Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 48:1

Clarke's Commentary

PSALM XLVIII

The ornaments and the privileges of the Church, 1-8.

The duty of God's people, 9-14.

NOTES ON PSALM XLVIII

The title: A Song and Psalm for the sons of Korah. To which the Vulgate, Septuagint, AEthiopic, and Arabic add, for the second day of the week; for which I believe it would be difficult to find a meaning. It is evidently of the same complexion with the two preceding, and refers to the Jews returned from captivity; and perhaps was sung at the dedication of the second temple, in order to return thanks to the Lord for the restoration of their political state, and the reestablishment of their worship.

Verse Psalms 48:1. Great is the Lord — This verse should be joined to the last verse of the preceding Psalm, as it is a continuation of the same subject; and indeed in some of Kennicott's MSS. it is written as a part of the foregoing. That concluded with He is greatly exalted; this begins with Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; i.e., He should be praised according to his greatness; no common praise is suited to the nature and dignity of the Supreme God.

In the city of our God — That is, in the temple; or in Jerusalem, where the temple was situated.

The mountain of his holiness. — Mount Moriah, on which the temple was built. The ancient city of Jerusalem, which David took from the Jebusites, was on the south of Mount Zion, on which the temple was built, though it might be said to be more properly on Mount Moriah, which is one of the hills of which Mount Zion is composed. The temple therefore was to the north of the city, as the psalmist here states, Psalms 48:2: "Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King." But some think that it is the city that is said to be on the north, and Reland contends that the temple was on the south of the city.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalm 46-48 When God saved Jerusalem

Confident in tone and bold in expression, these three psalms express praise to God for delivering Jerusalem from an enemy invasion. One example of such a deliverance was on the occasion of Assyria’s invasion of Judah during the reign of Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:9-37).

No matter what troubles he meets, whether from earthquakes, floods or wars, the person who trusts in God is not overcome by them (46:1-3). He has an inner calmness, likened to a cool refreshing stream that flows gently from God. The Almighty is still in full control, and he gives strength to his people (4-7). God’s power can smash all opposition. Therefore, opponents should stop fighting against him and realize that he is the supreme God, the supreme ruler of the world (8-11).
The psalmist calls upon people of all nations to worship God with reverence and joy. The king who rules over all has come down from heaven, fought for his people and given them victory (47:1-4). Now he is seen returning to heaven to the sound of his people’s praises (5-7). He takes his seat on his throne again, king of the world. All nations are, like Israel, under the rule of the God of Abraham (8-9).
Now that their beloved city Jerusalem has been saved, the people praise its beauty and strength. More than that, they praise the God who saved it (48:1-3). Enemies thought they could destroy Jerusalem, but God scattered them. They were broken in pieces as ships smashed in a storm (4-7). Israel’s people had heard of God’s marvellous acts in the past; now they have seen them with their own eyes (8). In thanks for the victory, the people flock to the temple to praise God. Throughout the towns of Judah, and even in other countries, there is rejoicing (9-11). The citizens of Jerusalem are proud of their city, but they are prouder still of their God who has preserved it (12-14).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

THE INDWELLING OF THE LORD, ZION'S GLORY

"Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised, In the city of our God, in his holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth. Is mount Zion on the sides of the north, The city of the Great King. God hath made himself known in her palaces for a refuge."

"Great is Jehovah" The mad frenzy of the Ephesian mob, shouting for hours at a time, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians," was the insane cry of the pagan world; but here the greatness of Jehovah is proclaimed, along with the proof that God is indeed truly `great.'

"In the city of our God… in his holy mountain" These expressions are not intended to identify the place where God is praised, but the place where God resides. It is the indwelling of God in his chosen city that glorifies and secures the city as nothing else in heaven or upon earth could accomplish. Note also that in Psalms 48:3, God is even "in" the palaces of the nobles as "a refuge."

Before leaving this verse, we should remember that Jesus himself referred to Jerusalem as, "The city of the Great King" (Matthew 5:35). This, of course, was not spoken of any Davidic king, but of God in heaven.

We would be amiss not to point out that God also in-dwells the New Jerusalem, his holy Church. The Day of Pentecost was the occasion when, "with a rushing sound of a mighty wind, and with cloven tongues of fire," the Spirit of God descended upon the apostles who were the nucleus of God's Messianic kingdom; and every child of God on earth also has his measure of the token indwelling of the Holy Spirit. There is also a vast difference. God's presence in the ancient Jerusalem was confined to the Temple; but now he dwells in the heart of every believer.

"Beautiful in elevation" The elevation of ancient Jerusalem was literal, as the city was actually built on a mountain; but the "elevation" of God's Church (the New Jerusalem, or the New Israel) is ethical and spiritual.

"The joy of the whole earth" It is almost impossible to apply this statement to the earthly Jerusalem; but Interpreter's Bible did their best: "This means that from all lands the pilgrims came up with rejoicing and loud singing."The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. IV, p. 350.

Of course, the truth about this was bluntly stated by Adam Clarke who wrote, "There is no sense in which literal Jerusalem was ever the joy of the whole earth."Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (London: T. Mason and G. Lane, 1837), Vol. III, p. 373.

The fulfilment of this in its fullest sense is found only in the joy of Christians worshipping all over the world continually for nearly two thousand years. As Spurgeon stated it, "Jerusalem was the world's star; whatever light there is upon this earth, it comes from the oracles of the Word of God preserved by Israel."Charles Haddon Spurgeon, p. 225. This is profoundly true. Christ the Light of the World chose Jerusalem as the place where He would make the atonement for all men. "The Word of God went forth from Jerusalem," as the prophets declared; and, in the sense of the old Israel's providing the nucleus and the original membership of the Messianic Kingdom of God, - in this sense, Jerusalem is indeed "the joy of the whole earth." We might also add, that, `in no other sense whatever could the statement be viewed as the truth.'

"In mount Zion on the sides of the north" Some scholars maintain that "the sides of the north" are here a reference to the location of the Temple mountain in relation to the rest of the city; but that is disputed. A popular view, current among recent scholars, is that there is here a reflection of the mythological tale locating the abode of certain pagan gods "in the far north." RSV honors that viewpoint by rendering the last phrase here, "Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King." We do not altogether trust the RSV in some renditions wherein they are definitely inferior both to the KJV and the American Standard Version. Addis declared that the text here, "does not even hint at such a rendition."W. E. Addis, p. 381.

The mythological claims that lie back of this interpretation were mentioned by Leupold. "The expression `the far north' is an allusion to another mountain, a kind of Olympus (where the Greeks imagined the gods lived), which was supposed to he the dwelling place of certain near-Eastern gods."H. C. Leupold, p. 276. Kidner identified one of those near-Eastern gods as, "Baal who was supposed to live on Mount Zaphon (meaning `north'),"Derek Kidner, Vol. 1, p. 179 (footnote). Leupold further remarked that, "What the psalmist here implies is that what the fables of the Gentiles imagined, was indeed a reality in Zion, for the true God actually lived there."H. C. Leupold, p. 376.

Our own conviction with regard to this is that, "If the RSV is indeed correct, then Rhodes' comment is appropriate. He wrote: "The Psalmist throws the pagan mythology out the window, and by the use of the expression states that Jehovah God is the true deity, and that Zion is truly `the far north' where God lives."The Layman's Bible Commentary, Vol. 9, p. 82.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Great is the Lord - That is, he is high and exalted; he is a Being of great power and glory. He is not weak and feeble, like the idols worshipped by other nations. He is able to defend his people; he has shown his great power in overthrowing the mighty forces that were gathered together against the city where he dwells.

And greatly to be praised - Worthy to be praised. In his own nature, he is worthy of adoration; in interposing to save the city from its foes, he has shown that he is worthy of exalted praise.

In the city of our God - Jerusalem. In the city which he has chosen for his abode, and where his worship is celebrated. See the notes at Psalms 46:4. This praise was especially appropriate there:

(a) because it was a place set apart for his worship;

(b) because he had now interposed to save it from threatened ruin.

In the mountain of his holiness - His holy mountain; either Mount Zion, if the psalm was composed before the building of the temple - or more probably here Mount Moriah, on which the temple was reared. The names Zion, and Mount Zion, however, were sometimes given to the entire city. Compare the notes at Isaiah 2:2-3.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

1.Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised. The prophet, before proceeding to make mention of that special example of the favor of God towards them, to which I have adverted, teaches in general that the city of Jerusalem was happy and prosperous, because God had been graciously pleased to take upon him the charge of defending and preserving it. In this way he separates and distinguishes the Church of God from all the rest of the world; and when God selects from amongst the whole human race a small number whom he embraces with his fatherly love, this is an invaluable blessing which he bestows upon them. His wonderful goodness and righteousness shine forth in the government of the whole world, so that there is no part of it void of his praise, but we are everywhere furnished with abundant matter for praising him. Here, however, the inspired poet celebrates the glory of God which is manifested in the protection of the Church. He states, that Jehovah is great, and greatly to be praised in the holy city. But is he not so also in the whole world? Undoubtedly he is. As I have said, there is not a corner so hidden, into which his wisdom, righteousness, and goodness, do not penetrate; but it being his will that they should be manifested chiefly and in a particular manner in his Church, the prophet very properly sets before our eyes this mirror, in which God gives a more clear and vivid representation of his character. By calling Jerusalem the holy mountain, he teaches us in one word, by what right and means it came to be in a peculiar manner the city of God. It was so because the ark of the covenant had been placed there by divine appointment. The import of the expression is this: If Jerusalem is, as it were, a beautiful and magnificent theater on which God would have the greatness of his majesty to be beheld, it is not owing to any merits of its own, but because the ark of the covenant was established there by the commandment of God as a token or symbol of his peculiar favor.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 48:1-14

Psalms 48:1-14 :

Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountains of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King ( Psalms 48:1-2 ).

This is still looking forward into the Kingdom Age, when Jesus the great King will dwell in Jerusalem. His throne will be upon Mount Zion. So it is always so exciting to me when I go over to Jerusalem, one of my favorite places in all of Israel is Mount Zion. I love to just stand on Mount Zion and just say, "Wow, this is the place. I wonder where on this Mount He is going to put His throne." The glorious King is coming; He is coming soon. He's going to establish His kingdom over the whole earth, and Mount Zion will be the place of His throne.

"Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, the sides of the north, the city of the great King." And so the north side of the mount of Zion actually slopes down into the city of Jerusalem. And somewhere, somewhere around there He is going to establish His throne.

God is known in her palaces for a refuge. For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. They saw it, and so they marveled; they were troubled and hasted away. Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail. Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind. As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. We have thought of thy loving-kindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple. According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness. Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments. Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. Mark well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following. For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even unto death ( Psalms 48:3-14 ).

So walk about Zion, go round about her, look at the towers and all. And I do this every time I go over there. I love to just walk around Mount Zion, and just to think ahead of God's glorious plan. Oh, what a thrill. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Ancient peoples connected the glory of a god with the place where he dwelt. That association is clear in this psalm. The holy mountain where His Ark resided reflected God’s greatness. This verse summarizes the theme of the psalm, namely, that God is worthy of great praise.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

1. Zion’s privilege 48:1-3

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 48

The psalmist praised God for delivering Zion from her enemies (cf. Psalms 46, 47). Jerusalem was secure and glorious because God had blessed it with His favor.

Gann's Commentary on the Bible

Psalms 48:1

greatly to be praised ..The R.V. returns to Coverdale’s rendering (P.B.V.), highly to be praised. The same emphatic adverb occurs in each of the two preceding Pss. God has proved Himself to be an exceedingly present help in trouble (Psalms 46:1); by His triumph over the nations He is exceedingly exalted (Psalms 47:9); and therefore He is exceedingly worthy to be praised. Jehovah is the one object of Israel’s praise (Deuteronomy 10:21): Israel’s praises are as it were the throne upon which He sits (Psalms 22:3): the keynote of worship is Hallelujah, ‘praise ye Jah’; and the Hebrew title of the Psalter is Tehillim, i.e. Praises, v. 1 a recurs in Psalms 96:4 a, 145:3 a.

    Kirkpatrick, A. F. (1906)

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

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 person as God-man, God manifest in the flesh, his Father's fellow and equal; and in the perfections of his nature, being of great power, and of great wisdom, and of great faithfulness, and of strict holiness and justice, and of wonderful grace and goodness; great in his works of creation and providence; in his miraculous operations when on earth, and in the work of man's redemption and salvation; great is he in all his offices, a great Prophet risen in Israel, a great High Priest over thee house of God, a Saviour, and a great one, and the great Shepherd of the sheep;

and greatly to be praised in the city of our God; the city of Jerusalem, the city of solemnities, where was the worship of God, and where the tribes went up to worship, and God was present with his people; and where the great Lord of all showed himself to be great; here Christ the great Saviour appeared, even in the temple, when a child, where Simeon and Anna saw him, and spoke great things of him; where he at twelve years of age disputed with the doctors, and showed his great wisdom; here when grown up he wrought many of his great miracles, and taught his doctrines; here he entered in great triumph, attended with the shouts, acclamations, and hosannas of the people; here he ate his last passover with his disciples; and in a garden near it was he taken and brought before the sanhedrim, assembled at the high priest's palace at Jerusalem; and then tried and condemned at the bar of Pilate; when being led a little way out of the city he was crucified on Mount Calvary; and on another mount, the mount of Olives, about a mile from it, he ascended to heaven; and here in this city he poured forth the Spirit in an extraordinary manner on his disciples at the day of Pentecost, as an evidence of his ascension; and from hence his Gospel went forth into all the world; and therefore was greatly to be praised here, as he was by his disciples, church, and people, Acts 2:46. Jerusalem is a figure of the Gospel church, which is often compared to a city, Isaiah 26:1; of which saints are citizens and fellow citizens of each other; this is a city built on Christ the foundation; is full of inhabitants, when together and considered by themselves; is governed by wholesome laws, enacted by Christ its King, who has appointed officers under him to explain and enforce them, and see that they are put in execution; and has many privileges and immunities belonging to it; and this is the city of God, of his building and of his defending, and where he dwells; it is, as in

Psalms 48:2; "the city of the great King", the King Messiah, and where he displays his greatness; here he appears great and glorious, shows his power and his glory; is seen in the galleries and through the lattices of ordinances, in his beauty and splendour; here he grants his gracious presence, and bestows his favours and blessings; and is therefore greatly to be praised here, as he is by all his people on the above accounts, Even

[in] the mountain of his holiness; as Mount Zion is called on account of the temple built upon it, and the worship of God in it; and a fit emblem it was of the church of Christ, which, as that is, is chosen and, loved of God, and is his habitation, is impregnable and immovable, and consists of persons sanctified by God the Father, in the Son, and through the Spirit.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

A song and psalm for the sons of Korah.

      1 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.   2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.   3 God is known in her palaces for a refuge.   4 For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together.   5 They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away.   6 Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.   7 Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.

      The psalmist is designing to praise Jerusalem and to set forth the grandeur of that city; but he begins with the praises of God and his greatness (Psalms 48:1; Psalms 48:1), and ends with the praises of God and his goodness, Psalms 48:14; Psalms 48:14. For, whatever is the subject of our praises, God must be both the Alpha and Omega of them. And, particularly, whatever is said to the honour of the church must redound to the honour of the church's God.

      What is here said to the honour of Jerusalem is,

      I. That the King of heaven owns it: it is the city of our God (Psalms 48:1; Psalms 48:1), which he chose out of all the cities of Israel to put his name there. Of Zion he said kinder things than ever he said of place upon earth. This is my rest for ever; here will I dwell, for I have desired it,Psalms 132:13; Psalms 132:14. It is the city of the great King (Psalms 48:2; Psalms 48:2), the King of all the earth, who is pleased to declare himself in a special manner present there. This our Saviour quotes to prove that to swear by Jerusalem is profanely to swear by God himself (Matthew 5:35), for it is the city of the great King, who has chosen it for the special residence of his grace, as heaven is of his glory. 1. It is enlightened with the knowledge of God. In Judah God is known, and his name is great, but especially in Jerusalem, the head-quarters of the priests, whose lips were to keep this knowledge. In Jerusalem God is great (Psalms 48:1; Psalms 48:1) who in other places was made little of, was made nothing of. Happy the kingdom, the city, the family, the heart, in which God is great, in which he is uppermost, in which he is all. There God is known (Psalms 48:3; Psalms 48:3) and where he is known he will be great; none contemn God but those that are ignorant of him. 2. It is devoted to the honour of God. It is therefore called the mountain of his holiness, for holiness to the Lord is written upon it and all the furniture of it, Zechariah 14:20. This is the privilege of the church of Christ, that it is a holy nation, a peculiar people; Jerusalem, the type of it, is called the holy city, bad as it was (Matthew 27:53), till that was set up, but never after. 3. It is the place appointed for the solemn service and worship of God; there he is greatly praised, and greatly to be praised,Psalms 48:1; Psalms 48:1. Note, The clearer discoveries are made to us of God and his greatness the more it is expected that we should abound in his praises. Those that from all parts of the country brought their offerings to Jerusalem had reason to be thankful that God would not only permit them thus to attend him, but promise to accept them, and meet them with a blessing, and reckon himself praised and honoured by their services. Herein Jerusalem typified the gospel church; for what little tribute of praise God has from this earth arises from that church upon earth, which is therefore his tabernacle among men. 4. It is taken under his special protection (Psalms 48:3; Psalms 48:3): He is known for a refuge; that is, he has approved himself such a one, and as such a one he is there applied to by his worshippers. Those that know him will trust in him, and seek to him,Psalms 9:10. God was known, not only in the streets, but even in the palaces of Jerusalem, for a refuge; the great men had recourse to God and acquaintance with him. And then religion was likely to flourish in the city when it reigned in the palaces. 5. Upon all these accounts, Jerusalem, and especially Mount Zion, on which the temple was built, were universally beloved and admired--beautiful for situation, and the joy of the whole earth,Psalms 48:2; Psalms 48:2. The situation must needs be every way agreeable, when Infinite Wisdom chose it for the place of the sanctuary; and that which made it beautiful was that it was the mountain of holiness, for there is a beauty in holiness. This earth is, by sin, covered with deformity, and therefore justly might that spot of ground which was thus beautified with holiness he called the joy of the whole earth, that is, what the whole earth had reason to rejoice in, that God would thus in very deed dwell with man upon the earth. Mount Zion was on the north side of Jerusalem, and so was a shelter to the city from the cold and bleak winds that blew from that quarter; or, if fair weather was expected out of the north, they were thus directed to look Zion-ward for it.

      II. That the kings of the earth were afraid of it. That God was known in their palaces for a refuge they had had a late instance, and a very remarkable one. Whatever it was, 1. They had had but too much occasion to fear their enemies; for the kings were assembled,Psalms 48:4; Psalms 48:4. The neighbouring princes were confederate against Jerusalem; their heads and horns, their policies and powers, were combined for its ruin; they were assembled with all their forces; they passed, advanced, and marched on together, not doubting but they should soon make themselves masters of that city which should have been the joy, but was the envy of the whole earth. 2. God made their enemies to fear them. The very sight of Jerusalem struck them into a consternation and gave check to their fury, as the sight of the tents of Jacob frightened Balaam from his purpose to curse Israel (Numbers 24:2): They saw it and marvelled, and hasted away,Psalms 48:5; Psalms 48:5. Not Veni, vidi, vici--I came, I saw, I conquered; but, on the contrary, Veni vidi victus sum--I came, I saw, I was defeated. Not that there was any thing to be seen in Jerusalem that was so very formidable; but the sight of it brought to mind what they had heard concerning the special presence of God in that city and the divine protection it was under, and God impressed such terrors on their minds thereby as made them retire with precipitation. Though they were kings, though they were many in confederacy, yet they knew themselves an unequal match for Omnipotence, and therefore fear came upon them, and pain,Psalms 48:6; Psalms 48:6. Note, God can dispirit the stoutest of his church's enemies, and soon put those in pain that live at ease. The fright they were in upon the sight of Jerusalem is here compared to the throes of a woman in travail, which are sharp and grievous, which sometimes come suddenly (1 Thessalonians 5:3), which cannot be avoided, and which are effects of sin and the curse. The defeat hereby given to their designs upon Jerusalem is compared to the dreadful work made with a fleet of ships by a violent storm, when some are split, others shattered, all dispersed (Psalms 48:7; Psalms 48:7): Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind; effects at sea lie thus exposed. The terrors of God are compared to an east wind (Job 27:20; Job 27:21); these shall put them into confusion, and break all their measures. Who knows the power of God's anger?