Let The People Rejoice In The Lord

Let the people on Mount Zion rejoice. Let all the towns of Judah be glad because of your justice. Psalm 48:11

Written as a hymn of praise, Psalm 48 celebrates the greatness and glory of God. It uses Jerusalem as a powerful symbol of God’s protection and presence.

It highlights God’s power to defend His city and His people with a call to worship. Additionally, it reminds us of God’s faithfulness and provides a prophetic picture of the future Millennial Jerusalem.

How great is the Lord, how deserving of praise, in the city of our God, which sits on his holy mountain! It is high and magnificent; the whole earth rejoices to see it! Mount Zion, the holy mountain, is the city of the great King! Psalm 48:1-2

Jerusalem, the city of God, is presented as a beautiful and secure city. The Psalmist painted it as a place where God’s presence dwells and where He reveals Himself as a fortress.

He continued in his description of the city by saying that God himself dwells in Jerusalem’s towers. Look what happens when the Lord reveals himself as the city’s defender.

The kings of the earth joined forces and advanced against the city.
But when they saw it, they were stunned; they were terrified and ran away.
They were gripped with terror and writhed in pain like a woman in labor. Psalm 48:4-6

The kings of the earth saw God or the evidence of Him. Used to getting their own way, these kings stopped and ran away. When it comes to spirituality, people today also want their own way.

Why? Because they have never taken the Lord seriously. They see churches everywhere, hear preachers on TV, and friends tell them about Jesus. But, they haven’t seen God’s power at work.

God Protects Us from Our Enemies

The psalmist emphasized God’s power to protect His city and its people from their enemies. He still protects His family of believers and will always stand against those who reject Him.

The kings of the earth serve as an example for the ungodly. For people who don’t care about God or who don’t believe in Him. The Psalmist reported on the destructive power of the Lord.

You destroyed them like the mighty ships of Tarshish shattered by a powerful east wind. Psalm 48:7

As the psalm continues, it encourages believers to praise God for His great salvation. People should rejoice as they remember His faithfulness, both in the past and the present.

O God, we meditate on your unfailing love as we worship in your Temple. As your name deserves, O God, you will be praised to the ends of the earth. Your strong right hand is filled with victory. Psalm 48:9-10

Victory; isn’t that a wonderful word? Victory in the Bible extends beyond physical conquests or worldly achievements. It encompasses us with broader spiritual and emotional triumphs.

Those triumphs include victories over sin, fear, and bondage. This verse reminds us that true victory comes from our relationship with God and the power of his love.

When he said ‘let the people on Mount Zion rejoice,’ he included every Christian on earth. While the psalm refers to a physical city, it also speaks to the spiritual realities of God.

Take note of the fortified walls, and tour all the citadels, that you may describe them to future generations. Psalm 48:13

God’s Fortified Walls

The fortified walls refer to the protection of God within His spiritual city, the church. The Lord stands stronger than anything man considers fortified. We see the walls of Jericho as an example.

When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it. Joshua 6:20

The physical walls surrounding Jericho failed to protect the city. Why? God made them fall because of His people’s obedience. He will do the same thing with walls that entrap us.

He replaces them with a wall that no enemy can knock down, climb over, or dig through. Rejoice because the Holy Spirit wraps us on the outside while dwelling within His people.

For that is what God is like. He is our God forever and ever, and he will guide us until we die. Psalm 48:14

To my understanding, the word ‘forever’ means exactly what it says: forever. This verse says forever and ever. Let’s examine a couple of other verses that point to living with Him forever.

You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. Psalm 16:11

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

Psalm 48 encourages us to rejoice and be glad because we are His people. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church about the moment we became children of God.

People, Rejoice, God has Removed the Veil

But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 2 Corinthians 3:16

A couple of verses earlier, the apostle explained the veil and why we have it or why we’ve had it. He used an illustration of the hard hearts Moses had to face.

But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:14

That should make all of God’s people want to rejoice because He removed the veil of sin. We no longer reflect the sin of the flesh but instead reflect the glory of the Lord.

All of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Lord, the Psalmist said, let all the people rejoice, and we do rejoice because we belong to you. Help us, Lord, to reflect your glory in everything we do.

Read these related posts about how people should rejoice in the Lord.