PSALM 48:9-11

Let us look again at Psalm 48. It is set in the times of Jehoshaphat’s battle with the king of Ammon and Moab. I turn our attention today to verses 9-11 which says, “ We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple. According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness. Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.”  I have entitled this section “Ponderings After The Battle”.

            I find here the ‘Practice Of Meditation’ in the words of the text, “We have thought…” The word ‘thought’ means to muse, meditate, or chew the cud. It is a lost art among God’s people. The cow swallows its food, brings it up again, and chews it until it turns to liquid. She then swallows the remains and it becomes a part of the cow. David and Joshua both told us that if we meditate day and night in the Word of God we would prosper in all that we do. Dear soul, I cannot harp on the subject enough of spending much time thinking upon the Word of God. We must fill our minds with His Word. Remember, as a man thinketh so he becomes.

            I notice in verse 9b the ‘Principle Of Meditation’. They are not letting their minds wander here and there but they have their minds set upon one particular subject. The principle they are musing on is the ‘lovingkindness’ of God.  Hosea tells us that in lovingkindness God drew us to Himself. The word means to stoop, reach in, lift up and draw to the heart. This is exactly what the woman in Luke 15 did when she found the lost coin. She swept the house getting a large pile of debris even that which the animals had left behind.  She then stooped down, reached down, found the coin and lifted it up to her heart. Let us spend much time today pondering the first time our God showed us His lovingkindness.

            In verse 9c we find the ‘Place Of Meditation’. We are encouraged to think upon Him in the ‘midst of the temple’. Let us not let the blessings of God pass before our eyes and melt into forgetfulness. Where God is best seen, He is best loved. No better activity than to assemble ourselves to think upon the mercies of God. Be careful for such activity will turn to a time of praise. Our God will inhabit the praise of His people. Remember the battle is ours and instead of thinking about how the battle went they are setting their affections on things above.

            I see in verse 10 there is the ‘Person Of Meditation’. They chose two things about the person of God to meditate upon. The first is His name. The name they choose to lift up is the word ‘God’. It is the Hebrew term Elohim. The word is in the plural. If literally translated it would be the plural Gods. We know there is one God but manifested in three persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. They are all equally God. There is no greater subject to muse upon than the Trinity. The second thing about the person of God is His nature. He is the sovereign over all in heaven, earth, and under the earth. He is the embodiment of righteousness.

            In verse 11 we find the ‘People Of Meditation’. The women of Judah are doing the meditation and praise. It is fit because they are the most affected by war. They have sons and husbands in the battle. It has kept them at their prayer altar day and night until they see how the battle went. The text says Heaven or Mount Zion is rejoicing so the daughters of Judah take up that praise. Those in Heaven are praising Him for who He is. Their meditation has given way to sight. Until we see Him let it be on earth as it is in Heaven. Let us spend time today thinking upon our great God. You never can tell, it may give way to a sweet time of praise. I am confident it will take your mind off how your battles of life are going.

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