Matthew Poole and continuators on Psalms 48:2

2. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth is mount Zion, on the sides of the north , the city of the great king .

Ierusalem may be so called here, as it is also, Lament. 2. 15. not actually, as if all People did rejoyce in it, or for it; but Fundamentally or Causally, because here was very great cause or ground of rejoycing for the Gentile World, if they had understood themselves, or their true Interest; Because here God was graciously present and ready, to hear and Answer the just Desires and Prayers, not onely of the Israelites, but of any stranger of what Nation soever▪ according to So [illegible: 1+ letters]mon's Prayer, 1 Kings 8. 41. &c. and here the Gentiles might find that God, whom like blind Men they groped for, as the Greek Phrase implies, Act. 17. 27. and here they might be informed of the Nature and Properties, as also of the Mind and Will, of the Almighty and everlasting God, of which they were so grossly Ignorant, and of that Messias, who was the D[illegible: 1+ letters]sire of (and Consequently matter of great Joy unto) all Nations, Hagg. 2. 7. and, 2. Prophetically, because the [illegible: 1+ letters]ful Doctrine of the Gospel, was to go from thence unto all Nations: of which see I[illegible: 1+ letters]a. 2. 2, 3. Mich. 4. 1, 2. yet these Words may be and are by others rendred, and understood thus, the Ioy of the or this (for here is an Emphatical Article) whole Land.

(i. e.) Which is on the Northern part of Ierusalem. But because Iosephus and some others affirm, th[illegible: 1+ letters]t Mount Zion stood Southward from Ierusalem, this Clause possibly may be added to signifie that Zion is not here to be understood strictly and Properly for that Mountain, or part of the Mountain so called, but for that other Mountain, or part of the same Mountain, upon which the Temple was built, which was strictly called Moriah; but is here called Zion, because that Name was far better known in Scripture, as being oft put for the Temple, as Psal. 137. 3. Isa. 18. 7. Ier. 51. 10. Lam. 5. 18. and for the whole City, and for the Church of God, in a multitude of places of Scripture.

(i. e.) The City of God, as it was now called, v. 1. who justly calls himself a great King, Mal. 1. 14. as being, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, Revel. 19. 16.

Marginal references: Psal. 50. 2. Ezek. 20. 6. Dan. 8. 9. & 11. 16.; Math. 5. 35.