Psalm 48: Praying Through The Psalms

Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise,
    in the city of our God, his holy mountain.

The Lord is great and worthy of our praise. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. His majestic splendor reaches to the highest heavens. He dwells in the city of our God, His holy mountain. Nothing can thwart the Kingdom of God. It will reign forever and ever.

² Beautiful in its loftiness,
    the joy of the whole earth,
like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion,
    the city of the Great King.
³ God is in her citadels;
    he has shown himself to be her fortress.

Zaphon is the city east of the Jordan River in God’s territory. It is a reminder of God’s sovereignty and power. For the Lord is our fortress and refuge. When distress or turmoil come like a flood, you are there to rescue us from disaster. May we continue to seek you for wisdom and guidance as we navigate through difficult circumstances.

⁴ When the kings joined forces,
    when they advanced together,
⁵ they saw her and were astounded;
    they fled in terror.
⁶ Trembling seized them there,
    pain like that of a woman in labor.
⁷ You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish
    shattered by an east wind.

Heavenly Father, your power is exponentially greater than all the kings of this world. There is no kingdom or power greater than you. Their pride will be their folly. If they try to go against you, they will surely be defeated.

When your enemies gaze upon your mighty strength, they will flee in terror. You will destroy them like an eastward wind against the ships of Tarshish.

You, however, are a merciful God. Slow to anger and steadfast in your love and kindness. Therefore, I pray that you will be patient with your enemies so they can repent and seek reconciliation. O Lord, hear our prayer.

⁸ As we have heard,
    so we have seen
in the city of the Lord Almighty,
    in the city of our God:
God makes her secure
    forever.

Wealth, jobs, and health are fleeting. They can’t keep us secure forever. Money doesn’t last forever and our health can only be strong for a temporary duration.

However, you are eternal and immortal. Our security should rest in your arms. Father, remind us not to store up treasures here on earth, but store up our hope and trust in your unwavering love.

⁹ Within your temple, O God,
    we meditate on your unfailing love.
¹⁰ Like your name, O God,
    your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;
    your right hand is filled with righteousness.
¹¹ Mount Zion rejoices,
    the villages of Judah are glad
    because of your judgments.

Everlasting God, we meditate on your unfailing love. Your temple dwells within us. For you have sent your Holy Spirit to teach, convict, and encourage us to conform into your image. We praise you for this.

Your name is great on the earth. May we continually praise your goodness and grace to the ends of the earth. May the nations know of your righteousness and justice. You will make all things right. In the midst of war, injustice, and lawlessness, there will be a day where peace and justice will reign on the earth. We look forward to this day.

¹² Walk about Zion, go around her,
    count her towers,
¹³ consider well her ramparts,
    view her citadels,
that you may tell of them
    to the next generation.

For this God is our God for ever and ever;
    he will be our guide even to the end.

Sovereign king of the universe, you built Zion, a holy mountain. This Zion, this eternal heavenly realm, will someday reign upon this earth. Therefore, strengthen us so that we can share the good news of this righteous kingdom to the next generation.

You are God forever and ever. You are our guide even to the end of the age. Let’s rejoice and be glad in this truth. There is no principality or power that will ever separate us from the love that is found in our Savior, Jesus Christ. May we continually praise your great name. Amen.