Psalm 47 — King Jesus Reigns Over All the Earth
47 O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
2 For the Lord most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.
3 He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet.
4 He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.
5 God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.
8 God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.
9 The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted.
Who is ruling and reigning over all creation? Who is moment by moment sustaining all things by His Word? Who is daily bringing judgment upon the inhabitants of the earth? Who should you fear on the ultimate day of judgment? Who has every leader of every nation under his authority?
It is not probable that most people in the world today would recognize the one person who occupies all of these roles. It is also probable that most would reject the right answer: King Jesus Christ. The reason is the state of the battle for the minds of men. Sin has distorted the reception of the revelation of God in Christ. As bleak as the prospect is in the West and in the fifty one countries where it is illegal to have a Bible, we must recognize there is hope for the message getting to the nations. Hope is found in the three thousand year old psalms categorized as the kingship of YHWH psalms. Psalm 47 provides an introduction, and Psalms 93–99 give us a concentration of these types.
Psalm 47 is a hymn. It is a jumpstart song to encourage Israel at a time of despair. This loud and noisy poem calls on God’s people to step it up and get with the eternal program of praise. The songs of the Sons of Korah (Levitical priests descended from the rebellious worship leader, with the same name, during the days of Moses) are eight psalms nestled together at the beginning of Book II of the Psalter. Themes of ruin and redemption link these Psalms to the Exodus. Within the Psalms of Korah is a subgroup (Psalms 46–49) revealing the missionary mind of God. The key theme in these Psalms is the city of God, Jerusalem. Emanating from the dwelling place of God is the message calling out and gathering in the nations under the Lord Most High.
Psalm 47 is prophetic. It invites our attention to a future golden age, when submission of world leaders (v. 9) and nations comes under the king of Israel (v. 3). Psalm 47 is messianic because the King of Israel is God, a great King over all the earth (v. 2). King Jesus Christ is a title that captures the significance of these offices. He is the King of kings (Rev. 19:16). Jesus name means, “YHWH saves.” Christ is the Greek word for messiah, or anointed one. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord Most High! Psalm 47, however, is not directly related to the coming messiah, but rather, His ascension. The Jews have employed Psalm 47 during Rosh Hoshanna, their New Year celebration in autumn. The Church has used it for the Feast of the Ascension for obvious reasons. These images, combined present a view to a new era when the King of the Jews will ascend to the throne of David and the throne of God. It will be on earth, in those days, as it is in heaven, today.
We are unsure of the author and the setting, but it could be David (c. 1000 B.C.) or maybe Hezekiah (c. 701 B.C.). The preferred historical image is David, escorting the ark of the covenant from Kiriath-Jearim to Jerusalem with shouting and trumpets (2 Sam 6:15). Christians also see the ascension of the resurrected Christ to the center of the throne of God and to the right hand of the Father. Grammatically, the Psalm is divided into two strophes based on the verbs: imperfect (vv. 1–4) and perfect (vv. 5–9). Thematically, the Psalm breaks in the same place, marked by the selah pause: I. (vv. 1–4) Acclaim the victorious Lord Most High; II. (vv. 5–9) Worship the ascended YHWH Elohim, who is King over all
The poem has been set to music by the sons of Korah (Title). For the choir director is reminiscent of the Davidic Psalms (Ps 1–41). David may be the author and the sons of Korah the music writers. This could be true of other Davidic kings, too. Therefore, we will refrain from speculating from the title.
Section one begins with a call to praise (v. 1). Clap your hands creates the first sounds in a noisy scene. Clapping is the sound of approval for all peoples to agree with the handshake of peace. Ammim is the general term for humans/peoples. The poet uses it four times in this Psalm. The scope, all, is universal. Someday, people of praise will come from every nation, tribe, and tongue to represent the nations in praise to God (Rev. 14:6). Shout to God adds to the scene. Sterile formality in worship services seem out of sync with Psalm 47 and other Psalms of praise. Who is God? He is Elohim, the mighty God, prevalent in the elohistic psalter (Psalms 42–83). The shout is not a crude heavy metal grinding utterance. It is with the voice of joy. Jesus is the joy of the whole earth (Lam 2:15; Ps 48:2). Joy is one fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22). It is the premier emotion of right alignment and right thinking about God.
The reason for praise is the reign of God as King (v. 2). For the Lord Most High introduces the reason why we should worship with hands and voices. The Lord is YHWH. YHWH is the God of Jacob (Psalms 46:7, 11), the God of Abraham (v. 9). YHWH is the Most High God. This is El Elyon, who was worshiped by the Canaanites, even above Baal (localized deity). Noteworthy among them was Melchizedek, King of Salem, who Abraham saw as greater than himself (Gen 14:18–20). YHWH Most High is to be feared.
The church sometimes debates about fear and reverence. The rebellious have a legitimate reason to fear God in the sense of fright/awe. God’s people have reason to reverence/awe. He is a great King over all the earth. Psalm 95:3 affirms this, “For YHWH is a great God, a great King who is superior to all gods.” King Sennacherib, king of Assyria, usurped this title during his reign and siege of Jerusalem (Is 36:13). The claim is that YHWH has a global reign. This is what is lost when we are bombarded by bad news. Where is the just and orderly rule of YHWH in the midst of this world of chaos? The psalmist intends to remind us of what we already know but have neglected.
Israel celebrated their position in relation to the nations of the world (v. 3). He subdues peoples under us is a role reversal for the history of Israel. So submit to God (2 Chr 30:8; Jas 4:7). The parallel statement in the couplet is, “And the nations under our feet.” Subjecting someone under one’s foot was a way of demonstrating power and control over them (Psalm 110). This allusion to antagonists is mild in contrast to lament Psalms. Jesus was victorious, and our victory is our faith in Him (1 Jn 5:4). The rule of King Jesus is why we rejoice in worship. Our enemies, the enemies of Christ, are invited to join with us. Forsaking allegiance to King Sin and his kingdom of darkness, we, along with the angels in heaven, rejoice when even one defection occurs (Lk 15:10).
God’s providence for Israel was celebrated (v. 4). He chooses our inheritance for us is a statement of sovereignty. God’s people live under the providence of God, and we acknowledge His sovereign control over our lives. Our inheritance alludes to the blessings given to Israel in obedience. YHWH promised them land, a seed (offspring) who would bless the nations, and material blessings for obedience (Gen 12:1–3; Dt 27). God chose to give Israel these as an inheritance.
In the New Testament, the promised inheritance is all the spiritual blessings in Christ (Eph 1:3). We share in His kingdom. We have abundant life in Christ here, and we have eternal life prepared for us. The glory of Jacob or the pride of Jacob is a reference to the land. Possessing the land meant Israel was in position to receive the material blessings God had promised them. The heart motive of YHWH was His love.
Israel is whom He loves. It is important here to distinguish between national and spiritual Israel. The apostle Paul clearly states that not all (national/children of the flesh) Israel is (spiritual/children of promise) Israel (Rom 9:6). In other words, not all Jews belong to YHWH. Only those who have been circumcised in their hearts can lay claim to the benefits of the covenant secured by the Son of God, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews (Jer 31; Mark 14:24). Paul wrote in Roman 5:8 that only Jesus Christ has demonstrated God’s love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (spiritual Israel). The glory of Jacob is Jesus Christ, whom the Father loves (Jn 17:24). His body is the church, whom He loves (Jn 15:9). Selah or note for a musical pause marks the division between the first and second strophes.
The second section introduces the theme of YHWH’s celebrated ascension (v. 5). God has ascended with a shout is processional. It is the movement of Elohim to the highest place. “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth,” is YHWH’s statement regarding this idea (Ps 46:10). Ascension was the path of the ark of the covenant from the town in the Shephalah in procession to the threshing floor of Araunah (2 Sam 24:24) at Jerusalem. Here was the high place of Mount Zion. The chosen dwelling place of YHWH is in the city of God in the midst of His people, Israel.
From there the Lord, with the sound of a trumpet was lifted up. The imagery of Jesus ascending from the Mount of Olives gives us a vision of heaven receiving the victorious Lamb of God, Jesus, who then sat down on the throne of God because of who He is, “Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed, and were created (Rev 4:11).” The trumpet and the shout will also be employed on the day of the Lord’s return to the Mount of Olives (1 Th 4:16).
A second call to praise encouraged Israel to sing (v. 6). Sing praises to God is repeated five times. This is extreme emphasis. The God of Israel is the King of Israel. He is our King. He is the King of the Jews and King of all nations (Gentiles), too (v. 7). Kings elicit praise. Praise is intensified in song. The Bible is filled with songs. These are songs of praise to our great God and King, Jesus Christ.
Intelligent worship, despite the state of things, reminded Israel of a divine reality (v. 7). For God is the King gives a reason to the argument for singing praise. This is repetition from v. 6. It is also repetition from v. 2, as YHWH is God and King of all the earth. His reign is global. His humble ascension to the cross of Calvary crushed His enemies under His feet. The King of the Jews, as was posted by Pontus Pilate, is the King of Israel. Israel is God’s chosen people, Jews and Gentiles, from the whole earth.
Sing praises with a skillful psalm is a call for intelligent worship. The Hebrew word is maskil. A song that teaches is far better than silly songs of false triumphalism. Enthusiasm without edification is just entertainment. Come and worship the King with a new song (Rev 14:3), a joyful shout and song (Ps 98:4), a spiritual song (Col 3:16), a victory song (Jdg 5:1), a love song (Isa 5:1) a didactic song (47:7), a song of ascent (Ps 120:1), a song for the Sabbath day (Ps 92:1), a song of thanksgiving (Jer 30:19)…a song about Zion (Ps 137:3).
An image of divine, global, political rule reminded Israel of YHWH’s sovereignty (v. 8). God reigns over the nations is a political claim. Elohim is used seven times in Psalm 47. It is obvious that if God is King, then He rules. All authority in heaven and earth has been given to King Jesus (Mt 28:18).
God sits on His holy throne is rich imagery. Sitting suggests rest. Jesus, sitting down on the throne, is repeated three times in heavenly throne scene in Revelation 4. His redemptive work on earth is complete. His restorative rule on earth was activated at His ascension and enthronement. The song of the redeemed is a siren call to the nations to repent of their rebellion and sins against the Lord Jesus Christ. The proclamation of a peace agreement, offering reconciliation with God is a limited time offer.
A holy throne is inaccessible to sin and sinners, so access is only granted by the sacrificial blood of the Lamb of God applied by the Holy Spirit. With His blood there is forgiveness and healing for the nations, both Jewish and Gentile. Have you come to the city of God? Have you found His dwelling places? Have you humbled yourself to receive the grace of our God and King?
As YHWH is exalted in power and authority, allegiance by leaders brings the nations into union with Israel (v. 9). The princes of the people are the leaders of the nations. Few of these noble men and women are submitted to Christ, today. This is indicative of the continuing global rebellion that remains all over the earth.
When the Lord Most High, Jesus Christ comes again to destroy the nations, all will tremble in fear of God on that great and awful day. After the final battle at Jerusalem, it may be said, “Blessed are the spiritually bankrupt, for theirs will be the kingdom of God (Mt 5:3).” The leaders have assembled themselves per the request of the King of kings and Lord of lords. The nations will go up to Jerusalem (Jer 3:17; Zech 8:22) and find favor as the people of the God of Abraham. Adopted into the family of God, Gentile believers join with Jewish believers in Jesus Messiah as, “those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, ‘A father of many nations have I made you (Rom 4:16–17).’”
For the shields of the earth is a way of saying the rulers of the earth are the protectors of the people. They belong to God, who is the Lord, our strength and shield (Ps 84:9; Hos 4:18). God is responsible for raising up and bringing down kings and kingdoms (1 Sam 2:7; Ezek 21:26). He is highly exalted echoes YHWH’s promise in Psalm 46:10 (Is 52:13; Ps 99:2). Jesus said, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself (Jn 12:32).” Are you resisting His love and allure?
In sum, we have learned that it is finished. He has ascended. He has sat down on His holy throne. He reigns in heaven above, and He will soon come to reign down upon the earth. Ready? or not?
David Norczyk
Hillsboro, Oregon
July 5, 2021
