July 9, 2024
Big Book Idea
Thinking and feeling God's way.
. . . you may tell the next generation
that this is God,
our God forever and ever.
He will guide us forever.
1
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.
1
48:14
Septuagint; another reading is (compare Jerome, Syriac) He will guide us beyond death
Individual psalms come from diverse periods of Israel’s history, but at every stage they served as the songbook of God’s people. David wrote about half of the Psalms. His role as king was more than that of a ruler. He was to represent and even embody the people, and their well-being was tied to his faithfulness. David, then, writes as a representative, and the readers must discern whether the emphasis of a psalm is more on his role as ruler or more on his role as ideal Israelite, in which he is an example for all. The historical occasions mentioned in the psalm titles help the reader see how faith applies to real-life situations.
The Psalter is fundamentally the hymnbook of God’s people. It takes the basic themes of OT theology and turns them into song:
The Psalms can be identified according to some basic categories:
Laments, which lay a troubled situation before the Lord, asking him for help. There are community (Psalm 12) and individual (Psalm 13) laments. This category is the largest by far, including up to a third of all Psalms.
Hymns of praise, which call God’s people to admire his great attributes and deeds. Examples include Psalms 8; 93; and 145.
Hymns of thanksgiving. As with laments, there are community (Psalm 9) and individual (Psalm 30) thanksgiving psalms.
Hymns celebrating God’s law (Psalm 119).
Wisdom psalms (Psalms 1; 37), which reflect themes from the Wisdom Books (Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon).
Songs of confidence, which enable worshipers to deepen their trust in God amid difficult circumstances (Psalm 23).
Royal psalms, which present the Davidic monarchy as the vehicle of blessing for God’s people. Some of these are prayers (Psalm 20), some are thanksgivings (Psalm 21). All relate to the Messiah, the ultimate heir of David, either by setting a pattern (Psalms 20–21) or by portraying the king’s reign in such a way that only the Messiah can completely fulfill it (Psalms 2; 72), or by focusing on the future (Psalm 110).
Historical psalms, which take lessons from the history of God’s dealings with his people (Psalm 78).
Prophetic hymns, which echo the Prophets, calling people to covenant faithfulness (Psalm 81).
The standard Hebrew text divides the Psalms into five “books,” perhaps in imitation of the five books of the Pentateuch.
Book 1 | Psalms 1–41 | Psalms 1–2 provide an introduction to the Psalms as a whole. Except for Psalms 10 and 33, the remaining psalms of Book 1 are psalms of David. Most of them are prayers of distress. Others are statements of confidence in the God who alone can save (e.g., 9; 11; 16; 18), striking the note that concludes the book (40–41). Reflections on ethics and worship are found in Psalms 1; 14–15; 19; 24; and 26. |
Book 2 | Psalms 42–72 | Book 2 introduces the first group of psalms by the “sons of Korah” (42; 44–49; 50). There are also more psalms of David (51–65; 68–69), including most of the “historical” psalms (51–52; 54; 56–57; 59–60; 63). Once again, lament and distress dominate these prayers, which now also include a communal voice (e.g., 44; compare 67; 68). The lone psalm attributed to Solomon concludes Book 2 with a look at God’s ideal for Israel’s kings—ultimately pointing to Christ as the final great King of God’s people. |
Book 3 | Psalms 73–89 | The tone darkens further in Book 3. The opening Psalm 73 starkly questions the justice of God before seeing light in God’s presence. That light has almost escaped the psalmist in Psalm 88, the bleakest of all psalms. Book 2 ended with the high point of royal aspirations; Book 3 concludes in Psalm 89 with these expectations badly threatened. Sharp rays of hope occasionally pierce the darkness (e.g., 75; 85; 87). The brief third book contains most of the psalms of Asaph (73–83), as well as another set of Korah psalms (84–85; 87–88). |
Book 4 | Psalms 90–106 | Psalm 90 opens the fourth book of the psalms. It may be seen as the first response to the problems raised by Book 3. Psalm 90, attributed to Moses, reminds the worshiper that God was active on Israel’s behalf long before David. This theme is taken up in Psalms 103–106, which summarize God’s dealings with his people before any kings reigned. In between there is a group of psalms (93–100) characterized by the refrain “The LORD reigns.” This truth refutes the doubts of Psalm 89. |
Book 5 | Psalms 107–150 | The structure of Book 5 reflects the closing petition of Book 4 in 106:47. It declares that God does answer prayer (107) and concludes with five Hallelujah psalms (146–150). In between there are several psalms affirming the validity of the promises to David (110; 132; 144), two collections of Davidic psalms (108–110; 138–145); the longest psalm, celebrating the value of God’s law (119); and 15 psalms of ascent for use by pilgrims to Jerusalem (120–134). |
What was the main purpose of the Psalms for the people of God? The Psalms were the songbook of the people of God when they gathered for worship.
What is a psalm of lament? The main purpose of a psalm of lament is to tell the Lord about a difficult situation, to ask him for his help, and to praise him for helping. Some laments are community, congregational psalms. Others are individual, personal laments. One third of all the Psalms are psalms of lament.
What defined someone as an “enemy” of the people of Israel? The “enemies” mentioned in the Psalms (e.g., 18:17) were people hostile to the faith of God’s people. Sometimes they expressed their hatred by physically attacking the people of Israel, while other times they merely rejoiced when Israel faced misfortunes.
What does Selah mean? Although the word Selah is found 39 times in the book of Psalms, its exact meaning is uncertain. Most scholars believe it is a musical term or a term to be used by a worship leader, possibly to mark a pause.
Snares (38:12) were traps used to catch birds and animals. Some snares used ropes or nets that would be triggered as soon as the bait was touched. Pits disguised with sticks and leaves were also used as snares. In the Psalms, snares serve as symbols of danger or death at the hands of the wicked.
A helpful guide. The writers of the Psalms understood the importance of constant communication with God. They knew that God would hear their prayers, and they trusted him to act on their behalf. Believers today can benefit greatly by patterning their prayers after specific psalms.
The standard Hebrew text divides the Psalms into five “books,” perhaps in imitation of the five books of the Pentateuch.
Book 1 | Psalms 1–41 | Psalms 1–2 provide an introduction to the Psalms as a whole. Except for Psalms 10 and 33, the remaining psalms of Book 1 are psalms of David. Most of them are prayers of distress. Others are statements of confidence in the God who alone can save (e.g., 9; 11; 16; 18), striking the note that concludes the book (40–41). Reflections on ethics and worship are found in Psalms 1; 14–15; 19; 24; and 26. |
Book 2 | Psalms 42–72 | Book 2 introduces the first group of psalms by the “sons of Korah” (42; 44–49; 50). There are also more psalms of David (51–65; 68–69), including most of the “historical” psalms (51–52; 54; 56–57; 59–60; 63). Once again, lament and distress dominate these prayers, which now also include a communal voice (e.g., 44; compare 67; 68). The lone psalm attributed to Solomon concludes Book 2 with a look at God’s ideal for Israel’s kings—ultimately pointing to Christ as the final great King of God’s people. |
Book 3 | Psalms 73–89 | The tone darkens further in Book 3. The opening Psalm 73 starkly questions the justice of God before seeing light in God’s presence. That light has almost escaped the psalmist in Psalm 88, the bleakest of all psalms. Book 2 ended with the high point of royal aspirations; Book 3 concludes in Psalm 89 with these expectations badly threatened. Sharp rays of hope occasionally pierce the darkness (e.g., 75; 85; 87). The brief third book contains most of the psalms of Asaph (73–83), as well as another set of Korah psalms (84–85; 87–88). |
Book 4 | Psalms 90–106 | Psalm 90 opens the fourth book of the psalms. It may be seen as the first response to the problems raised by Book 3. Psalm 90, attributed to Moses, reminds the worshiper that God was active on Israel’s behalf long before David. This theme is taken up in Psalms 103–106, which summarize God’s dealings with his people before any kings reigned. In between there is a group of psalms (93–100) characterized by the refrain “The LORD reigns.” This truth refutes the doubts of Psalm 89. |
Book 5 | Psalms 107–150 | The structure of Book 5 reflects the closing petition of Book 4 in 106:47. It declares that God does answer prayer (107) and concludes with five Hallelujah psalms (146–150). In between there are several psalms affirming the validity of the promises to David (110; 132; 144), two collections of Davidic psalms (108–110; 138–145); the longest psalm, celebrating the value of God’s law (119); and 15 psalms of ascent for use by pilgrims to Jerusalem (120–134). |
Romans 3 | OT Reference |
---|---|
Sinful Condition | |
v. 10, none is righteous | Ps. 14:3/53:3; Eccles. 7:20 |
v. 11a, no one understands | Ps. 14:2/53:2 |
v. 11b, no one seeks for God | Ps. 14:2/53:2 |
v. 12, all have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one | Ps. 14:3/53:3 |
Sinful Speech (note progression from throat to tongue to lips) | |
v. 13a, b, their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive | Ps. 5:10, Septuagint (English, 5:9) |
v. 13c, the venom of asps is under their lips | Ps. 140:3 |
v. 14, their mouth is full of curses and bitterness | Ps. 10:7 |
Sinful Action | |
v. 15, their feet are swift to shed blood | Prov. 1:16/Isa. 59:7 |
v. 16, in their paths are ruin and misery | Isa. 59:7 |
v. 17, and the way of peace they have not known | Isa. 59:8 |
Summary Statement | |
v. 18, there is no fear of God before their eyes | Ps. 36:1 |
Ps. 48:1–3 The mention of his holy mountain and the temple (v. 9) shows that God resides in his sacred city through his presence in the sanctuary. It is the joy of all the earth, that is, of all persons everywhere who value the reality of God’s presence.
Ps. 48:7 Ships of Tarshish were capable of long voyages in the Mediterranean. Tarshish is probably at the western end of the sea, in modern Spain.
Ps. 48:9–11 The people assembled for worship reflect on how God has displayed his steadfast love in delivering and preserving them as his people. He called them so that his praise might reach to the ends of the earth, that is, so that the Gentiles would come to know him. Daughters of Judah refers to Israel’s towns and villages.
Psalm Ps. 48. Like Psalm 46, Psalm 48 is a hymn celebrating Zion as God’s special city, which he defends for the sake of the world. It remembers some great event, in which Gentile powers had attacked Jerusalem but did not conquer it. Though material fortresses may have their place, it is crucial that God himself be the defense of his people.
Ps. 48:12–14 The worshipers know that God’s people are secure. They are commissioned to tell the next generation of their security and their mission.
As a lifelong musician, I've always been drawn to and deeply moved by worship music. A collection of poems and songs, the book of Psalms has been one of my favorites since I began reading Scripture. Every chapter points us to God and reflects the beauty, glory, and steadfast love of our King. Psalm 48 is no exception!
This is a psalm of joyful worship—a song that celebrates the greatness and faithfulness of God. At first glance, it may seem as if the author is praising a city, proclaiming Mount Zion as "the joy of all the earth" (Psalm 48:2). Rather, this is a celebration of what lies WITHIN Mount Zion—the temple of the Lord, the very presence of God.
Verses 3-8 detail the way God shatters the ships of Tarshish with the wind and makes enemy kings tremble and flee. If we don't know the heart of God, it could be easy to fear Him in a way that leads to anxiety rather than praise. But take heart—our powerful God, who defeated 135,000 Midianites with Gideon's army of 300 (Judges 7) is the same God who is merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love for His children (Psalm 103:8). After the author finishes praising God for destroying their enemies, he then tells of the way they have meditated on God's steadfast love (Psalm 48:9). What a beautiful picture—sitting in God's presence and meditating on His faithfulness.
I often marvel at the many characteristics of our God. He is both the Almighty King and our gentle Shepherd. He is the righteous judge but also our kind, loving Father. He fights our battles, and He also draws His children near and invites us to know Him intimately.
THIS is our God! He loves us. He fights for us. And He will be our guide forever and ever!
This month's memory verse
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
1. How does this passage encourage you to worship God? In what ways can you increase your reverence and praise for our King?
2. Do you tend to focus on one attribute of God versus another? If so, which one?
3. What does it look like for you to meditate on God's love and abide in His presence?
4. At Watermark Health, we read Join The Journey together every morning, and we always end with the question, "How can we encourage our patients with what we read today?" With that in mind, how can you encourage the people around you today based on today's passage?
As we gear up to release even more features for Join The Journey in 2025, our staff team, unfortunately, no longer has the margin to continue to support the comment functionality. We have big things in store for Join The Journey 2025. Stay tuned!
Michael Scaman
greg jones
Jason Cromwell
Sue Bohlin
Michael Scaman
Amy Lowther