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Psalm for Prayer and Praise: Psalm 48 (ESV)
A Song. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.
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.
Scripture Memory for the Week: Psalm 48:10
As your name, O God,
so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with righteousness.
Praying through the Psalms
Day 1 ~
Read: Psalm 48:1-3
Consider:
For Adults: In this Psalm we find a celebration of God’s protection of His Holy City, Jerusalem. As the Psalm progresses, we see that while the psalmist may have been inspired to praise for a specific act of deliverance, he speaks of the earthly “Zion” in terms of the Heavenly Zion and is looking to greater “cosmic” realities rather than just to one circumstance. As you read our psalm this week, consider how God’s dealings with Zion here are reflective of His dealings with all of His people (past and present) and how God dwells uniquely in and with the Church as His eternal and ultimate “Zion.”
Older Children: “Zion” here is not only a reference to the historical city of Jerusalem, but also to the place where God dwells in a special way, that being with his people, the church. How do you think “Zion” might have been the “joy of all the earth” in history? How do you think God will bring that reality to pass FULLY in the future?
Younger Children: A “citadel” is a place where people would go to be protected from the attacks of an enemy. How do you think God shows Himself to be a “fortress” and “citadel” for His people today?
Family Application: Talk together about how God delights to show His glory in His people today just as He delighted to show His glory in hearing and responding to the repentant prayers of His old testament people, Israel. Talk about ways in which God shows His glory in His new covenant Israel, the Church.
Pray: Praise God for how He has made Himself known on the earth, first through the nation of Israel, and now, more completely, through His people, the Church. Pray that God would help our church and others to be the “support of the Truth” (I Tim. 3:15) that He has called us to be and that God would be seen as glorious in the lives of His people and in your family this week.
Meditate: Write this week’s memory verses on a white board in your home and/or on index cards that each family member can carry with them during the week.
Day 2 ~
Read: Psalm 48:4-8
Consider:
For Adults: In this section of the Psalm, the psalmist turns our attention towards the war that powers of earth wage against God. As is often seen elsewhere in scripture, the conflict is brought directly to the people of God on their own “home turf.” Though the scene described is similar to some of the Biblical conflicts from which God delivered the historical Jerusalem, it is best understood here as metaphor for God’s ultimate protection of His people in the cosmic struggle against the powers of sin and darkness. Note the language of eternity in verse 8 and the hope of God’s promise that comforts His people in the present. As you think of the forces that may seem arrayed against you today (see v.4), think of God’s eternal promise to deliver His people and trust your struggles to Him today in prayer.
Older Children: Can you think of some times when you saw God answer your prayers or the prayers of His people? Look at verse 8 again. How does God strengthen our souls by showing us answered prayers?
Younger Children: Read verse 7 again together. What part of nature did God use to save His people in this verse? Can you think of other times when God showed His power in nature to save His people? How does this show God’s glory?
Family Application: Talk together about how God’s people have always been the persecuted by those held under the power of sin and Satan. Talk about how God rescues sinners from this power (think of Saul in Acts) and how God will ultimately rescue His people when Jesus returns to the earth for the final defeat of Satan.
Pray: Praise God for how He rescues His people and how He never disappoints those who trust Him and make Him their refuge and their God. Pray that God would grow your faith this week and that you would trust Jesus more. Pray for those you know who may know about God, but do not trust Him with their lives in saving faith. Pray that they would come to Him and find trust in Him to rescue them from their sins!
Meditate: See if anyone in the family can quote this week’s memory verse. Make new note cards of any of the cards from day 1 that may have been lost.
Day 3 ~
Read: Psalm 48:9-14
Consider:
For Adults: In these concluding verses of the Psalm, the psalmist turns his attention back to the city of Zion as the visible evidence of God’s love. As he ponders the glory and fame of God, God’s own righteousness, he looks to the day that God will be praised in all the earth, just as earlier, he looked towards the day Zion would be the “joy of all the earth.” Thus he continues here to find present joy in eternal realities that are for him yet future. In other words, he views the present in light of God’s promise. As you consider your present, how might consideration towards God’s promises change your perspective for the better? How is God showing you “glimpses” of His eternal promises today in your life and in your church family?
Older Children: Why do you think that God’s righteousness is connected to His Glory and praiseworthiness so often in scripture? Why is the righteousness of Jesus so important for the Christian?
Younger Children: Read verse 14 again. In what ways did God guide His people in the Old Testament? How does God guide His people today?
Family Application: Talk together about how God is using the Church to spread His glory among all the peoples of the earth. Talk about how God’s glory is only properly seen through Jesus and about how important it is that we spread the Gospel to all the peoples of the Earth.
Pray: Thank God for how He has established a people for Himself and moved in history so that His glory and fame came through the witness of His people eventually to you and your family. Pray that He would help you to be a faithful follower of Jesus and that He would help you in spreading the gospel of His glorious grace to all those that you know.
Meditate: See again if anyone in the family can quote this week’s memory verse. Talk about any ways that this verse has encouraged or taught you this week.
Hymn of the Week
http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/g/l/glorious.htm
