The title of our series comes from a quote from John Calvin which reads: “I have been accustomed to call this book, I think not inappropriately, “An Anatomy of all the Parts of the Soul;” for there is not an emotion of which anyone can be conscious that is not here represented as in a mirror. Or rather, the Holy Spirit has here drawn to the life all the griefs, sorrows, fears, doubts, hopes, cares, perplexities, in short, all the distracting emotions with which the minds of men are wont to be agitated.”
This series has been helping us to see that real human emotions that we struggle with is dealt with in the psalms. Today, we are dealing with a psalm that deals with panic. Panic can be defined as “a sudden overpowering fright” or again “a sudden unreasoning terror often accompanied by mass flight”.
We all understand panic. As a nation, circuit breaker of 2020 marked a collective national panic. We panic and worry about all kinds of things — both small and big. Maybe now you are also worried about things in your own life — school, jobs, job security, finances.
What are you worried about? Today, we will see what the Bible has to say to the soul that is restless and panicking and full of worries, stress and terror.
(A) A Beautiful City Eternally Secured by its Great King (Ps 48:1-8)
In the opening verses, we read about how God is great and greatly to be praised (Ps 48:1). In both Psalm 48:1 and Psalm 48:2, it is mentioned that this is God’s city. We are also told that his city is holy and beautiful (Ps 48:2). The mention of Mount Zion is significant as it is the pinnacle of Jerusalem, the most renown part of the city and was an elevated place, both physically and symbolically. Zion, the high point of Jerusalem is where God dwells (Ps 74:2) and is significant throughout the Old Testament. Zion is associated with David and is a stronghold (2 Sam 5:7, 9-10). Zion is where God has established His chosen King (Ps 2:6).
We also see that God is referred to as the LORD in Psalm 48:1. This name of God is His covenantal name, and calls to mind the covenant established with Abraham, and passed down through the generations. He is the God of the covenant, a faithful God.
This God is not just great, but is also a fortress for the people (Ps 48:3). God has made Himself the city’s security. This is different from how kings usually run things. Usually, people protect the king and provide him security. But here, the city’s security is their King, which is God Himself.
These verses give us a picture of a city that is beautiful, brings joy, is safe because of God who is its fortress. We are presented with a beautiful and secure city. This is a city that contrasts many other cities that we know today that is not ruled by a king that is its fortress. There are many cities today that are dangerous, and where war tears down buildings and where violent groups have taken over. Cities today are unlike the city that we see here, that is full of praise and God and is beautiful and secure, and brings joy to others.
The psalmist continues by drawing attention to the gathering of kings (plural) in Psalm 48:4. These kings came on together (NIV: advanced together) against the city of the true King. The moment they see the city, they are astounded, they panic and they run (Ps 48:5). The very sight of God’s city causes this. This trembling takes hold of them and they are like a woman in labour – they are seized with trembling and are struck suddenly with great anguish that is crippling (Ps 48:6). This contrasts with the reaction in the earlier verses, in Psalm 48:1-3.
Psalm 48:7 mentions the ships of Tarshish, which are known to be sturdy and advanced and carry valuable goods. However, these are shattered. Thus, we see a contrast between earthly kings and the true King. The kings of this world cannot hold a candle to the one true King. In the face of God and the city He has established, they are frightened and helpless. The Psalmist has seen that the best that this world has to offer is nothing in the face of God and the security that his God brings. This is why the Psalmist declares to surely and clearly in Psalm 48:1 that God is great.
The Psalmist here purposefully contrasts the kings in his time, men of status and power and wealth with God to show his listeners that God is far greater and has far much more to offer his people. That God deserves their attention and praise and time. Does God have ours? If you are an inhabitant of God’s city, do you declare like the psalmist does, how great God is? This is a great God worth our security and praise. Do you believe that God is great? That He deserves great praise and is a fortress for His people? Or do you believe that worldly things and people are great? What do you praise and declare? That God is good and great or that what the world has to offer is good and great?
And more specifically, on the topic of panic, we must ask ourselves whether we see the security that God brings us. Psalm 48 shows us that in contrast to the panic and worry of the world, the people of God know the answer and remedy to panic. If we learn the logic of Psalm 48, we have an inoculation against panic. What is your fortress? When things go wrong, in work or school or in your family, or in your other relationships, where do you go? What do you seek refuge in? We need to see that the city is gloriously safe because its fortress is God Himself. There is no mention of the Psalmist and his people being smarter, or richer or stronger than the kings in Psalm 48:4. There is not even a mention of them doing anything in the first 8 verses of this Psalm. They just hear about God and see Him work (Ps 48:8).
Practically, what does this mean? How do you start your days? What do you do when you face a large task or something worrying? Most of us tend to be pragmatic. We start doing up timelines, or think about options. We rely on ourselves and so of course we panic because the Bible has set out that man is so limited.
Consider that a lot of why we panic is rooted in our identity. It arises because of what we value and think about. Have we bought into this idea that safety and security can only come if we have a good job, enjoy a nice home, and have health, wealth and status, and therefore root our identity in that? Or do we see our security in who we belong to? Or do you see that your security is secured within the walls of God’s city, not based on things that we achieve, but is rooted in who God is — and He does not change. How much of the city of God is within us? Are we holy and joyful and secure? Or are we worldly and worried and afraid? A key question related to panic is what has gone into us, what we live in, what we soak in, what we absorb and dwell in.
When we panic, we need to come to Jesus, the Jesus who promises us peace and security. We must come to our Saviour who causes fears to fly. He declares these words in John 16:33. In our struggle, come to Jesus and see how all our important battles have already been won. No matter what happens in life — in our careers, and no matter what our bank accounts might look like — we dwell securely. The Saviour who says fear not in Matt 10:31 and Luke 12:32 and who brings us perfect peace. As long as we find our security and hope in ourselves and our efforts, we will always have fear. We will always tremble at the trials that come our way. But when we come to Jesus, we see that all the important battles are already won. They no matter how we perform at work, we are saved. No matter how our relationships go, or what our bank accounts look like, we are loved.
In Psalm 48:8, the psalmist moves away from describing the kings and speaks to the listeners directly. They had heard about the greatness of God and the great things He had done. They had also seen this themselves. The psalmist also repeats this idea that this city belongs to God, which he had already mentioned twice before in Psalm 48:1-2. This is seen in the city of the LORD of hosts – which means the Lord of armies, including angelic forces and the armies of Israel and the city of God, which God will establish forever – it is an eternal and everlasting city, just as God’s greatness is. The security and peace given to those that inhabit God’s kingdom will extend forever.
Up to here, we see a beautiful city that is eternally secure by a great king. There is also a difference between hearing about God and seeing and experiencing God ourselves. Here, the people have seen the greatness of God themselves and this is why the Psalmist declares so surely that God is great. The God who acted for the Psalmist’s forefathers is the God who acts for this psalmist and his people too
The comfort and security and beauty that we see in these verses is promised to us in Christ. Now and into eternity. For you and I who know Christ, we know the antidote to panic because we have a mighty God who promises us eternal security.
(B) A God of Steadfast Love Who Guides Beyond Death (Ps 48:8-14)
Here in Psalm 48:9, there is a shift from God’s greatness to a meditation on His steadfast love, which refers to His covenantal love – this is done in the midst of the temple, where God’s presence is – where He is worshipped and exalted. Like God’s name which reaches the ends of the earth, so does His praise. God’s right hand is filled with righteousness and this, along with God’s steadfast love causes Mount Zion to be glad, the daughters of Judah to rejoice because God judges justly and rightly.
These might be things that we know about God, but these also mean for us think about whether we meditate and think about these things. We see here, a people that is captivated by who God is and desires to know Him, and who rejoice in who He is. Do we think on God’s steadfast love and righteousness? What fills our thoughts throughout the day? Do we set aside time to meditate on God’s steadfast love to the point that it leads us to gladness and joy? Do we make this a daily routine, or is it something that we leave only for Sunday mornings? If you find that your heart is unsettled or panicked, these verses ask us if we are spending enough time meditating on who God is and the love that He brings and the security that He guarantees to our people.
Coming back to our topic, there is no mention of panic or trembling or fear in God’s city, for the people there think deeply about God’s love (Ps 48:9), His glory (Ps 48:10), His righteousness (Ps 48:10) and His justice (Ps 48:11). That is why they rejoice, unlike the kings in Psalm 48:4.
The Psalmist’s listeners are also instructed to survey God’s city carefully. They are called to inspect every detail of this city that reflects who God is (Ps 48:12-13). They are to survey the defensive structures of the city, and this is to lead them to remember who God is to them, that He is their security and deliverer. The point is that they can tell the next generation that this is God, that God is great, a fortress, steadfast in love and righteous and just (Ps 48:13).
This is the key — the more we stare at God and reflect on His character and commitments, His ways and His works, the more security we will find. The less we know and the less grounded we are, the more the world will sweep us up with its agenda and its threats. These are precious verses because we are also pointed to see that in Christ, He is our fortress and refuge. When things go wrong in life and when we face difficulties and struggles that make us afraid and panic, we come to Jesus and see that in Him, we are secure and protected and loved, even in the depths of dark times. We can always find a safe harbour in Christ. These verses call us to remember all the great things that God our refuge has done for us and how He has saved and delivers us in our Saviour Jesus. This is also a precious reminder for us to slow down and number the towers and count the ways the He has done good for us in Jesus. And we don’t just stop there! We also go on to tell others, and the next generation that will face their own set of anxieties. We are to tell them what God has done for us in Jesus, so that they too, can find peace and security in Him.
The focus at the end of this psalm, is not on God’s city, but is on God Himself (Ps 48:14). He is a God who is and will be and who will “guide us forever” which the footnote states translates to guide us beyond death. This is a God who protects and guides his people in life and will do the same even when death comes. Death is what people are most panicked and anxious about. But even when death comes our way, God guides us all the way until death comes, and He guides us beyond that. The psalm gives us a wonderful picture of the security that God’s people are granted in Him. He is their guide and protector, not just while they are alive and struggling. HE is their protector all the way, even beyond death!
Today, if you struggle with fear and anxiety that causes you to panic, these verses call us to come to Jesus and reminds us that we are safe and secure in Him, not just now, but forever. The God that guided the Israelites through all their struggles is also the God that guides us too. And when death comes for us, we are promised a far greater and better city than Jerusalem. As written in Revelation 21:1-4, in Christ, we are granted a fortress not just here on earth. We are guaranteed that He is our fortress even beyond death. We have a security in a city that is far greater than the city in Psalm 48. We are promised New Jerusalem, where all reasons for crying will be wiped away. This is a far better city than the one the Psalmist had. It is a city that we are granted access to only through the blood of Christ. This is the Christ, who set aside the glory and comforts of heaven to come down to this dirty, sinful and shameful world. Christ, who lived and died painfully and shamefully down here on earth, so that we might be with him in heaven. In this new city where we dwell with Him, all reasons for panic and fear will be banished. There we will have peace and security in God our Saviour forever. This is a truth that gives us great comfort no matter what obstacle comes our way.
Today, what causes you to panic or fear? How does the portrayal of God and His city in this Psalm help us in moments of panic or fear? As we have read in Psalm 48, What would it look like for us to survey the towers and ramparts and citadels? It would mean remembering what God has done for us all personally in Christ, and ow God saved us and sanctified us and even in deep and dark phases in life, walked with us all the way. Do you recall the good things God has done for you? Do you treasure them up in your heart so that you can tell the next generation of how good God is?