Psalms 48

Psalms 481. A Psalm. A Song. To the Sons of Korah. The generic term psalm is rendered more specific by the addition of song (shir), which commonly denotes a song of praise. See above, on Psalms 42:9 (8).

It is further described as (belonging) to the Sons of Korah, either as authors or performers. See above, on Ps. xlii. 1. The psalm before us celebrates Jehovah, and Jerusalem as his residence, Psalms 48:2-4 (1-3), with particular reference to a recent deliverance from certain confederate kings, Psalms 48:5-9 (4-8), which is recognised as a subject of perpetual praise, Psalms 48:10-14 (9-14). The most probable conjecture as to the historical occasion of the psalm is, that it has reference to the same event that is commemorated in the one before it. This is the more probable, as we learn from 2 Chronicles 20:19; 2 Chronicles 20:27, that Jehoshaphat and his followers first praised God for their deliverance on or near the field of battle, and then again in the temple after their return to Jerusalem. The psalm before us was probably written for the latter purpose. 2. (Psalms 48:1). Great (is) Jehovah, and to be praised exceedingly, in the city of our God, his holy mountain. This verse propounds, as the theme of the whole psalm, the glory of Jehovah as revealed to his own people. To be praised: see above, on Psalms 18:4 (3). The paronomasia, great and greatlyto be praised, is not in the original, where the words translated great and greatly in the English Bible, are entirely different both in form and etymology. The city of our God: see above, on Psalms 46:5 (4).

The parallel expression, the mountain of his holiness, his mountain of holiness, his holy mountain, is intended to convey the same idea, Jerusalem in general and. Zion in particular being here referred to as the seat of the theocracy, the place where God resided in the midst of his peculiar people, as their king and their tutelary deity, and where the duty of praising him was therefore peculiarly incumbent.

3. (Psalms 48:2). Beautiful for elevation, the joy of the whole earth, Mount Zion, (on) the sides of the north, the city of the great king. The common version, situation, although not erroneous, is too vague. The reference is to the lofty site of Jerusalem, as seen from the surrounding country. It is called the joy of the whole earth, as a source of spiritual blessings to all nations. The sides of the north may mean the northern division of the city, and be joined with Zion, which was in the southern part, in order to express the whole.

Or as the word here rendered sides always denotes the extreme edge or frontier, it may here be used to describe the appearance of the Holy City, as it rose upon the view of the army returning from the south. Either of these is a more natural interpretation than the modern one, which supposes an allusion to the heathen notion of a mountain in the extreme north, where the gods resided, to which belief there is supposed to be a reference in Isaiah 13:14.

4. (Psalms 48:3). God in her palaces is known for a refuge. In this, his chosen seat, he has revealed himself already, as the protector of his people. See below, on Psalms 76:2 (1).

5. (Psalms 48:4). For lo, the kings met— they passed away together. They had no sooner come together than they disappeared together. Lo or behold, as usual, indicates something unexpected. The definite expression, the kings, seems to refer to something recent and well-known. The kings originally meant were those of Moab and Edom. The word translated met means to come together by appointment or agreement, and here implies a combination against Judea. Compare Psalms 83:4-6 (3-5). Passed away, fled or disappeared.

6. (Psalms 48:5). (As) they saw, so they wondered, were struck with terror, were put to flight. This verse explains what was meant by their passing in the on before it. The as, corresponding to so, which is expressed in Psalms 48:9 (8), seems to be here omitted, as in Isaiah 55:9. As soon as they saw the holy city, or the tokens of divine protection. The last two verbs are passives. For the meaning of the first, see above, on Psalms 2:5, and for that of the second, on Psalms 31:23 (22). The whole verse is descriptive of a panic leading to a disorderly retreat or flight.

7. (Psalms 48:6). Trembling seized them there, pain as of a travailing (woman). There, i.e. on the very spot of their anticipated triumph. See above, on Psalms 14:5. Or on the spot from which they first obtained a sight of Jerusalem. This may have been Tekoa (2 Chronicles 20:20), the lofty site of which commands an extensive prospect. See Robinson’s Palestine, ii. 182. The comparison in the last clause is a common one in Scripture, to denote intense but transient pain. Compare Isaiah 13:8; Isaiah 21:3; Isaiah 42:14.

8. (Psalms 48:7). With an east wind thou wilt break ships of Tarshish. It is an interesting coincidence that such a disaster did befall the navy of Jehoshaphat himself. See 1 Kings 22:49 (48), 2 Chronicles 20:36-37. Some suppose this to be specifically meant in the case before us, while others understand it as a figurative description of God’s sovereign control over all inferior agents. The east wind seems to be mentioned as the one most to be dreaded in the neighbouring seas. The trade to Tarshish and Ophir was almost the only maritime commerce known to the contemporary Hebrews. See 2 Chronicles 9:21, and compare Isaiah 2:16; Isaiah 23:1; Isaiah 23:14; Isaiah 60:9.

9. (Psalms 48:8). As we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of Jehovah of Rests, in the city of our God. God will confirm it to eternity. Selah. What they had heard of as occurring elsewhere or in ancient times, they had now witnessed for themselves. See above, on Psalms 44:2 (1), and compare Job 42:5. Jehovah of Hosts; see above, on Psalms 24:10. God will confirm it, or establish her, i. e. Jerusalem, the city of our God. He will secure it against all such assaults as it has just escaped. As Jerusalem is here regarded not as a mere town, but as the seat of the theocracy, the earthly residence of God, the promise is still valid, in its strongest sense, with.respect to the church, of which the ancient Zion was the constituted type and local centre.

10. (Psalms 48:9). We have compared, O God, thy mercy in the midst of thy temple. The verb in this verse sometimes means to meditate, but scarcely ever, if at all, without some reference to its primary sense of likening or comparing. It may here denote the act of comparing what they saw with what they had previously heard, as in the foregoing verse. In the midst of (i.e. within) thy temple, literally thy palace, a term applied both to the tabernacle and the temple, as the royal residence of Jehovah. See above, on Psalms 5:8 (7), Psalms 11:4; Psalms 18:7 (6), Psalms 27:4; Psalms 29:9. This expression agrees well with the supposition, that this psalm was intended to be sung at the temple after the return of the army. See 2 Chronicles 20:27.

11. (Psalms 48:10). As thy name, O God, so is thy praise, to the ends of the earth; (of) righteousness full is thy right hand. The most obvious meaning of the first clause would seem to be that wherever God is known he is praised. Some, however, understand by name the previous manifestations of God’s nature, and by praise the glory due to his most recent interposition in behalf of his people. The sense will then be still the same as in Psalms 48:9 (8), namely, that what the contemporary Israelites had heard of God’s wonderful works in time past they had now seen and felt in their own experience. To the ends of the earth, literally on or over them, which may be a poetical hyperbole describing the fame of these events as already gone beyond the boundaries of earth.

See below on Psalms 48:13 (14). Righteousness, that of God, as manifested in the destruction of his enemies and the rescue of his people. See above, on Psalms 35:28. This is said to fill his right hand, i.e. to be abundantly displayed in the exercise of his almighty power. See above, on Psalms 16:11.

12. (Psalms 48:11). Rejoice shall Mount Zion, exult shall the daughters of Judah, because of thy judgments. According to a very ancient usage, which is found even in the prose of technical geography (Joshua 15:45; Joshua 15:47), the daughters of Judah may be the minor towns dependent on Jerusalem. The more obvious sense is that of female inhabitants, who, as the weaker sex, had particular occasion to rejoice in the deliverance of the country from its barbarous invaders. The verbs may be understood as expressive of a wish or prayer (let mount Zion rejoice, etc.). But the proper future sense agrees better with what immediately precedes, as the declaration of the glory, which has already redounded to the name of God from this exhibition of his power and faithfulness, is then followed up by a declaration, that the same effect shall be continued. For the sake (or on account) of thy judgments, these experimental proofs of thy righteousness, afforded by its actual exercise.

13. (Psalms 48:12). Surround Zion and encircle her; count her towers. The verbs in the first clause mean to walk (or go) around. They are twice used together in the history of the taking of Jericho (Joshua 6:3; Joshua 6:11). The second occurs above in Psalms 17:9; Psalms 22:17 (16). The object of the walk here proposed is to survey the perfect state of her defences, as untouched by the recent dangers. Compare Isaiah 33:20. Count her towers, to see if any of them have been demolished.

14. (Psalms 48:13). Set your heart to her rampart, examine her palaces, that you, may recount (it) to a generation following. The meaning of the first phrase is, apply your mind, give attention, observe closely. The word translated rampart seems to denote the exterior circumvallation, here contrasted with the palaces which it surrounded. Recount it, i.e. the result of your inspection, or the sound state of the defences, both as a reminiscence of this particular deliverance, and as a type or emblem of the safety which the church enjoys under divine protection, and therefore entitled to perpetual remembrance. The last word in Hebrew is not a participle but an adjec- tive, strictly meaning later or latter, subsequent or future.

15. (Psalms 48:14). For this God (is) our God for ever and ever; he will guide us unto death. The for assigns a reason for representing this event as one to be remembered, namely, because it is an instance of the favour of Jehovah, who is our perpetual defender. The whole may be thrown into a single sentence, without supplying is in the first clause. For this God, our God, for ever and ever, he will guide, etc. Or still more in accordance with the usual construction of the pronoun, this is our God for ever and ever, i e. he who has done this is and is to be our God.

According to the other and more usual construction, this God means the God who has performed these wonders. For ever and ever, literally eternity and perpetuity. See, above, on Psalms 9:6 (5), Psalms 10:16; Psalms 21:5 (4), Psalms 45:7 (6). Unto death, or as some explain it, at death, i.e. he will save us from it; others, over death, beyond it. But the most obvious explanation, and the one most agreeable to usage, is that which makes the phrase mean even to the end of life, or as lono, as we live. The idea of a future state, though not expressed, is not excluded.

See above, on Psalms 17:15.