The Lord and His City (3)

Opening Prayer: Psalm 48.8
As we have heard,
So we have seen
In the city of the LORD of hosts,
In the city of our God:
God will establish it forever.
Selah

Sing Psalm 48.4-8
(Cwm Rhonda: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah)
Earthly kings, amazed and wond’ring, look upon the Church with fear.
See them flee in dread and anguish, knowing that the Lord is near.
For the city of the Savior God will keep forevermore!
God will keep forevermore!

Read Psalm 48.4-8

Preparation
1. How do the nations respond to God’s glorious city?

2. What guarantee do we, as His city, have from the Lord?

Meditation
Here is another instance in the psalms of the sons of Korah in which the nations “assemble” before the Presence of God. In Psalm 47, they assemble before His throne in obedient worship and for ready service. Here, their assembling is of a different order.

The nations are troubled as they assemble before the Presence of the Lord in His glorious city – like Herod was troubled at the news of Jesus’ birth (Matt. 2.1-3). Why are they troubled? Because they see a power to marvel at (v. 2) which is greater than their power and, therefore, a threat to their autonomy. Even today, nations work to crush the power of the Gospel by lashing out at the Church in various ways. They can’t stand the competition, and they foolishly believe that by silencing the Church, they can preserve their right to be gods unto themselves. The Jews and Romans of Jesus’ day thought the same thing as they sealed up the tomb where He had been laid.

But their fear and violence are but the birth pangs portending a greater realization of God’s sovereignty over the nations (v. 6). Like ships smashed at sea by a sudden storm, God can bring nations to destruction and convert whole peoples from enemies to heirs of His Kingdom (v. 7). When the east wind of the Spirit blows across a nation, nothing that is wicked can stand before Him.

God’s city will not be moved (v. 8). God has raised up a city and temple to dwell among the peoples of the world for the extension of His rule of beauty, holiness, peace, and joy to the ends of the earth. We are that temple, that city, we who believe in Jesus and ride the coattails of His resurrection power into making all things new.

The nations may threaten and trouble us, but God has established His city forever. We will not be moved.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
The people assemble.
They pass by together.
They look and see.
They marvel and are troubled.
They hasten away.
They are fearful and pained.
They are near destruction.
“Because they see a power to marvel at which is greater than their power and, therefore, a threat to their autonomy.”

The verses, Psalm 48.4-7, are a telling preamble to Jesus’ question to His disciples:
“He asked His disciples saying to them,
‘Who do men say that I am?’
So they answered, ‘John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.’
He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’” (Mk. 8.27-29)

That is the question put to all of us: Who do we say that Jesus is.
And when we answer, then what do we do about it?
Do we look and see?
Do we then marvel and become troubled?

Do we hasten away in painful fear?
Are we near destruction?

Or do we look and see and then speak with confidence?
We can say, with the sons of Korah:
“As we have heard, so we have seen in the city of the LORD of hosts,
in the city of our God: God will establish it forever” (Ps. 48.8).

In this city we live confidently and joyously because it is a city without end.
It is built on the correct response: “You are the Christ” (Mk. 8.29).
“For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid,
which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3.11).

The nations responded and hastened away.
We respond by running into the arms of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, and
saying with Peter, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God” (Matt. 16.16).

Reflection
1. Why do people become troubled when they are confronted with the things of God?

2. Should we expect people to be troubled sometimes as we share the Good News with them? Should this keep us from sharing the Gospel?

3. How can believers encourage one another not to be troubled into silence when it comes to our witness for the Lord?

So what did he hear, and what did he see? That the grace of God renders the city stronger and intact. This, in fact, is its foundation, this its strength, this makes it impregnable—not human aid and help, or the power of weapons or towers and ramparts. What instead? God rules it as his own. John Chrysostom (354-407), Commentary on the Psalm 48.3

Closing Prayer: Psalm 48.12-14
Pray that God will revive the Church’s witness in the world – in your community, our nation, and all around the world.

Sing Psalm 48.12-14
(Cwm Rhonda: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah)
Walk about the blessèd city, see her beauty, see her power.
Count her ramparts, filled with glory, look on ev’ry mighty tower.
Tell her glory to the nations: God will guide her evermore;
God will guide her evermore!

T. M. and Susie Moore

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.