The City That Cannot Fall
Matthew Maher
• The promises of God cannot be undone by the failures of man.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised In the city of our God, in His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. God is in her palaces; He is known as her refuge. — Psalm 48:1-3
• The greatness of a place is determined by the presence of God, not the prominence of man.
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
As we have heard, so we have seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it forever. Selah — Psalm 48:8
• The kingdoms of this world do not get the final word. The King of Zion does.
We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness, in the midst of Your temple. According to Your name, O God, so is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness. Let Mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of Your judgments. — Psalm 48:9-11
• It is possible to grieve over the judged and still be glad under His judgments.
Walk about Zion, and go all around her. Count her towers; mark well her bulwarks; consider her palaces; that you may tell it to the generation following. For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide Even to death. — Psalm 48:12-14
• What one generation fails to share, the next generation will share in that failure.
Discussion Questions
1. Psalm 48 declares that "God is in her palaces; He is known as her refuge." Where in your own life have you most clearly experienced God's presence as a refuge — and how did that change the way you faced what was around you?
2. The sermon reminds us that "the kingdoms of this world do not get the final word — the King of Zion does." What is a situation in your life or in the world right now where you find it hardest to believe that truth? What would it look like to hold onto it anyway?
3. Psalm 48 shows the people of God reflecting on His lovingkindness even as His judgments fall on others. How do you personally hold both grief for those under judgment and gladness in God's righteousness at the same time?
4. The closing slide states, "What one generation fails to share, the next generation will share in that failure." What is one specific truth, experience, or testimony about God that you feel a responsibility to pass on — and who in the next generation needs to hear it from you?
5. The psalm opens by declaring that God's promises cannot be undone by human failure. Is there a promise of God you've been tempted to doubt because of your own failures or the failures of others? How does Psalm 48 speak to that doubt?