#728 Where God Is Psalm 48

Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised

in the city of our God!

His holy mountain, 2 beautiful in elevation,

is the joy of all the earth,

Mount Zion, in the far north,

the city of the great King.

3 Within her citadels God

has made himself known as a fortress.

4 For behold, the kings assembled;

they came on together.

5 As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;

they were in panic; they took to flight.

6 Trembling took hold of them there,

anguish as of a woman in labor.

7 By the east wind you shattered

the ships of Tarshish.

8 As we have heard, so have we seen

in the city of the Lord of hosts,

in the city of our God,

which God will establish forever. Selah

9 We have thought on your steadfast love, O God,

in the midst of your temple.

10 As your name, O God,

so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth.

Your right hand is filled with righteousness.

11 Let Mount Zion be glad!

Let the daughters of Judah rejoice

because of your judgments!

12 Walk about Zion, go around her,

number her towers,

13 consider well her ramparts,

go through her citadels,

that you may tell the next generation

14 that this is God,

our God forever and ever.

He will guide us forever. Psalm 48 ESV

Great is the Lord - And greatly to be praised, well deserving, and if you have ever marveled at anything, know that it is made. God's greatness is unsearchable, without end, He is most worthy, and no man can attain such. He is I am.

His holy mountain - Mt. Moriah, Zion, the city of Jerusalem, not great for it's earth or it's location outside of God's promise. This is the threshing floor, the place where Abraham brought Isaac and God provided a ram. It would not have been known or existed except for the grace of God, bringing this people out of Egypt and removing the people in the land from before them. They were in themselves unfit, so the glory of the city is God. He is our salvation.

Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. 23 But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. 24 Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written,


“Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear;
break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor!
For the children of the desolate one will be more
than those of the one who has a husband.”

28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.” 31 So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman. Galatians 4: 21-31

The people could not approach Mt. Sinai, not even an animal, only Moses could approach because God had chosen him. It was not because of anything inherent to the mountain, nor the burning bush, but rather the presence of the Lord. If a man could wrap his mind around the attribute of God's holiness, he would only ask for one thing, mercy, have mercy on me, a sinner. 

For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly[a] of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12: 18 - 29

Thought on Your steadfast love - If you have no pity for the lost, regardless of what you see here, thinking that a man has everything because he has that which is fading, then you have not reflected well. They murmured in the wilderness but what they did not understand is the holiness of God, that history would have ended with Adam and Eve, except for His steadfast love. Jerusalem did not come by any merit of the people and the New Jerusalem will not be inhabited by anyone else than those who have put their trust in Christ.

Tell the next generation - Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever. Our God is a consuming fire. Praise Him because He is worthy.