INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 48 A SONG [AND] PSALM FOR THE SONS OF KORAH. This psalm is entitled a "song psalm", a psalm to be sung vocally; or "a song and psalm" to be sung both vocally and instrumentally; and is one of the spiritual songs the apostle speaks of, Ephesians 5:19; It was occasioned, as some... [ Continue Reading ]
GREAT [IS] THE LORD,.... The same that in the foregoing psalm is said to be gone, up to heaven with a shout, to sit on the throne of his holiness, to reign over the Heathen, and to be King over all the earth; who is great, and the Son of the Highest; the great God and our Saviour; great in his perso... [ Continue Reading ]
BEAUTIFUL FOR SITUATION,.... This, and what follows, are said of the city of God, the city of Jerusalem, which was delightfully situated on an eminence, in a wholesome air; the brook Kidron gliding by it, the water of Siloah running through it or at least through some parts of it; fields and gardens... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD IS KNOWN IN HER PALACES FOR A REFUGE. As there were palaces in Jerusalem; see Psalms 48:13; so there are in the church of Christ; every place in it is a palace fit for a king; and everyone that has truly a name and a place there are kings and priests unto God: and here God is a "refuge" both for... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR, LO, THE KINGS WERE ASSEMBLED,.... As the princes of the Philistines to seek for David, when in the strong hold of Zion, 2 Samuel 5:17; as the Ethiopians in the time of Asa, 2 Chronicles 14:9; and the Moabites and Ammonites in the times of Jehoshaphat, 2 Chronicles 20:1; and the kings of Syria a... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SAW [IT],.... Either the city or the power of God, as Aben Ezra; or, as Jarchi, God himself going forth to fight against the nations. This refers to the power Christ will take to himself, and show forth, by reigning in his church, and protecting it, which will not only be visible to the saints,... [ Continue Reading ]
FEAR TOOK HOLD UPON THEM THERE,.... That is, either when they came up to the city, and passed by it, and saw what they did; or, as Kimchi observes, in the place where they thought to have made a great slaughter; that is, in Armageddon, Revelation 16:16; so upon the slaughter of the seven thousand na... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU BREAKEST THE SHIPS OF TARSHISH WITH EAST WIND. This is either another simile, expressing the greatness of the dread and fear that shall now seize the kings of the earth; which will be, as Kimchi observes, as if they were smitten with a strong east wind, which breaks the ships of Tarshish; and t... [ Continue Reading ]
AS WE HAVE HEARD, SO HAVE WE SEEN,.... These are the words of the people of God making their observations on the above things; and so Aben Ezra and Kimchi understand them of the people of Israel; and the former, referring them to the war of Gog and Magog, paraphrases them thus: "the Israelites shal... [ Continue Reading ]
WE HAVE THOUGHT OF THY LOVINGKINDNESS, O GOD,.... Jarchi interprets it, "we have waited for thy lovingkindness"; to see thy salvation; and some, as Ben Melech observes, explain it of hope and expectation; as if the sense was, "we have hoped for thy lovingkindness"; so the Syriac version renders it,... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING TO THY NAME, O GOD, SO [IS] THY PRAISE UNTO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH,.... That is, as he himself is in the perfections of his nature, which are displayed in the works of his bands, throughout the whole creation; so is or ought his praise to be: or rather, as in the latter day his name will be... [ Continue Reading ]
LET MOUNT ZION REJOICE,.... The church in general; see Psalms 48:1; LET THE DAUGHTERS OF JUDAH BE GLAD; particular churches; and so the Targum renders it, "the congregations of the house of Judah"; or particular believers; such as are called the daughters of Jerusalem, and the daughters of Zion, S... [ Continue Reading ]
WALK ABOUT ZION, AND GO ROUND ABOUT HER,.... These words are either an address to the enemies of the church, sarcastically delivered; calling upon them to come, and surround, and besiege Zion, and see what the issue and consequence of it will he, even the same as that of the kings, Psalms 48:4; or t... [ Continue Reading ]
MARK YE WELL HER BULWARKS,.... Such as the free favour of God in Christ; which is not only as a shield, but as a bulwark to the church; his everlasting love, electing grace, the covenant of grace, with its blessings and promises, all which are more immovable than rocks and mountains; and especially... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THIS GOD [IS] OUR GOD FOR EVER AND EVER,.... Who is spoken of throughout the whole psalm as greatly to be praised, as well as is known in Zion, as the stability, security, and protection of her. This is said as pointing unto him as if visible, as Christ is God manifest in the flesh, now in Gospe... [ Continue Reading ]