Daily Devotions
Psalms
Psalm 48:6a "Fear took hold of them there..." Psalm 48:6a"
Day 70 – Psalm 48
“Fear took hold of them there…” Psalm 48:6a
ENEMIES OF THE STATE
Ancient Israel had many enemies. Some were openly hostile. Others were more covert in their operations. One of the things enemies always did was to check out the fortifications of a city before attempting to conquer it. The following text describes the feelings of enemy kings when they came to Jerusalem.
“For behold, the kings assembled, they passed by together.
They saw it, and so they marveled;
They were troubled, they hastened away.
Fear took hold of them there,
And pain, as of a woman in birth pangs,
As when You break the ships of Tarshish
With an east wind.
Psalm 48:4-7
1. Kings assembled
a) They came to spy out the city of Jerusalem.
b) They saw the geographical terrain and the fortifications,
c) They hastily went away with great despair.
i) They were “troubled”.
ii) There was great “pain”.
2. God’s Powerful Presence was there
a) God had the power to break ships with “an east wind”.
b) God has the power to cause fear to be felt by enemies.
c) Recall what God said to the children of Israel (long before the conquest of Canaan).
“I will send My fear before you…Exodus 23:27a
This day I will begin to put the dread and of you upon the nations
under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you,
and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.”
Deuteronomy 2:25