Psalm 48

Read Psalm 48 ESV

Who - The sons of Korah write a song to be sung to the people.

What - A song about how God has blessed Jerusalem and the Temple Mount with His presence and revealed Himself there.  A song that praises God for his supernatural deliverance.  

When - Unknown, but after an invasion by a foreign army.

Where - Unknown, most likely Jerusalem.

Why - To acknowledge God's special favor on Jerusalem, thank God for his deliverance from enemies, praise God and ask for his continued blessing.  

How - The psalmist begins with acknowledging how God has blessed Jerusalem, giving special honor and protection.  The LORD has revealed himself there.  In the next stanza the psalmist tells of how the LORD has delivered Jerusalem from an invading force coming against the city.  The next stanza describes the result of God’s deliverance.  The people meditate upon the steadfast love of God in the corporate worship service.  The fame of God's name spreads across the whole earth, and the peoples praise God.  In the last stanza the psalmist calls people to walk around and see how her defenses have survived the attack, but with a purpose.  The people are to point to them and tell the next generation what God has done and how his past actions can be trusted for future guidance and protection.  

So What 

1. When the LORD has delivered us from a great threat we are to praise Him and glorify His name.  We are to give testimony to what He has done so He will get the praise He deserves.  
2. In times of great trouble, remembering God's past actions for us give hope He will act this time.  
3. We must teach the next generation of God’s love and how he has displayed it, so they will have hope in their days of distress.  They need to hear how we were in danger or under attack in the past and how the LORD delivered us.  
4. The temple is not there anymore.  Therefore one should see and learn that unfaithfulness and disobedience will not be overlooked by God even among His most loved.