunities belonging to it; it is the city of God, of his building and defense, and where he dwells.
“The city of the great king”, the Messiah king where he displays his greatness. Here it seems majestic and glorious, shows its power and glory; is seen in galleries and through ordinances, in its beauty and splendor; Hesuffers his gracious presence and confers his favors and blessings; and is therefore greatly praised, as he is by all his people. It is the mountain of his holiness: As Mount Zion is called the mount of the built temple and the worship of God in it; and an emblem of adjustment of the Church of Christ, which is chosen and loved by God, and is his dwelling place, and consists of people sanctified by God the Father, in the Son, and through the spirit. This is said as indicated, as Christ manifests in the flesh, now in the times of the Gospel, and towhich this psalm belongs; Distinguishingfrom others, from the gods of the Gentiles, rejected by God’s people. He claims an interest in himself as his covenant, God; exulting in the sight of this relationship with him; and suggesting how happy they were in this place; above all, this relationship will continue forever, founded in an eternal covenant and stemming from God’s unchanging love.
‘He shall be our guide, unto death’: The Lord commands the steps of the righteous, holds them by the right hand and guides them with his advocate of judgment: Christ, the great shepherd of the flock, nourishes them, like the antitype of David, according to the integrity of his heart and guides them by the skill of his hands; He guides their feet in the ways of peace, life and salvation, by himself; He leads them into green pastures, next to fixed waters and fountains of living waters: the spirit of the Lord leads them to the fullness of Christ; guides them into all truth, as it is in him; leads them in the love of his father and leads him to the land of righteousness. And this guide is an eternal; “Even at death” or “in death”, or “above death”; so as not to be afflicted with the second death. He guides not only by the Jordan River, but through the deep waters of it and never tires ofaccompanying them safely to the banks of eternity.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
The city of the great king:
· Greatness of God
Ps 77:14 O God, your ways are holy; What god is as great as God? Ps 104:1 My soul, bless the Lord! Eternal, my God, you are infinitely great! You are clothed with brilliance and magnificence! Ps 145:3 The Lord is great and very worthy of praise, and his greatness is unfathomable. Isa 12:6 Cry out with joy and elation, inhabitant of Zion! For he is great in your midst, the Holy One of Israel. Jer 32:18 You have mercy until the thousandth generation, and you punish the iniquity of fathers in the womb of their children after them. You are the great God, the mighty, Whose name is the Lord of hosts.
· Fear, terror of the ungodly
Ps 14:5 Then they will tremble with terror, when God appears in the midst of the righteous race. Ps 73:19 Well, in an instant they are destroyed! They are kidnapped, annihilated by a sudden end! Pr 1:27 When terror grips you like a storm, and misfortune envelops you like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish melt upon you. Rev 6:16 And they said to the mountains and rocks, Fall upon us, and hide us before the face of him who sits on the throne, and before the wrath of the lamb;
· Wise thoughts, the righteous find their pleasure in it
Ps 1:2 But who finds his pleasure in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on it day and night! Ps 39:4 My heart was burning within me, An inner fire was consuming me, and the word came on my tongue. Ps 119:15,59,99,148 I meditate on your ordinances, I have your paths before my eyes. 59 I reflect on my ways, And I direct my feet to your precepts. 99 I am more educated than all my masters, For your precepts are the object of my meditation. 148 I precede the vigils and open my eyes, To meditate on your word.
· Name of the Lord, powerful
Ps 113:3 From sunrise to sunset, May the name of the Lord be celebrated! Pr 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous take refuge there, and is safe. Isaiah 50:10 Whoever among you fears the Lord, let him listen to the voice of his servant! Whoever walks in darkness and lacks light, let him trust in the name of Jehovah, and rely on his God! Ml 1:11 For from the dawn of the sun until its setting, My name is great among the nations, And in every place incense is burned in honor of my name And pure offerings are presented; For great is my name among the nations, said the Lord of hosts.
From all the above, we note that Ps 48 completes the series of Psalms that concern us. Jehovah is fully established King of Israel in Zion, who has now become the joy of the whole earth, the city of the great King, and in whose palaces God is well known as a high retreat. The kings had assembled; they had found there a completely different power than they imagined; they were astonished, they were troubled, and fled in dismay. For thepower of the sea has been broken by the wind of the East, and the hand of the Lord has been manifested there. Our Psalm takes us admirably back to the beginning in Ps 44:1 where the saints, in their distress, said, “We have heard with our ears… the work you have done in their days”; while now they say, “As we have heard, so we have seen it in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God.” They do not express themselves now as in Ps 42. 4, 6: “I was going with the crowd… he remembers you from the land of the Jordan… ” but in a sweet peace that nothing can disturb, they say, “O God! we have thought of your goodness, in the midst of your temple.” They had entrusted themselves in the name of God; now they celebrate his praises according to this name: He entered the scene in power. His praise extends to the ends of the earth; he invites the Mount of Zion to rejoice because of his judgments with the blessed certainty that this God is their God forever and in perpetuity, and will be their guide to death. The blessing is earthly, and death, “the last enemy” is destroyed. Our prayers accompany you all.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite every person who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I admit to having sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and personal Savior. I recognize that you died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life that you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All adoration, power and glory are yours, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to respond to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow ” the faithful praise God who has just delivered Israel.”
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.