This is a prophecy concerning Christ; describing the manner of his ascension on high, and showing that he should be King over all. “Sing praises, sing praises unto our King,” (saith he); thereby shewing, that this kingdom of Christ should not be one of that kind that stands in the power of arms, but in the word of praise, and in the singing of thanksgivings. As if he had said, This king, by the word of the gospel only, which is the word of praise and thanksgiving, shall destroy all the power of the adversaries,—the world, and Satan; as the walls of Jericho fell down by the sound of trumpets only, without sword or arms! PSALM XLVIII. _The ornaments and privileges of the church._ A Song and Psalm for the sons of Korah. Great _is_ the LORD and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, _in_ the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, _is_ mount Zion; _on_ the sides of the north the city of the great king. God is known in her palaces for a refuge. For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. They saw _it_, _and_ so they marvelled; they were troubled, _and_ hasted away. Fear took hold upon them there, _and_ pain, as of a woman in travail. Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind. As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah. We have thought of thy loving-kindness, 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. Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell _it_ to the generation following. For this God _is_ our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide _even_ unto death. This is a thanksgiving almost like Psalm xlvi. For the Psalmist praises God, and magnifies and extols his works, because he had so marvellously defended the city of Jerusalem against the neighbouring nations, and against kings and tyrants; and because he had often delivered it when besieged by the most bitter and the most powerful enemies; while those enemies themselves were driven back in a wonderful manner, and put to open shame; and because he had saved it from infinite perils and destructions, in defiance of the very gates of hell; and had preserved the city, the temple, the word, and the worship of God.