The Mighty One becomes the glory of Jerusalem

The title is ‘A Song and Psalm.’ So a song is a psalm and a psalm is a song! In Psalm 46, God is our Refuge; in Psalm 47, God is a great King, and here the confession is made, “This God is our God.” In Psalm 46, God dwells in His city, the church, and here the city is described. The church is depicted as a noble and beautiful city, the cause of joy to the whole world.

Such should be our estimation, and we should appreciate more and more the glory, the grandeur and the greatness of the structure of the city of God. Our minds should constantly take a walk around its walls, battlements and towers, so that we could also declare that she has gates of praise. And with Isaiah 26:1, confess, “We have a strong city, Salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.” The architecture and impregnability has been ordained, for Christ has said, “I will build my church.” This sovereign and only wise God dwells in the midst, and is our God.

Psalm 48

   1  Great is the Lord, and greatly he
         is to be praised still,
      Within the city of our God,
         upon his holy hill.

   2  Mount Zion stands most beautiful,
         the joy of all the land;
      The city of the mighty King
         on her north side doth stand.

   3  The Lord within her palaces
         is for a refuge known.
   4  For, lo, the kings that gathered were
         together, by have gone.

   5  But when they did behold the same,
         they, wond'ring, would not stay;
      But, being troubled at the sight,
         they thence did haste away.

   6  Great terror there took hold on them;
         they were possessed with fear;
      Their grief came like a woman's pain,
         when she a child doth bear.

   7  Thou Tarshish ships with east wind break'st:
   8     As we have heard it told,
      So, in the city of the Lord,
         our eyes did it behold;

      In our God's city, which his hand
         for ever stablish will.
   9  We of thy loving-kindness thought,
         Lord, in thy temple still.

  10  O Lord, according to thy name,
         through all the earth's thy praise;
      And thy right hand, O Lord, is full
         of righteousness always.

  11  Because thy judgments are made known,
         let Zion mount rejoice;
      Of Judah let the daughters all
         send forth a cheerful voice.

  12  Walk about Zion, and go round;
         the high tow'rs thereof tell:
  13  Consider ye her palaces,
         and mark her bulwarks well;

      That ye may tell posterity.
  14     For this God doth abide
      Our God for evermore; he will
         ev'n unto death us guide.


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