BROADCASTS.com

God is in her citadels; he has shown himself to be her fortress. Walk about Zion, go around her, count her towers, consider well her ramparts...That you may tell of them to the next generation (Psalm 48:3, 12, 13).

In the Bible, cities can be centres of pride and corruption. Babylon symbolizes this kind of civilization (Revelation 17:18). However, a city can also be a centre of strength where the Lord God is worshipped. Jerusalem, also named Mount Zion, is the symbol of this form of society (Revelation 21). She is often called, the city of God.

Throughout the Biblical story, Jerusalem, as the capital city of Israel, never fulfilled this destiny to be the city of God. Therefore, the Gentiles destroyed her in 586 BC and again in AD 70. Prophets such as Ezekiel and Isaiah looked for a new city with a new, restored temple.

In the New Testament, the story turns from Israel to the church. Even before the physical temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans, the church is identified as the new temple of God. Paul tells the Ephesians that they have been made members "of the household of God" and they are a building, under construction, growing "into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit" (Eph. 2:19-22).

So, we do not come to "God's house" on Sundays for worship. We are God's house; we gather as God's temple. Honestly, church buildings do not mean much to God. He certainly does not live in them.

When John has his final vision in the Book of Revelation, he sees the New Jerusalem, God's city, which is also the bride of Christ. This city is His church (Rev. 21:9-11).

Psalm 48 celebrates the greatness of Jerusalem on Mount Zion. Zion is great because God is great and he dwells in His city and in His temple, among His people.

The immediate context of the psalm is probably that of worshippers going up to Jerusalem for one of the major festivals. We notice that as the worshippers head towards Jerusalem they contemplate this city. They ponder what it means that God is within her.

The glory attributed to Jerusalem was never fulfilled in the Old Testament. The church, too, has fallen far short of the glory of God. We look much more like the Israel of the Old Testament than we generally care to admit. Yet, we eagerly await and look forward to the day when we will be glorious (Romans 8:18-23).

Thus, this Psalm invites us to contemplate the church of Jesus. When we think of the church, what do we think about? Do we think about all the unholy people who claim to be Christians? Do we see the faults of our fellow worshippers? Many of us do exactly that. I'm sure it is one of the reasons why we have so many different denominations.

We do need to be honest enough to admit the church\u2019s unholy state. \xa0We should never try to minimize the hurt the church has caused.

But we are also invited to see something more. God is among his people sanctifying his church. Do we see the Spirit at work preparing the bride of Christ? Can we see people being made holy and pure and spotless? Imagine your fellow worshippers being presented as holy to the Father in heaven. Your fellow worshippers will someday be part of that holy city. God will see it done. He is faithful. What a vision to prepare us for worshipping together!