What is God like?

One of humankind’s most enduring questions is: what is God like? To what might we compare him? I will write more on this in the future - I’m currently writing a piece on revelation, which will look at this question.

For now - I read Psalm 48 this morning. The last two verses are:

(13) Take note of the fortified walls, and tour all the citadels,
that you may describe them to future generations. (14) For that is what God is like. He is our God for ever and ever, and he will be our guide until we die. (NLT)

The Psalmist looks around at the city of Jerusalem, at its strength and beauty, and sees the likeness of God. Israel’s capital is often used as a metaphor for the whole country - God’s gift to his people, promised for ever and ever. In the same way that Jerusalem’s fortified walls and citadels defend it from attack, so God defends his people.

It doesn’t do to push metaphors too far - especially when they are used as analogies for God - but something really hit me as I read those verses this morning. Perhaps Jesus was thinking about this Psalm when he promised that ‘the gates of Hell’ would ‘not prevail’ against the Church - because God is our fortified wall.