Pondering God's Steadfast Love - Psalm 48:1-3 & 9-14

Introduction/Seeing the Need

The central image and topic of is the city of Jerusalem, but the central idea behind the psalm, says commentator James Luther Mays, is “the Lord is a great king who is sovereign over the world and all the nations in it, Zion, the city and the hill on which it stands, is the great king’s capital and site of his temple-palace.”

Although Zion was the name of the ill on which the ancient city of Jersualem stood and not the name of the city itself, by the time the psalm was written, that name had also come to be synonymous for Jersualem and was used to convey the sacredness of the city.

To read without knowing anything about ancient Jerusalem, we might assume that it was a majestic metropolis built on a towering elevation. Listen, for example, to these lines: “His holy mountain is a beautiful summit, the joy of the whole world” (); “God is in its fortifications, revealing himself as a place of safety” (verse 3); “When [the kings] saw it, they were stunned; they panicked and ran away frightened” (verse 5); “Count its towers. Examine its defenses closely; tour its fortifications so that you may tell future generations” (verses 12-13).

In no way, however, did the Jerusalem of the psalmist’s day match that description: Zion was a hill, not a mountain; the city’s towers and fortification were no more impressive than those of other capital cities of that era and probably less impressive than some; and there was nothing about the site or what was built on it that would cause other kings to panic and flee.

Nonetheless, since the Temple was located there (verse 9), the Israelites understood Jerusalem as “the city belonging to our God”. And thus the purpose of was to lead the people “to see what only the eyes of faith could perceive,” says Mays.

When have your “eyes of faith” enabled you to look beyond the unimpressive appearance and presentation of something or someone to see greater possibilities?

God Glorifies Zion -

Psalm 48:1–3 NRSV

Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God. His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King. Within its citadels God has shown himself a sure defense.

When King David set out to unify the tribes of Israel, he strategically chose Jerusalem to be his capital. Jerusalem was centrally located between the upper and lower tribes and a Jebusite stronghold, it wasn’t associated with either region. A walled city set on a mountain or hill was the perfect spot from which to reign. Attention is given to God’s greatness and his being worthy of praise - the people are reminded on Mount Zion of the greatness of the Lord.

Having established the emphasis on Yahweh, the psalmist briefly diverts his attention to the renown and setting of Mount Zion. The psalmist leaves no doubt that the God of Mount Zion is superior. On the other hand, if the psalmist intends a geographical direction, then this is further commentary on Jerusalem’s geography.

Either way, the exuberant conviction of the psalmist is obvious: Mount Zion, the city of the Great King - designated this way only here and in - is the joy of the whole earth and not of Israel alone.

How can we recast God as the joy of the whole earth when religion is viewed as a source of conflict and intolerance in many areas? How does your evaluation of that obstacle in your locality influence how you will proclaim God as the joy of the whole world there?

In verse 3, the psalmist turns his attention from Mount Zion back to God. The designation of God as Israel’s fortress continues a similar thought from an earlier Zion Song. By calling God their fortress, the psalmist reminds the people that God is their ultimate source of protection. Strong walls are important for cities. Government, religion, and life itself are protected by such stone and mortar barriers. But the God who brought down the walls of Jericho can also bring down the walls of Jerusalem. The people must never lost sight of the fact that God, not walls of stone, is their ultimate protection. He will be their fortress as long as they do not forget him.

What will you do the next time you find yourself putting your trust in resources you can see to the exclusion of trusting in the unseen God?

Celebrate God’s Leadership -

Psalm 48:9–11 NRSV

We ponder your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple. Your name, O God, like your praise, reaches to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is filled with victory. Let Mount Zion be glad, let the towns of Judah rejoice because of your judgments.

We should not view the single instance as meaning the psalmist was saying that the Jerusalem Temple, with its architecture and furnishings, was a place that inspired such pondering. In fact, the Temple symbolized God’s faithful love for the chosen people. The temple is the ideal place to contemplate God’s unfailing love. Unfailing love in this context refers primarily to King Yahweh’s fierce and unwavering loyalty to his people. As the people meditate on God’s track record as their king, they will find him to be nothing less than a perfect ruler. He has never failed them. He has provided for the Israelites throughout their history.

In verse 10, the psalmist returns to a predominant theme of the Zion Songs. Yahweh’s rule knows no limits. God’s praises don’t end at Israel’s borders. When his people consider his faithfulness to them, their worshipful response should be so great that it extends to the ends of the earth.

Interestingly, God’s might is not mentioned as proof of his singular existence. Instead, the proof of his superiority over any so-called gods is depicted here in terms of his righteousness - God always does the right thing.

How will you answer someone who asks “If God is righteous, then why is there so much injustice in the world?”

Teach Future Generations -

Psalm 48:12–14 NRSV

Walk about Zion, go all around it, count its towers, consider well its ramparts; go through its citadels, that you may tell the next generation that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will be our guide forever.

After being explicit that the source of Jerusalem’s security doesn’t lie in her defense systems, the psalmist startles us with his encouragement that the people take stock in their man-made towers.

In verse 13, the inspection of structures continues, with a purpose now revealed: to tell them to the next generation. The worshippers are to become so familiar with the defenses of Jerusalem that they will be able to tell their children about the city’s might. At first blush that may seem like an exercise in putting stock in human strength. But in this case, Jerusalem’s strength is a figurative representation of God’s protection and care.

How can we ensure that our support for, say, antimissile defense system is not a failure to trust God for protection?

Ultimately, Israel fails to communicate to the next generation the importance of keeping its side of the covenant. Kings lead the people into idolatry, with injustice marring the nation. This results in a period of captivity, when God allowed foreign armies to conquer the land of the 12 tribes.

What creative ways can you imagine for telling the generation that follows yours about how God has provided for and sustained you?

In verse 14, the psalm resolves a final note of confidence regarding our God. In verse 13 the readers are instructed to pass their knowledge of God and his ways to their offspring. But the knowledge of God is not the only thing moving in the future. God, himself, goes with his people. The one who will be our guide is the one who leads or brings. Our source of protection and safety will lead us throughout our entire lives, if we let him. We have the assurance that when we reach the end of our days, God will be right there.

Conclusion

A song celebrating the city walls might seem out of place to the modern reader. For the Israelites, however, the structure was a tangible indication of God’s rule and presence. He was their king, the one who promised to lead and protect them. This psalm would have presented a challenge to the worshipper during the time of the Babylonian exile. The reality of Jerusalem’s destruction in 586 BC starkly contrasted with the message of .

The tension is relieved as we consider again King Solomon’s prayer of dedication of the newly built temple. He anticipated the possibility that Israel would rebel against God and be cast into exile as a result. Solomon implored God that if his people would deeply repent of their sins and turn their hearts back to him, then he would hear them, forgive them, and restore them. The irony is palpable, since wise Solomon himself ended up much less than wise as he allowed foreign wives to lead him into idolatry within Jerusalem’s walls.

The irony is palpable, since wise Solomon himself ended up much less than wise as he allowed foreign wives to lead him into idolatry within Jerusalem’s walls.

God continued to be their king and their fortress, even after the city walls were demolished by a foreign army. The subsequent exile challenged Israel’s confidence in God, but he proved his loyalty to them time and again - even as their disloyalty resulted in their own demise.

Today, we serve our Lord Jesus, who expressed his loyalty to us through his death and resurrection. We can be confident in his good rule and love for us. Our task is to pass that love and message to others. That’s the greatest show of loyalty to him we can offer!

Prayer

Lord God, you are our mighty king. We thank you for the ways you’ve protected us throughout the years. We thank you for governing us with holiness and righteousness. May everything we do, think, and say be an expression of our love for you. We pray in the name of King Jesus. Amen.