This psalm is the climax of the revelation concerning the city of God. Only in the city, signifying the strong and enlarged church, can God be great and much to be praised (cf. Eph. 3:20-21).

Here His holy mountain is in apposition to city of our God, indicating that the mountain is the city. Both the mountain and the city signify the kingdom of God.

Zion was the city of King David (2 Sam. 5:7), the center of the city of Jerusalem, where the temple as God’s dwelling place on earth was built (Psa. 9:11; 74:2; 76:2b; Psa. 135:21; Isa. 8:18). Zion within Jerusalem typifies the body of overcomers, the perfected and matured God-men, within the church as the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb. 12:22; Rev. 14:1-5). As the highlight and beauty of the holy city Jerusalem (v. 2; 50:2), Zion typifies the overcomers as the high peak, the center, the uplifting, the strengthening, the enriching, the beauty, and the reality of the church (vv. 2, 11-12; 20:2; 53:6a; Psa. 87:2). The overcomers as Zion are the reality of the Body of Christ and consummate the building up of the Body in the local churches to bring in the consummated holy city, New Jerusalem, the Holy of Holies as God’s dwelling place, in eternity (Rev. 21:1-3, 16, 22). In the new heaven and new earth the entire New Jerusalem will become Zion, with all the believers as overcomers (Rev. 21:7 and note Rev. 21:7^1a).

The city signifies the universal church as God’s kingdom (Matt. 16:18-19), and the palaces within the city signify the local churches. God is known in all the local churches of the universal church.

Towers and bulwarks (v. 13) are for fighting the enemies to protect the city, and palaces (v. 13) are for the king’s dwelling. All these indicate the functions of the church (Eph. 6:10-20; 2:20-22).

In the enjoyment of God in the city, God is our refuge (Psa. 46:1), our retreat (Psa. 46:7), and our guide. This enjoyment of God is through Christ, in Christ, and with Christ, and it is experienced in the universal church as the Body of Christ and in the local churches as the expressions of the Body.

The Psalms indicate that we first need to experience Christ. Then Christ will lead us to the local church to enjoy God (Psa. 23:6). When the church as the house of God is enlarged and strengthened, it becomes the city — the kingdom for God’s ruling and reigning (Matt. 16:18-19). In the church as the house we enjoy God in the aspect of His dwelling. In the church as the city we enjoy God in the aspect of His ruling and reigning.