David was king of Israel, and he had his hands full trying to keep the people from idolatry. With peace having been made, the people were drawn to the other countries and along with that the idol worship. They had trouble shaking it. In later years the paganism reached the temple. We are under the same threat and battle today. We must keep paganism out of our hearts, or we’ll end up bringing it to the house of God with us. One way to avoid that is to walk around Zion.
Psalm 48: 12 “Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. 13 Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following. 14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.”
The local church doesn’t mean what it used to. When I was growing up the church was respected. People were ashamed to show their sins near a church. It’s a different age, but God’s house still remains as it did in days gone by.
The house of God was on the temple mount in the city of Jerusalem with a wall all around it. It defined it. It was known by other nations. Jerusalem is still the focal point today. The physical side of it belonged to Israel. This psalm records a picture of our church. This house is special to God, and it should be to us. It should be physically and spiritually special to us. In the days of the kings, the children of Israel lost the physical Zion because they surrendered their spiritual Jerusalem. The house of God will remain as long as it remains in us.
David told the people to take a walk. They saw it every day. We too need to consider where we’re going and the blessing it is to go to church. We take these premises for granted. What do you think about when you come? Verse 1 reminds us that “great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.” We should praise the Lord each day with thanksgiving. This is our Jerusalem. We shouldn’t come complaining; let’s come with thanks in our heart. The church is important. This is our assembly and comprises the city of God. These walls are sacred; this altar is sacred.
Verse 2 says it is “beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.” The side of the north had the center gate; it was called the Damascus Gate. Many years later, Jesus would be taken out this gate to the hill called Calvary, and he did it so mankind could have a Savior. The situation is the beautiful house we have; the church is the joy of the earth. I’m thankful to be saved. In way of remembrance, let’s walk around it. Count the bulwarks. What we have in each other is a blessing. The mount of God is beautiful because it is the house of the Lord. Nothing extravagant or new is needed. We need to realize what God has already done.
In verse 3 David says, “God is known in her palaces for a refuge.” This is a refuge. Are we taking advantage of that? This is not Bob Surber’s church; it the city of the King. I want Him to be my King.
Verses 4 and 5: “for, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away.” God’s house is a marvel or it’s a trouble to us. It convicts us when we sin, but we should take time to marvel at the city of the King. If the church doesn’t have an effect on you, it’s not God’s fault. You have ceased to see the majesty of the house of God. Verse 7 says Zion broke the ships of Tarshish some 40 miles away. How? God!! The impact of the church can break the power of the enemy as well as the heart of the lost.
“As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah.” Here in verse 8 we have a reminder that what people hear about the church is important. We need to live up to what it is and what it is supposed to be. “We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.” (vs 9) With God on our minds and us on his, right living will make us shine to the world.
We should never wait until the end of a service to praise the Lord. We ought to come in the doors with it. Verse 10 tells us “according to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness.” Don’t look around for others to bless you; be a blessing.
The bulwarks are our foundations. The devil is after what is most valuable. It’s our heart and soul and the church that comes with it. We have the responsibility to pass on to generations to come the foundations of the Lord. We are making history right now. What we teach will be what the next generation inherits.
David got things started. Solomon built the temple, but he opened the gates to the city to paganism. He saw Jerusalem suffer. There is nothing more needful than for us to walk around Zion. Let’s take a walk!
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 