July 10, 2018 Tuesday

“1 ¶  « A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. » Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised In the city of our God, In His holy mountain. 2  Beautiful in elevation, The joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, The city of the great King. 3  God is in her palaces; He is known as her refuge. 4  For behold, the kings assembled, They passed by together. 5  They saw it, and so they marveled; They were troubled, they hastened away. 6  Fear took hold of them there, And pain, as of a woman in birth pangs, 7  As when You break the ships of Tarshish With an east wind. 8 ¶  As we have heard, So we have seen In the city of the LORD of hosts, In the city of our God: God will establish it forever. Selah 9  We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness, In the midst of Your temple. 10  According to Your name, O God, So is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness. 11  Let Mount Zion rejoice, Let the daughters of Judah be glad, Because of Your judgments. 12  Walk about Zion, And go all around her. Count her towers; 13  Mark well her bulwarks; Consider her palaces; That you may tell it to the generation following. 14  For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide Even to death.” (Psalm 48:1-14 NKJV)

            Psalm 48 is called a Psalm of the sons of Korah.  According to the Online Bible “Korah is the son of Izhar, grandson of Kohath, great grandson of Levi and leader of the rebellion of the Israelites against Moses and Aaron while in the wilderness; punished and died by an earthquake and flames of fire.”

            The psalmist begins by declaring the greatness of God and deserving of all praise! God according to the psalmist dwells in Jerusalem on the holy mountain which is where the temple is. God also dwells within the entire city of Jerusalem and this causes fear in the kings and nations around Israel.

            Israel celebrates God’s presence and goodness which acts as a barrier and a buffer against the nations that surround Israel. Israel must remain faithful to God to pass the promise and blessing of God onto the next generation.

            As long as each generation passes on their faith in God and their worship of God they can depend God will forever be with them! Only by their unfaithfulness will the presence of God leave the temple, Jerusalem and the nation of Israel!

            But unlike Israel God’s presence dwells in us for we are now the temple of God and if we are not faithful God will withdraw from us! But notice the mercy of God in that he gave Jerusalem generations to return before judgment came!

            When you read the story of the people of Israel do you learn from it? Do you celebrate God’s presence in your life and by praising God? Do you appreciate the awesome mercy of God who forgives all our sin and deals with those who repent kindly and mercifully?