Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.
Psalms 48:1-14.-Praise-song after deliverance. Jerusalem's special relation to God, the ground of it (Psalms 48:1-3); the assembled hostile kings smitten by the same omnipotent God who smote the ships of Tarshish; thus God's people saw what they had heard of in past ages, that He establishes His city forever (Psalms 48:4-8); joyful thanks for the deliverance which will bring God praise unto the ends of the earth (Psalms 48:9-11); call to all to survey how unimpaired Zion is, that they may transmit the story to the generation following (Psalms 48:12-14). This psalm was sung "in the midst of God's temple" (Psalms 48:9); cf. 2 Chronicles 20:27, and Psalms 47:1-9. Jehoshaphat is specially alluded to in Psalms 48:7; cf. 1 Kings 22:48-49; 2 Chronicles 20:35-37. The ungodly alliance was as great a danger from within, as the hostile invasion from without. The Psalmist represents both alike averted by the grace of God.
Title. - A Song and Psalm - or, 'a psalm-song.' The mizmor, or psalm, is the general term for a song of high art and graceful speech, accompanied with well-executed music. The Shir, or song of joy, is the particular species.
Great is the Lord ... in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Zion was "the mountain" whereon God's "holiness" was enthroned, as being the site of the temple, the spiritual center of the city of God.