Biblical theology joins the universal and the particular. The Great King of the Universe and Creator of the Cosmos is also the God of Israel, choosing to work with the nations of the world by means of a covenant with Abraham and his descendants.
We see this juxtaposition of universal and particular in Zion Psalms like Psalm 48, in which Jerusalem is the "city of the great King," where God is present and from which he rules the world. Citizens of that city have special reason to praise him for his presence, protection (verse 3). love, and righteousness (verses 9-11).
God's presence produces terror in the hearts of those who oppose him (verses 4-7), and joy in the hearts of his followers (verses 9-11).
This psalm was traditionally sung at the Temple on Mondays and may have been written for use during a pilgrim festival. It is one of the psalms of the sons of Korah. These psalms sometimes contain hints of resurrection, reflecting the fact that the sons of Korah were resecued from death when their father was swallowed up by the ground.
Psalm 48 is one of those that hints at the reality of resurrection. It concludes by asserting "He will guide us forever" (verse 14). Another possible translation, as an ESV footnote explains, is, "He will guide us beyond death." The midrash on Psalm 48 explains the verse by saying that God guides us in two worlds---that is, this world and the world to come.
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