Jesus throughout the Scriptures: Psalms 3 (4)
Pray Psalm 48.1-3.
Great is the LORD, 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 is in her palaces;
He is known as her refuge.Sing Psalm 48.1-3.
(Cwm Rhondda: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah)
Great is God, now greatly praise Him in the city of the LORD!
Holy she, His lovely mountain, great and glorious by His Word!
God her King is great within her, He, her Stronghold ever sure!
He, her Stronghold ever sure!
Read Psalm 48.1-14; meditate on verses 12-14.
Preparation
1. How is God’s City described?
2. What makes the City this way?
Meditation
The state of churches is discouraging. Many people have not returned to church from the time of COVID, and others have drifted away since. Churches have lost their evangelistic zeal. Much of what churches do has little impact on the surrounding community and not much in the way of transformation for the people who attend them. Churches and believers have become comfortable and complacent. And, in the main, we don’t seem too troubled about that.
We have lost the vision of the Church—and of our own church—which the Lord paints out for us in His Word, in passages such as Psalm 48. Look at the words: Holy, beautiful, elevated, joy-bringing, spiritually palatial. Consider its strength (vv.12, 13) and the readiness and joy with which it pursues its mission to bear witness to the greatness of our God (vv. 9-11). The Church is so awesome as to strike fear in the hearts of any who would oppose her (vv. 4-7).
How can this be? Because God is in her midst (vv. 3, 8, 14). He dwells in her and reigns from her (recall Psalm 2) to spread His praise and glory over all the earth. We are individually temples of the Lord; Christ dwells in us for beauty, glory, strength, joy, holiness, witness, gladness, praise, and Kingdom progress. Our churches are the Body of Christ, all the members lavished with gifts to allow the Church and Kingdom to grow and fill the earth (Dan. 2.44, 45).
We must recover God’s vision for the Church. And we must learn to grow in and yield to the King Who reigns from within us. Who is this King Who batters the gates of our soul? The LORD, strong and mighty (Ps. 24), Who would shape us according to His vision and plan.
But we must be willing and obedient to realize the fullness of Him Who is working to establish us before Him forever (v. 14).
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“Walk about Zion, and
go all around her.
Count her towers;
mark well her bulwarks;
consider her palaces;
that you may tell it to the generation following” (Ps. 48.12, 13).
Walk, go, count, mark, and consider.
These activities were encouraged—not just so one could remark on its beauty, strength, and power—but also as a warning to remember, to make note of, all the characteristics and design, in the event of destruction.
The Church today would do well to walk about through Scripture, go all around the known information, count the cost, and consider well the dynamics of the Kingdom and God’s idea of what the Church is for, how it should be done, and the consequences of beauty, strength, and power that will emanate from His beloved plan, His desire for His people and His Church.
“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).
“Give unto the LORD the glory due His Name;
Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness” (Ps. 29.2).
As Jesus said to the devil,
“You shall worship the LORD your God,
and Him only you shall serve” (Lk. 4.8).
In the same way Moses was guided to make the tabernacle, so we are told how to make the Church—not the building per se—but the heart of the Church, its calling, task, and work.
“And you shall raise up the tabernacle according to its pattern
which you were shown on the mountain” (Ex. 26.30).
Church is about worshiping The Lord in His City.
It is for worshiping Jesus, God’s only begotten Son.
It is strictly about Him—it is most definitely not about us.
The question we should ask is: Does God find this pleasing?
The question is not: Am I having fun and feeling welcome?
“For this is God,
our God forever and ever;
He will be our guide
even to death” (Ps. 48.14).
Walk, go, count, mark, consider—then remember: Church is for His glory, praise, worship, and honor.
“But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him” (Hab. 2.20).
Reflection
1. How do you contribute to the holiness and beauty of your church?
2. What should be the effects of Jesus, living in you? How’s that going?
3. Whom will you encourage today in their walk with and work for the Lord?
All the streams of mercy that flow down to us, must be traced to the fountain of His loving-kindness. Let us give to God the glory of the great things he has done for us. Let all the members of the church take comfort from what the Lord does for his church. Let us observe the beauty, strength, and safety of the church. Consider its strength; see it founded on Christ the Rock, fortified by the Divine power, guarded by Him who neither slumbers nor sleeps. See what precious ordinances are its palaces, what precious promises are its bulwarks, that you may be encouraged to join yourselves to it: and tell this to others. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Psalm 48.8-14
Pray Psalm 48.4-14.
Praise the Lord that He has made you a temple for His glory and His Church a City for beauty, joy, and strength. Call on Him to flesh out in you and your church more of this glorious vision today and every day.
Sing Psalm 48.4-14.
(Cwm Rhondda: 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!
For Your grace and lovingkindness we proclaim Your matchless worth!
As Your Name is, great and boundless, let Your praise fill all the earth.
Let Your people sing rejoicing for the judgment of Your truth;
for the judgment of Your truth.
Walk about the blessèd city, see her beauty, see her power.
Count her ramparts, filled with glory, look on every mighty tower.
Tell her glory to the nations: God will guide her evermore;
God will guide her evermore!
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
For more teaching about the subject of this series, “Jesus throughout the Scriptures”, download our free ReVision study, “We Would See Jesus”, by clicking here.
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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.
