Chapter Summary

Praise of the beauty and strength of Mount Zion, the city of God.

Discussion Questions for Psalms, Chapter 48

1. Psalm 48:2, "beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King." (ESV) What did Mount Zion represent to the people? How does the Psalmists description of it reflect what it symbolized in their lives?
2. Psalm 48:3, "Within her citadels God has made himself known as a fortress." (ESV) How did God make Himself known? What brought the people to understand Him to be a mighty fortress?
3. How can the reading of this Psalm shape your personal faith? How does it bring awareness to God’s greatness?
4. How does the Psalmist recollect triumphed events? How would this time of remembrance have impacted the readers of that day?
5. What do you envision when you picture Mount Zion? What does it represent to you? How would you describe it in your own words?
6. How can we view The Holy Spirit the way the people viewed Mount Zion in Scripture?
7. Psalm 48:10, "As your name, O God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is filled with righteousness." (ESV) What causes God’s name and praises to reach the ends of the earth? How do Christians get to join in on the spreading of God’s name and praise?
8. Psalm 48:11, "Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments!" (ESV) We do not typically think of judgements as something to rejoice in. Why is there a call for rejoicing in God’s judgements in this passage?
9. In verses 12-14, how does the Psalmists show his understanding that God is the most important thing to remember? How does his request reflect his love for God as his Savior?
10. How might this Psalm help you battle against personal fears? What kind of security and comfort can you find in the Psalmist’s words?

Key Words/Phrase

Mount Zion, v. 2.

Characters

God, Psalmist.

Strong Verse(s)

1, 14.