Psalms 48 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes

The city — In Jerusalem. Mountain — In his holy mountain.

The joy — This is spoken prophetically, because the joyful doctrine of the gospel was to go from thence to all nations. The city — Of God, who justly calls himself a great king.

Known — By long experience. Palaces — Possibly he may point at the king's palace and the temple, which was the palace of the king of heaven; which two palaces God did in a singular manner protect, and by protecting them, protected the whole city and people.

The kings — Either those kings confederate against Jehoshaphat, 2 Chronicles 20:1, or the Assyrian princes; whom they vain — gloriously called kings, Isaiah 10:8. Passed — In their march towards Jerusalem.

Saw it — They did only look upon it, but not come into it, nor shoot an arrow there — nor cast a bank against it, 2 Kings 19:32. Marvelled — At the wonderful works wrought by God.

Fear — At the tidings of Tirhakah's coming against them, 2 Kings 19:9, and at that terrible slaughter of their army, 2 Kings 19:35.

Breakest — Thou didst no less violently and suddenly destroy these raging enemies of Jerusalem, than sometimes thou destroyest the ships at sea with a fierce and vehement wind, such as the eastern winds were in those parts.

Heard — The predictions of the prophets have been verified by the events. Establish — God will defend her in all succeeding ages. And so God would have done, if Jerusalem had not forsaken him, and forfeited his protection.

Thought — It hath been the matter of our serious and deep meditation, when we have been worshipping in thy temple.

So — Thou art acknowledged to be such an one as thou hast affirmed thyself to be in thy Word, God Almighty, or All — sufficient, the Lord of hosts, and a strong tower to all that trust in thee. Righteousness — Of righteous actions; by which thou discoverest thy holiness.

Judgments — Upon thine and their enemies.

Tell — He bids them mark well her towers, bulwarks, and palaces, with thankfulness to God, when they should find upon enquiry, that not one of them were demolished.

Tell it — That they may continue their praises to God for this mercy, by which they hold and enjoy all their blessings.