Psalms 48-50

Thoughts

Psalm 48

Zion, the City of Our God. A Song. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised
in the city of our God! His holy mountain,
beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King.
Within her citadels God has made himself known as a fortress.

• God Himself is the city’s true fortress, not the walls.

For behold, the kings assembled; they came on together.
As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;
they were in panic; they took to flight.
Trembling took hold of them there,
anguish as of a woman in labor.
By the east wind you shattered the ships of Tarshish.

• Nations and kings approach to attack, but seeing God’s city overwhelms them.
• “Ships of Tarshish” is a symbol of massive foreign power and God destroys them effortlessly.

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
We have thought on your steadfast love, O God,
in the midst of your temple.
As your name, O God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with righteousness.

• God’s name and praise belong not just to Israel but to the whole earth.

Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments!
Walk about Zion, go around her, number her towers,
consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels,
that you may tell the next generation
that this is God, our God forever and ever.
He will guide us forever.

• Faith grows when you notice God’s deliverance.
• Passing the story to the next generation is part of worship.

Psalm 49

Why Should I Fear in Times of Trouble? To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah.

Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, both low and high, rich and poor together! My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.

• It’s a wisdom psalm, almost like Proverbs set to music.

Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches? Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, that he should live on forever and never see the pit.

• Money is powerful socially, but useless spiritually.
• No amount of wealth can buy you out of death.

For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others. Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names. Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.

• Wisdom doesn’t stop death, foolishness doesn’t necessarily make death come faster, everyone goes the same way.

This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah. Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd; the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.

• “Death shall be their shepherd” is a reversal of Psalm 23.

But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah

• The psalmist rests his hope NOT in escaping death, but in being received by God

Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him. For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed—and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light. Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

• Money doesn’t equal security.
• Praise from others doesn’t equal approval from God.

Psalm 50

God Himself Is Judge. A Psalm of Asaph.

The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.

• God is introduced with three names El, Elohim, YHWH 

Our God comes; he does not keep silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest.
He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people:

• God appears like He did at Sinai: fire + storm 
• Heaven and earth = the covenant witnesses (Deut. 30).
• Judgment begins with His people, not the nations.

“Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge. Selah

• God is righteous as Judge.

“Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God.
Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you; your burnt offerings are continually before me.
I will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds.”

• Israel is doing the rituals but missing the relationship.

“For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.
I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.
If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine.”

• God doesn’t need offerings like pagan gods who “eat” sacrifices.

“Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?”
Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High,
and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

• The real “sacrifice” God desires: thanksgiving + trust + obedience.

But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips?
For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you.”

• These are religious hypocrites, they talk God-talk but reject His ways.

“If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers.
You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit.
You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son.”

• There is no shame for their sins

“These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself.
But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.”

• God’s silence was misunderstood as approval.
• Judgment now exposes their sin

“Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!
The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to the one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”

• Salvation is revealed to those who walk with Him.

Questions

Application

Psalm 48 reminds us that God Himself is your “fortress.” His love and protection is what should guide us. Psalm 49 asks its not to measure life the way the world does. Can wealth and status save us? No! Lastly Psalm 50 shows that God wants obedience not just religious performance. God cares about integrity.