ZION PSALMS (Ps. 46-49)

“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.” -Psalm 48:1-37

CHAPTER OF THE WEEK: Psalm 48 You can read it every day or just once, pray it, meditate on it, talk about it, or find other resources about it.

VERSE OF THE WEEK: Psalm 48:1-3 You can memorize it, read it every day or just once, pray it, meditate on it, talk about it, or find other resources about it.

ON THE LOOKOUT: Over the next few months, we’ll be taking a look at the different categories of the Psalms. There are all sorts of categories and themes in Psalms. Keep looking for attributes of God, but add to your list looking for the theme of the week.

RESOURCE OF THE WEEK: “What is Zion?” video by GotQuestions.org YouTube link

SONG OF THE WEEK: “City of Elohim” by James Block YouTube link, Spotify link.

PLAYLIST FOR THE WEEK: Here is a playlist with songs from Psalm 46-49 YouTube link, Spotify link.

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK: As you read Scripture this week, see if you can categorize or find themes in the passages. Especially look for verses about Zion, Jerusalem, or the city of God

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Humanity was first placed in a garden, not a city. The first city Babel, reflected mankind’s pride and arrogance. Yet, at the end of all things, it is not a garden but a city that comes down out of heaven – the new Jerusalem (Rev. 21:1-2). God takes humanity’s rebellion and creates something beautiful out of it.” – from In the Lord I take Refuge by Dance C. Ortlund

THOUGHTS On Ps. 46-49

Zion Psalms. Of all the categories in the Psalms, this has been the most frustrating to research so far. I’ve seen them referenced and referred to in many books, commentaries, articles, and sermons. Yet when I tried to find a list of Zion Psalms, it’s like the category disappears. I finally found a list that recommends Psalm 46, 48, 76, 84, 87, and 122 as Zion Psalms. Just to be sure, I read all the references in Psalms to Zion or the city of God or Jerusalem. In my reading, I’d say really only four Psalms focus on the city of Zion: 48, 84, 87, & 122. That is such a small number to be a whole category! Which makes me ask, what is so important about referencing the city of God in the book of Psalms that it frequently is referenced by scholars and pastors even though the category is so small?

What is Zion? First of all, we should understand what Zion is. It is the name of the hill on which Jerusalem was built. It is used to describe the city of Jerusalem, the people of Israel, and the place in which God dwells either now or in the future. So sometimes it’s literal and physical and sometimes it’s metaphorical.

The Meeting Place. One of the many unique things about the One True God that we worship compared to the gods of the Old Testament and modern gods is that the God of the Bible desires to have a relationship with His people. He had a relationship with Adam and Even in the garden. He gave detailed directions to Moses about the tabernacle and how the nation could be clean so God could dwell with them on earth. Then he gave specific instructions to Solomon about the temple so He could have a centralized place where His people could come to connect with Him.

In the four Zion Psalms, we see the people gathering in Zion to praise God (Ps. 48:1; 84:4; 122:3-4). It was a place they could go to meditate on God (Ps. 48:9). It was lovely and the place a true believer would long to be in (Ps. 84:1-2, 10; 122:1). It was also a safe place because God was it’s source of strength (Ps. 48). Zion was the place in which people could deepen their relationship with God and respite from their enemies.

The Christian’s Hope. The idea of having a designated place to connect with God is a little foreign to the average evangelical. We know that we don’t have to go to church to worship or ask a pastor to intercede on our behalf. Because of Christ’s work on the cross, we have instant access to the Father through the Holy Spirit working in our lives (Heb. 10:19-22). And yet, we are still aliens in this world. This world is not our home. Heaven is our final place to be with God and there will be a great city (Rev. 21:22-24). We have a future dwelling place with God where sin won’t be getting in the way of deepening our relationship with God.

When I read these Zion Psalms or come across verses about Zion in the book of Psalms, I am reminded that just as the Old Testament saints longed for God’s presence, I should be longing for it too. They longed specifically to be in the city, but I should long to be in the Word and prayer. Just as they waited and trusted God to dwell in peace and security, I can trust in Christ’s imminent return and the future dwelling place of the saints with God. These are Psalms of great comfort in a broken world.