Psalm 47
Psalm 47, Praising the King of All the Earth
Psalm 47 is titled, “To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.” This psalm celebrates the LORD as the great King over all the earth. It calls all peoples to clap, shout, sing, and praise God with understanding. It looks beyond Israel alone and anticipates the day when the nations will acknowledge the sovereign reign of the God of Abraham. It is a psalm of victory, enthronement, worship, and kingdom expectation
The title identifies both the musical direction and the Levitical connection of the psalm. The “chief Musician” may refer to the appointed leader of temple musicians, possibly someone such as Heman or Asaph. Some have also understood the Chief Musician ultimately as the LORD Himself, since all true worship is finally directed to Him and ordered under His authority. The sons of Korah were Levites, descendants of Levi through Kohath, and they were likely connected to the musical service of the tabernacle and temple.
Exodus 6:16, “And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years.”
Exodus 6:17, “The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families.”
Exodus 6:18, “And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three years.”
Exodus 6:19, “And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according to their generations.”
Exodus 6:20, “And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years.”
Exodus 6:21, “And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri.”
Exodus 6:22, “And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri.”
Exodus 6:23, “And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.”
Exodus 6:24, “And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites.”
The historical occasion of Psalm 47 is not stated. It may have been connected to a great victory during the monarchy, possibly something like the deliverance in the days of Jehoshaphat, when God defeated the enemies of Judah without Judah needing to fight in the ordinary way. Yet the psalm reaches beyond any one historical battle. It prophetically points toward the ascension and enthronement of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, and celebrates His reign over the whole earth.
2 Chronicles 20:15, “And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not your's, but God's.”
2 Chronicles 20:22, “And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.”
2 Chronicles 20:23, “For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.”
In later Jewish usage, Psalm 47 was used as part of the New Year’s service. That is fitting because the psalm exalts God as King, and the turning of a year properly reminds the worshiper that God reigns over time, nations, history, inheritance, and destiny.
Psalm 47:1, The Command to Praise
Psalm 47:1, “O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.”
The psalm begins with a command, “O clap your hands, all ye people.” This is not quiet, hesitant, lifeless worship. It is public, expressive, joyful praise. Clapping the hands is an outward sign of inward joy and approval. Scripture uses clapping both positively and negatively. It may express praise and joy, or it may express derision and scorn, depending on the context.
Here the clapping is praise. It is the response of people who recognize the majesty, victory, and kingship of God.
Psalm 98:8, “Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together”
Isaiah 55:12, “For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills Shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”
There is also clapping in derision elsewhere in Scripture.
Job 27:23, “Men shall clap their hands at him, And shall hiss him out of his place.”
Lamentations 2:15, “All that pass by clap their hands at thee; They hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?”
Nahum 3:19, “There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: All that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee: For upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?”
In Psalm 47, the command is given to “all ye people.” The summons is wider than Israel. The nations are called to praise the God of Israel because He is not a tribal deity, local spirit, or regional power. He is the King of all the earth. Spurgeon observed that if the nations cannot all speak the same tongue, they can all use the symbolic language of the hands. Clapping becomes a universal expression of praise.
This universal call connects to the Abrahamic promise. God promised Abraham that through his seed all families of the earth would be blessed. Psalm 47 anticipates that promise moving toward fulfillment as the nations are summoned to worship the true God.
Genesis 12:2, “And I will make of thee a great nation, And I will bless thee, and make thy name great; And thou shalt be a blessing:”
Genesis 12:3, “And I will bless them that bless thee, And curse him that curseth thee: And in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
Psalm 47 follows naturally after Psalm 46. Psalm 46 declared that God is the refuge of His people, that the nations may rage but God will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 47 then calls those same nations to rejoice, because the King of Israel is also the King of all the earth. The God who protects His covenant people is not limited to them. His rule extends over every nation.
The verse continues, “shout unto God with the voice of triumph.” The word “shout” is strong. This is not dead formalism, sleepy singing, or whispered praise. It is the voice of triumph. Worship is not always quiet. There is a time for reverence expressed in silence, but there is also a time for reverence expressed in loud victory. Many people have no objection to shouting at a game, a concert, or a public celebration, yet they become uncomfortable when joy is expressed in worship. Psalm 47 corrects that imbalance. The triumph of God deserves strong praise.
The shout is directed “unto God.” It is not emotional noise for its own sake. It is not human excitement detached from truth. It is worship aimed at God. True biblical enthusiasm is governed by the greatness of God and informed by the works of God. The voice of triumph belongs to those who understand that God has conquered, God reigns, and God is worthy.
Psalm 47:2, The Reason for Praise
Psalm 47:2, “For the LORD most high is terrible; He is a great King over all the earth.”
Verse 2 gives the reason for the praise commanded in verse 1. “For the LORD most high is terrible.” The word “terrible” here does not mean morally bad. It means awesome, fear inspiring, majestic, and worthy of reverent awe. The LORD Most High is not casual, small, safe in the worldly sense, or manageable by man. He is awesome in holiness, power, judgment, and glory.
The psalmist presents this as self evident. He does not argue for it at length. He simply declares it. The LORD Most High is awesome. This is as obvious to faith as fire being hot or water being wet. A right view of God produces awe. A low view of God produces shallow worship.
The title “LORD most high” emphasizes God’s supremacy. He is above every ruler, nation, idol, spirit, army, throne, and created thing. He is not one power among many. He is the Most High.
Psalm 97:9, “For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: Thou art exalted far above all gods.”
Daniel 4:34, “And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, And mine understanding returned unto me, And I blessed the most High, And I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, Whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, And his kingdom is from generation to generation:”
Daniel 4:35, “And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: And he doeth according to his will In the army of heaven, And among the inhabitants of the earth: And none can stay his hand, Or say unto him, What doest thou?”
The verse continues, “He is a great King over all the earth.” Both His office and His realm are emphasized. He is not merely a king. He is a great King. He is not merely King over Israel. He is King over all the earth. His dominion is universal.
This sharply distinguishes the LORD from the false gods of the ancient world. Pagan peoples often imagined their gods as territorial, attached to particular lands, regions, or peoples. Baal, Molech, Ashtoreth, and the gods of the nations were treated as limited powers. The God of Scripture is not like that. He is not bound to one territory. He is not dependent on one shrine. He is not contained by one nation. He is the great King over all the earth.
1 Kings 8:27, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; How much less this house that I have builded?”
Jeremiah 23:23, “Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, And not a God afar off?”
Jeremiah 23:24, “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.”
Because God is King over all the earth, all peoples are obligated to praise Him. Worship is not merely Israel’s private religious custom. It is the proper duty of all creation. The God who made all men, rules all nations, and sustains all life deserves praise from every tongue.
Psalm 47:3 to Psalm 47:4, God’s Special Care for His Chosen People
Psalm 47:3, “He shall subdue the people under us, And the nations under our feet.”
Psalm 47:4, “He shall choose our inheritance for us, The excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.”
The psalmist now speaks from the standpoint of Israel, God’s chosen covenant nation. “He shall subdue the people under us, And the nations under our feet.” This looks forward to the time when the righteous reign of the great King will be exercised over all the earth and Israel will occupy her destined place among the nations.
This must be read carefully. The psalm is not endorsing human arrogance or ethnic pride. Israel’s future exaltation is not because of Israel’s inherent superiority, but because of God’s covenant promise and sovereign love. God chose Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by grace, and He bound Himself to promises that He will fulfill.
In a dispensational and literal reading of Scripture, this points forward to the Messianic kingdom when Christ will reign over the nations and believing Israel will be restored and established according to God’s promises. The Messiah is the great King who will subdue the nations and rule the earth in righteousness.
Isaiah 2:2, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, That the mountain of the LORD'S house Shall be established in the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow unto it.”
Isaiah 2:3, “And many people shall go and say, Come ye, And let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; And he will teach us of his ways, And we will walk in his paths: For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”
Isaiah 2:4, “And he shall judge among the nations, And shall rebuke many people: And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruninghooks: Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war any more.”
Zechariah 14:9, “And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: In that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.”
Zechariah 14:16, “And it shall come to pass, That every one that is left of all the nations Which came against Jerusalem Shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, The LORD of hosts, And to keep the feast of tabernacles.”
The psalmist says, “He shall choose our inheritance for us.” This is a profound statement of trust. The faithful worshiper is content for God to choose his inheritance. Israel’s inheritance was the land promised by God. More broadly, God’s people can rest in His wisdom and goodness as the One who assigns what is best.
The natural man wants to choose his own inheritance. He wants to choose his blessings, his calling, his path, his crosses, his comforts, and his outcomes. But faith says, “He shall choose our inheritance for us.” God knows better than we do. His wisdom is cleaner than our desires. His timing is better than our impatience. His providence is safer than our ambition.
This applies to blessings. One man has health, another has wealth, another has opportunity, another has influence, another has quietness, another has hardship that produces holiness. Men often look at one another and think they would be better off with another man’s portion. Faith learns to receive from God’s hand.
This applies to calling. One man wants another man’s assignment, platform, gift, or ministry. But God assigns different races to different servants. A man must run the race set before him, not the race set before another.
Hebrews 12:1, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, Let us lay aside every weight, And the sin which doth so easily beset us, And let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”
This also applies to crosses. We often think we could bear any burden except the one God has allowed. Yet God is wise even in the cross He appoints. Faith does not pretend hardship is easy, but it does trust that the Father knows what He is doing.
The believer in Christ can say with even greater clarity that God has chosen an inheritance for His people.
Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”
Ephesians 1:4, “According as he hath chosen us in him Before the foundation of the world, That we should be holy and without blame before him in love:”
Ephesians 1:5, “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children By Jesus Christ to himself, According to the good pleasure of his will,”
Ephesians 1:6, “To the praise of the glory of his grace, Wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”
God has chosen His people in Christ before the foundation of the world. He has chosen them to be holy and without blame before Him in love. He has chosen them for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ. Therefore, the believer can trust the King to choose wisely.
The verse says that this inheritance is “The excellency of Jacob whom he loved.” The phrase refers first to the glorious land given to Jacob’s descendants. The land was excellent because God chose it, gave it, and made it fruitful.
Deuteronomy 8:7, “For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, A land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths That spring out of valleys and hills;”
Deuteronomy 8:8, “A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; A land of oil olive, and honey;”
Deuteronomy 8:9, “A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, Thou shalt not lack any thing in it; A land whose stones are iron, And out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.”
2 Kings 18:32, “Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, A land of corn and wine, A land of bread and vineyards, A land of oil olive and of honey, That ye may live, and not die: And hearken not unto Hezekiah, When he persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.”
But the deeper reason for confidence is found in the final words, “whom he loved.” God loved Jacob. That raises the question, why did God love Jacob? Why did God love Israel? Why does God love the Church? Why does God love the world? The deepest answer is not found in the loveliness of the object loved, but in God Himself. The reason for God’s electing love is in God. He loves because He loves.
Deuteronomy 7:7, “The LORD did not set his love upon you, Nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; For ye were the fewest of all people:”
Deuteronomy 7:8, “But because the LORD loved you, And because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, Hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, And redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, From the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”
The section ends with “Selah.” The believer should pause here. God is King over all the earth, yet He loves Jacob. God rules the nations, yet He chooses an inheritance for His people. God is awesome in majesty, yet personal in covenant love.
Psalm 47:5, The Ascending King
Psalm 47:5, “God is gone up with a shout, The LORD with the sound of a trumpet.”
This verse pictures God ascending to His throne in triumph. “God is gone up with a shout.” The language is royal and victorious. The great King has conquered, and now He ascends to the place of enthronement. His people respond with the shout of triumph.
The idea is that God comes down to help and save His people, and then He goes up in victory. When He ascends, His people praise Him. The shout is the sound of royal acclamation, victory celebration, and covenant joy.
This verse also prophetically fits the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Son of God came down in humility, took on flesh, obeyed the law, died for sinners, rose from the dead, and ascended to the right hand of the Father. He could go up with a shout because He first came down to fight for His people and save them.
John 6:38, “For I came down from heaven, Not to do mine own will, But the will of him that sent me.”
Acts 1:9, “And when he had spoken these things, While they beheld, he was taken up; And a cloud received him out of their sight.”
Acts 1:10, “And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, Behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;”
Acts 1:11, “Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, Why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, Shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
Ephesians 4:8, “Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men.”
Ephesians 4:9, “Now that he ascended, What is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?”
Ephesians 4:10, “He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, That he might fill all things.”
The verse continues, “The LORD with the sound of a trumpet.” The trumpet in ancient Israel was loud, clear, public, and often associated with assembly, war, victory, and royal proclamation. The ascension of the King is not hidden shame. It is triumphant enthronement.
Numbers 10:9, “And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, Then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; And ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, And ye shall be saved from your enemies.”
Numbers 10:10, “Also in the day of your gladness, And in your solemn days, And in the beginnings of your months, Ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, And over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; That they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God.”
The ascended Christ now reigns at the right hand of the Father. His enthronement is not symbolic only. He possesses real authority.
Hebrews 1:3, “Who being the brightness of his glory, And the express image of his person, And upholding all things by the word of his power, When he had by himself purged our sins, Sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;”
Psalm 47:5 is therefore a verse of victory. God has gone up. The LORD is enthroned. The trumpet sounds. The King reigns.
Psalm 47:6 to Psalm 47:7, The Call to Praise and the Reason for It
Psalm 47:6, “Sing praises to God, sing praises: Sing praises unto our King, sing praises.”
Psalm 47:7, “For God is the King of all the earth: Sing ye praises with understanding.”
Verse 6 repeats the command to sing praises four times. “Sing praises to God, sing praises: Sing praises unto our King, sing praises.” The repetition is not accidental. It shows urgency, joy, and intensity. Clarke noted that the repeated command shows both the earnestness and happiness of the people. These are words of exultation and triumph. Those who feel their obligation to God should express it in thanksgiving.
God did not have to give humanity the gift of song. He could have created man with speech only. But God gave music, melody, rhythm, and song. The highest use of song is the praise of the God who gave it. Rawlinson observed that if a thousand people speak at once, thought and feeling are drowned in noise. But if they sing together in time and tune, thought and feeling are lifted to a power otherwise impossible. Congregational singing joins truth and affection together in a unique way.
The command is not merely to sing, but to sing praises. Worship music must be God directed. It is not performance first. It is not self expression first. It is not atmosphere first. It is praise. The content, object, and purpose matter. God is the One being praised.
The psalm says, “Sing praises unto our King.” The God praised is the King who reigns. Praise is not detached from doctrine. God is worthy of song because He is King. He rules. He saves. He subdues. He chooses. He ascends. He reigns over all the earth.
Verse 7 gives the reason again, “For God is the King of all the earth.” The psalm repeats this truth because it is central. The LORD is not merely King over Israel. He is not merely King over those who acknowledge Him. He is King over all the earth. His kingship does not depend upon human recognition. Men may deny Him, but they cannot dethrone Him.
The verse then commands, “Sing ye praises with understanding.” Worship must be intelligent. This does not mean that only scholars can worship. It means worship must engage the mind. God does not want mindless noise. He wants truth filled praise. The believer must consider what he sings, why he sings, and to whom he sings.
Mark 12:30, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, And with all thy soul, And with all thy mind, And with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.”
Spurgeon warned that we must not be guided merely by the tune, but by the words. We must mind the matter more than the music and consider what we sing as well as how we sing. The tune may affect the imagination, but the matter affects the heart, and God principally regards the matter. This is a needed warning. Music can move emotions without truth. Biblical worship must join affection to understanding.
Paul may have had the Septuagint rendering of this phrase in mind when he wrote to the Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 14:15, “What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, And I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, And I will sing with the understanding also.”
Psalm 47 gives a pattern for praise. Praise should be cheerful, because the people clap with inward joy. Praise should be universal, because all peoples are summoned. Praise should be vocal, because the people shout with the voice of triumph. Praise should be frequent, because the command to sing praises is repeated. Praise should be intelligent, because God commands praise with understanding.
This is the kind of worship fitting for the King of all the earth.
Psalm 47:8, The Reign of the King
Psalm 47:8, “God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.”
The psalm now states plainly, “God reigneth over the heathen.” The word “heathen” refers to the nations, the Gentile peoples. God does not reign over Israel alone. He reigns over the nations. His reign is not passive, ceremonial, or theoretical. He rules history. He governs rulers. He raises kingdoms and brings them down. He moves all things toward His appointed purpose.
Daniel 2:20, “Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: For wisdom and might are his:”
Daniel 2:21, “And he changeth the times and the seasons: He removeth kings, and setteth up kings: He giveth wisdom unto the wise, And knowledge to them that know understanding:”
Proverbs 21:1, “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, As the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever he will.”
The nations may not recognize His rule, but they are still under it. Kings may boast, armies may march, governments may scheme, and empires may rise, but God reigns over them all. No nation is autonomous before God. No ruler escapes divine authority. No kingdom can resist His final purpose.
The verse continues, “God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.” God is not pacing anxiously. He sits enthroned. His throne is occupied. Heaven is not empty. History is not leaderless. Creation is not governed by chance. God sits.
The throne belongs to Him. It is not borrowed, contested, temporary, or unstable. It is “the throne of his holiness.” His rule is holy. His authority is morally perfect. His judgments are pure. His sovereignty is never corrupt.
When John saw heaven in Revelation 4 and Revelation 5, everything was centered around the occupied throne. Heaven is throne centered because reality is God centered.
Revelation 4:2, “And immediately I was in the spirit: And, behold, a throne was set in heaven, And one sat on the throne.”
Revelation 4:8, “And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; And they were full of eyes within: And they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Which was, and is, and is to come.”
Revelation 4:11, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honour and power: For thou hast created all things, And for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
Because of Christ’s finished work, believers may approach this holy throne as a throne of grace. The holiness of God is not ignored. It is satisfied in the atoning work of Christ.
Hebrews 4:14, “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, That is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, Let us hold fast our profession.”
Hebrews 4:15, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; But was in all points tempted like as we are, Yet without sin.”
Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, That we may obtain mercy, And find grace to help in time of need.”
Psalm 47:8 is a stabilizing truth. God reigns over the nations. God sits on His holy throne. No matter what appears unstable on earth, heaven is not unstable.
Psalm 47:9, The King Exalted Above the Nations
Psalm 47:9, “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.”
The psalm ends with the leaders of the peoples gathered before God. “The princes of the people are gathered together.” The picture is of rulers, nobles, and leaders assembling under the authority of the King of all the earth. Those who once stood as separate powers now gather before the true King.
The phrase “Even the people of the God of Abraham” connects the nations to the Abrahamic promise. God promised that all families of the earth would be blessed through Abraham. Psalm 47 anticipates the nations gathering to the God of Abraham. This is not the abandonment of Israel’s promises, but the expansion of blessing to the nations through Abraham’s seed.
Genesis 22:18, “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; Because thou hast obeyed my voice.”
The New Testament explains that Gentile believers are blessed through Abraham’s seed, who is ultimately Christ.
Romans 4:11, “And he received the sign of circumcision, A seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: That he might be the father of all them that believe, Though they be not circumcised; That righteousness might be imputed unto them also:”
Galatians 3:7, “Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, The same are the children of Abraham.”
Galatians 3:8, “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, Preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.”
Galatians 3:9, “So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.”
Galatians 3:16, “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; But as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.”
The psalm then says, “For the shields of the earth belong unto God.” The shields may refer to rulers, protectors, military powers, or the defenses of the earth. Clarke noted that the Septuagint renders the phrase as “the strong ones of the earth,” and that the words refer to what protects the inhabitants of the earth. The meaning is that all earthly power, protection, authority, and defense ultimately belong to God.
Princes rule only under God. Kings reign only because God permits them. Nations are defended only because God allows it. The shields of the earth are not independent. They belong to God.
Proverbs 8:15, “By me kings reign, And princes decree justice.”
Proverbs 8:16, “By me princes rule, and nobles, Even all the judges of the earth.”
The psalm ends, “He is greatly exalted.” This is the final note. God is not merely exalted. He is greatly exalted. He is exalted above Israel, above the nations, above princes, above shields, above the earth, above history, above every throne, and above every false god.
The proper end of theology is worship. Psalm 47 begins with clapping and shouting, moves through God’s kingship, His chosen inheritance, His ascension, His universal reign, and ends with His great exaltation. The whole psalm is a summons to recognize, proclaim, and praise the King of all the earth.
Theological Summary
Psalm 47 teaches that the LORD is the King of all the earth. He is not a territorial deity, tribal god, or local power. He is the Most High, awesome in majesty, sovereign over all nations, and worthy of praise from all peoples.
Psalm 47 teaches that worship should be joyful, public, vocal, and intelligent. The people are commanded to clap, shout, and sing praises with understanding. God is not honored by mindless emotion or cold formalism. Biblical praise engages the heart, voice, body, and mind.
Psalm 47 teaches that God’s covenant promises to Abraham reach the nations. The command to all peoples and the gathering of the princes connect to the promise that all families of the earth would be blessed through Abraham’s seed, fulfilled ultimately in Christ.
Psalm 47 teaches that God has special care for Israel. He chooses Jacob’s inheritance and loves Jacob. In the coming kingdom, the Messiah will subdue the nations and establish righteous rule over all the earth, with Israel restored according to God’s covenant promises.
Psalm 47 teaches that the ascension of the King is a matter of triumph. “God is gone up with a shout” points prophetically to the ascension and enthronement of Christ, who came down in humility, accomplished redemption, rose from the dead, and ascended to the right hand of the Father.
Psalm 47 teaches that Christ reigns now and will reign visibly over the earth. God sits on His holy throne, and He reigns over the nations. The present disorder of the world does not cancel divine sovereignty. The King is seated. The throne is occupied. History is moving toward His appointed end.
Psalm 47 teaches that all earthly authority belongs to God. The shields of the earth belong to Him. Princes, rulers, governments, military strength, and national defenses are all under His sovereignty.
Psalm 47 ends with exaltation. God is greatly exalted. Therefore, all peoples should praise Him, all rulers should bow before Him, and all worship should be offered with understanding.
