Psalm 48 - It Is Over, The Battle is Finished.   A Time to Rejoice!

“… the LORD is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him." Hab 2:20

V1  “How great is the Lord, how deserving of praise, in the city of our God which sits on His Holy mountain!”

The City of our God, sitting on His Holy Mountain was protected by His Presence, His shekinah glory.  The Babylonians and the Romans would later be able to take Jerusalem because God had abandoned it. No one could take it when God abided there.

The Assyrian army has been defeated. 185,000 of the enemy is dead. The king and his warriors remaining run off in defeat and in total confusion. Not a one of the Israelites have been harmed. Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, did not doubt for a moment that Jerusalem would be overtaken.  BUT GOD!

Don’t give in or up to quickly. Trust God. He has the watch!

 “For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David. And that night the angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.”       2 Kings 19:34-36

Exultation and relief flows from the writer of this Psalm, probably the King, Hezekiah or Isaiah, the prophet.

The greatness of the city can be explained by the greatness of God.  His presence makes great the city upon the Holy mountain. Look at this city through the eyes of our writer. V2 “It is high and magnificient; the whole earth rejoices to see it!

 V2 NKJV Beautiful in elevation, The joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, The city of the great King.

Isaiah say in 14:13 that satan wanted to have the rule that God had. He want to be lord and sit on the throne. (sides of the North, refers to the place where God lives, heaven, His Holy mountain.    Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

That which brings us JOY makes the enemy QUAKE!

V3 God Himself is in Jerusalem’s  towers, revealing Himself as its defender.  God is in the place.

God is in us, John 14:19-20. God’s dwelling place is in the believer.  Hezekiah was not trusting in  the massiveness of Jerusalem’s walls, nor the fact that they had a secret water source or their military might.  He and Isaiah went to the One in Whom they trusted. They laid out their request before God.   Psa 91:1  They went to the secret place and found God to be their refuge.

We have an enemy who is bigger, stronger then we are but he is no match for our God. The stamp over their lives, their city, their hope was ‘In God we trust’ and He was found faithful.

The message from the world was the same as it is today. Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord when he says, ‘The Lord will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’2 Kings 18:30

We can boldy say with Hezekiah and the people of God  "As for God, His way is perfect. All the LORD's promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. 2 Sam 22:31

Vv 4-The army has been slaughter at the hand of God and as the enemy saw with their own eyes  what Israel’s God had done, they were terrified and ran away.

God is not intimidated by the force of the armies of this world that is coming against His people. He is God and there is no other.  He is deserving of our trust and our praise.

Fear overcomes them v5-6 and they ran and they are still running.

Vv 6-8 is the testimony of those watching God work. We have heard, we have seen.  The enemy took on the Most High God and God revealed Himself as invincible.

 Psa 91:7-8 A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked.

What do we do when we experience God working in our lives?

Vv9-14  We worship Him, He is deserving of our praise.

Meditate on His Love, Worship Him in His temple.  Private and corporate worship is precious in His sight. Lift up His name and praise Him to the ends of the earth.                                                We have heard but now we see!  No longer hear say.  We have seen it ourselves.  It is now our experience.  We own, we know longer think, hope, we KNOW!

If a few or only one stands for God,  He will deal with them in love. Only Hezekiah, Isaiah and a handful of others were standing with Him and our God stood with them. How many does it take?  Noah, here a few, Daniel and his friend, Lot and his family,  The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.(He says to those who won’t listen) What a fool you have been! From now on, you will be at war." 2 Chron 16:9  

V 9-11 Meditating on Who He is, inspires worship. Meeting together with God’s people should be precious time for us. Our love for Him is a testimony of His greatness. Who is the God we serve?

His strong right hand is filled with victory-

            It set us free

            We can experience our emotions again. Let us rejoice and be glad

V 12-13  Look, we are safe, this is not a dream, a hope, this salvation by our God is real. He’s alive and we are forgiven, safe, secure from harm.

Share His love with all generations. Tell of His greatness.

Let me tell you what Jesus has done for me...

V 14 Death stared us in the face until we met Jesus.  Now He is our God forever and ever.

He will guide us until we die.   John 14:10 "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.

For what is God like?  Look at His Son and you will see the Father. God is our God forever and ever and He will guide us until we die. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

He is my God!