[1] Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.
The city — In Jerusalem.
Mountain — In his holy mountain.
Verse 2
[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.
The joy — This is spoken prophetically, because the joyful doctrine of the gospel was to go from thence to all nations.
The city — Of God, who justly calls himself a great king.
Verse 3
[3] God is known in her palaces for a refuge.
Known — By long experience.
Palaces — Possibly he may point at the king's palace and the temple, which was the palace of the king of heaven; which two palaces God did in a singular manner protect, and by protecting them, protected the whole city and people.
Verse 4
[4] For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together.
The kings — Either those kings confederate against Jehoshaphat, Isaiah 10:8.
Passed — In their march towards Jerusalem.
Verse 5
[5] They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away.
Saw it — They did only look upon it, but not come into it, nor shoot an arrow there - nor cast a bank against it, 2 Kings 19:32.
Marvelled — At the wonderful works wrought by God.
Verse 6
[6] Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.
Fear — At the tidings of Tirhakah's coming against them, 2 Kings 19:35.
Verse 7
[7] Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.
Breakest — Thou didst no less violently and suddenly destroy these raging enemies of Jerusalem, than sometimes thou destroyest the ships at sea with a fierce and vehement wind, such as the eastern winds were in those parts.
Verse 8
[8] 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. /*Selah*/.
Heard — The predictions of the prophets have been verified by the events.
Establish — God will defend her in all succeeding ages. And so God would have done, if Jerusalem had not forsaken him, and forfeited his protection.
Verse 9
[9] We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.
Thought — It hath been the matter of our serious and deep meditation, when we have been worshipping in thy temple.
Verse 10
[10] According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness.
So — Thou art acknowledged to be such an one as thou hast affirmed thyself to be in thy Word, God Almighty, or All-sufficient, the Lord of hosts, and a strong tower to all that trust in thee.
Righteousness — Of righteous actions; by which thou discoverest thy holiness.
Verse 11
[11] Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.
Judgments — Upon thine and their enemies.
Verse 12
[12] Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.
Tell — He bids them mark well her towers, bulwarks, and palaces, with thankfulness to God, when they should find upon enquiry, that not one of them were demolished.
Verse 13
[13] Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.
Tell it — That they may continue their praises to God for this mercy, by which they hold and enjoy all their blessings.
Psalm 48 Bible Commentary
John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes
Verse 1
[1] Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.
The city — In Jerusalem.
Mountain — In his holy mountain.
Verse 2
[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.
The joy — This is spoken prophetically, because the joyful doctrine of the gospel was to go from thence to all nations.
The city — Of God, who justly calls himself a great king.
Verse 3
[3] God is known in her palaces for a refuge.
Known — By long experience.
Palaces — Possibly he may point at the king's palace and the temple, which was the palace of the king of heaven; which two palaces God did in a singular manner protect, and by protecting them, protected the whole city and people.
Verse 4
[4] For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together.
The kings — Either those kings confederate against Jehoshaphat, Isaiah 10:8.
Passed — In their march towards Jerusalem.
Verse 5
[5] They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away.
Saw it — They did only look upon it, but not come into it, nor shoot an arrow there - nor cast a bank against it, 2 Kings 19:32.
Marvelled — At the wonderful works wrought by God.
Verse 6
[6] Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.
Fear — At the tidings of Tirhakah's coming against them, 2 Kings 19:35.
Verse 7
[7] Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.
Breakest — Thou didst no less violently and suddenly destroy these raging enemies of Jerusalem, than sometimes thou destroyest the ships at sea with a fierce and vehement wind, such as the eastern winds were in those parts.
Verse 8
[8] 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. /*Selah*/.
Heard — The predictions of the prophets have been verified by the events.
Establish — God will defend her in all succeeding ages. And so God would have done, if Jerusalem had not forsaken him, and forfeited his protection.
Verse 9
[9] We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.
Thought — It hath been the matter of our serious and deep meditation, when we have been worshipping in thy temple.
Verse 10
[10] According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness.
So — Thou art acknowledged to be such an one as thou hast affirmed thyself to be in thy Word, God Almighty, or All-sufficient, the Lord of hosts, and a strong tower to all that trust in thee.
Righteousness — Of righteous actions; by which thou discoverest thy holiness.
Verse 11
[11] Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.
Judgments — Upon thine and their enemies.
Verse 12
[12] Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.
Tell — He bids them mark well her towers, bulwarks, and palaces, with thankfulness to God, when they should find upon enquiry, that not one of them were demolished.
Verse 13
[13] Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.
Tell it — That they may continue their praises to God for this mercy, by which they hold and enjoy all their blessings.