What does Psalm 48:4 mean?

The psalmist has held up Jerusalem as a real-world example of God's formidable power and might (Psalm 48:1–3). Here begins a description of foreign nations coming together to attack the city, only to run away in fear (Psalm 48:5–7). Several moments in history are possible inspirations for this description.

A literal convergence of enemy kings and armies is depicted during the reign of Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20). God caused those forces to destroy each other without Israel needing to fight, at all. Another possibility is when Sennacherib, the Assyrian, and his vast army along with subordinate kings (Isaiah 10:8) descended on Jerusalem and laid siege to it. His intent was to repeat prior victories by conquering Jerusalem (Isaiah 10:9–11). Yet his military was obliterated by the power of God (2 Kings 19).

At the close of Jesus' kingdom rule on earth, nations and their leaders under the headship of the Devil will assemble around Jerusalem with the intent of destroying the city and its people. Revelation 20:9 relates: "And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city." Psalm 2:1–3 describes the same end-time event as an assault against the Lord and His Anointed, Jesus.