1/2 Psalm 48

PSALM 48

AUTHOR: Jehoshaphat

The Story Behind the Psalm

Jehoshaphat was king of Judah. Moab and Ammon, two heathen nations, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. It must be remembered that the kingdom of Moab and the kingdom of Ammon came from two illegitimate boys who were sons of Lot. Lot had fled the city of Sodom upon its destruction. His wife had looked back and turned to a pillar of salt. He and his two daughters fled to a city called Zoar and there his daughers made him drunken, and he committed incest with each of them. One bore him a son whose name was Moab, and the other bore a son whose name was Ammon. These little boys born in incest became fathers of some great antagonistic nations. Now these nations come to battle against Jehoshaphat.

The first thing that Jehoshaphat did was to fear God and to seek the Lord and proclaim a fast throughout Judah. Judah gathered together to ask help of the Lord. God did give help and reminded them that the battle was not theirs but His. God through His prophet told them they would not need to fight. All they would have to do is stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. (This entire story can be read in II Chronicles 20.) The people of God simply began to sing and praise the Lord. Soon the Moabites and Ammonites began to quarrel with each other and began to kill each other, and God gave the victory to Jehoshaphat and his people. The people of God then came to Tekoa singing and shouting praise to the Lord. Then they returned with psalteries and harps to the temple, and Jehoshaphat wrote the

48th Psalm. Picture this marvelous victory where God Himself and by Himself had won the battles and set at naught the enemy. See these people saved from the brink of disaster singing Jehoshaphat's 48th Psalm. Hear them as they sing, "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness." Hear them as they relive the assembling of the kings and nations against them in verse 4. Hear them sing of the beauty of the holy city and Mt. Zion in verses 1 and 2. See them as they have the great thanksgiving service in the temple in verses 9-14.

The Way It Was Used by God's People

The 48th Psalm was one of the favorites upon celebrating a victory. Especially was this Psalm used when this victory was obviously of God and not through the might of man or armies.