Psalms 47 Study Notes: God Reigns Over Every Nation
All peoples are called to clap and shout for joy to God, the great King who rules the whole earth and chose Israel's inheritance out of love. God goes up amid shouts and horn blasts, and the rulers of the nations gather to belong to Abraham's God.
General
Whom does 47:1 call to clap and shout to God?
Answer: All the peoples of the earth
The psalm opens with a call to every people, not only Israel, to clap and shout joyfully to God, because the Most High LORD is awesome, the great King who rules the whole world (47:1-2). Later it repeats that God rules as King of the entire world and rules the nations from His holy throne (47:7-8). Because God's rule covers everyone, His praise is meant to come from everyone: another psalm calls all nations to praise Him (Psalm 117:1), and Revelation shows a countless crowd from every nation praising God and the Lamb (Revelation 7:9-10).
- Psalm 47:1-2 (BSB)“For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout unto God with a voice of triumph. How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!”The psalm calls all peoples to joyful praise because the LORD Most High is King over the whole earth.
- Psalm 47:7-8 (BSB)“For God is King of all the earth; sing to Him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne.”The psalm repeats that God is King of all the earth and reigns over the nations.
- Psalm 117:1 (BSB)“Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol Him, all you peoples!”Another psalm likewise calls all nations and peoples to praise the LORD.
- Revelation 7:9-10 (BSB)“After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!””Revelation shows a countless multitude from every nation praising God and the Lamb.
Theological
Who is summoned to praise in 47:1, and on what ground?
Answer: All the peoples of the earth
The summons is universal: all peoples are to clap and shout to God, on the ground that the Most High LORD is fearsome, the great King who rules the whole earth (47:1-2), a theme restated in 47:7-8, where God sits enthroned over the nations. God's universal kingship grounds universal worship. Psalm 117:1 issues the same call to the nations, and Revelation 7:9-10 shows a redeemed multitude drawn from all nations and peoples worshiping God and the Lamb.
- Psalm 47:1-2 (BSB)“For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout unto God with a voice of triumph. How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!”The psalm calls all peoples to joyful praise because the LORD Most High is King over the whole earth.
- Psalm 47:7-8 (BSB)“For God is King of all the earth; sing to Him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne.”The psalm repeats that God is King of all the earth and reigns over the nations.
- Psalm 117:1 (BSB)“Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol Him, all you peoples!”Another psalm likewise calls all nations and peoples to praise the LORD.
- Revelation 7:9-10 (BSB)“After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!””Revelation shows a countless multitude from every nation praising God and the Lamb.
General
According to 47:4, who chose Israel's inheritance?
Answer: God, out of His love for Jacob
The psalm says God subdues nations beneath His people and chooses their inheritance for them, the land that is Jacob's pride, the one He loves (47:3-4). An inheritance here is the land God gave Israel as its lasting possession. Israel's portion came from God's free choice and love, not from their own claim. Moses taught that God chose Israel simply because He loved them (Deuteronomy 7:7-8), another psalm calls blessed the people God has chosen (Psalm 33:12), and Paul says believers were chosen in Christ and predestined by God's plan (Ephesians 1:11). This is election: God's gracious choice of His people.
- Psalm 47:3-4 (BSB)“He subdues nations beneath us, and peoples under our feet. He chooses our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom He loves. Selah”God subdues nations and chooses Israel's inheritance because He loves Jacob.
- Deuteronomy 7:7-8 (BSB)“The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than the other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But because the LORD loved you and kept the oath He swore to your fathers, He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”Moses teaches that God chose Israel because He loved them, not for their size.
- Psalm 33:12 (BSB)“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His inheritance!”Another psalm calls blessed the people God chose as His inheritance.
- Ephesians 1:11 (BSB)“In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,”Paul says believers were chosen and predestined according to the plan of God who works out all things.
Theological
According to 47:4, who determines Israel's inheritance, and why?
Answer: God, out of His love for Jacob
47:3-4 attributes both Israel's victories and its inheritance to God's initiative: He subdues peoples under them and chooses their inheritance, Jacob's pride, the one He loves. The ground is divine love, not Israel's claim. This is the national-covenant form of the same grace-not-merit pattern taught in Deuteronomy 7:7-8 and Psalm 33:12, and the New Testament speaks in the same terms of the church's election and predestination according to the purpose of the God who works out all things as He wills (Ephesians 1:11).
- Psalm 47:3-4 (BSB)“He subdues nations beneath us, and peoples under our feet. He chooses our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom He loves. Selah”God subdues nations and chooses Israel's inheritance because He loves Jacob.
- Deuteronomy 7:7-8 (BSB)“The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than the other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But because the LORD loved you and kept the oath He swore to your fathers, He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”Moses teaches that God chose Israel because He loved them, not for their size.
- Psalm 33:12 (BSB)“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His inheritance!”Another psalm calls blessed the people God chose as His inheritance.
- Ephesians 1:11 (BSB)“In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,”Paul says believers were chosen and predestined according to the plan of God who works out all things.
General
What response accompanies God's going up in 47:5-6?
Answer: Joyful shouting, horn blasts, and songs of praise
Verse 5 pictures God going up to joyful shouting and the blast of the horn, and verse 6 answers with a fourfold call to praise God in song as King (47:5-6). The scene recalls festive processions when the ark, the sacred chest that represented God's throne among His people, was brought up to Jerusalem with shouts and ram's-horn blasts (2 Samuel 6:15; 1 Chronicles 15:28). Many Christians have also seen in this verse a picture of Christ's ascension into heaven (Acts 1:9), though the New Testament does not quote it.
- Psalm 47:5-6 (BSB)“God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the LORD with the sound of the horn. Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises!”God is pictured going up amid joyful shouting and horn blasts, answered by repeated calls to sing praise.
- 2 Samuel 6:15 (BSB)“while he and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and the sounding of the ram’s horn.”The ark was brought up to Jerusalem with shouts and ram's-horn blasts, the kind of scene 47:5 recalls.
- 1 Chronicles 15:28 (BSB)“So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, with the sounding of rams’ horns and trumpets, and with cymbals and the music of harps and lyres.”Chronicles describes the same procession with shouting, horns, trumpets, and music.
- Acts 1:9 (BSB)“After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.”Luke records Christ's ascension, which many Christians have seen pictured in 47:5.
Theological
What liturgical response attends God's ascent in 47:5-6?
Answer: Joyful shouting, horn blasts, and songs of praise
47:5 portrays God ascending amid acclamation and the shofar's blast, and 47:6 responds with a fourfold imperative to sing praises to the King. The imagery evokes the ark's processional ascent to Zion with shouting and horns (2 Samuel 6:15; 1 Chronicles 15:28), God's enthronement being celebrated liturgically. Many Christians have also read the verse as a picture of Christ's ascension (Acts 1:9), though the New Testament does not cite it, so it is a connection rather than a stated fulfillment.
- Psalm 47:5-6 (BSB)“God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the LORD with the sound of the horn. Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises!”God is pictured going up amid joyful shouting and horn blasts, answered by repeated calls to sing praise.
- 2 Samuel 6:15 (BSB)“while he and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and the sounding of the ram’s horn.”The ark was brought up to Jerusalem with shouts and ram's-horn blasts, the kind of scene 47:5 recalls.
- 1 Chronicles 15:28 (BSB)“So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, with the sounding of rams’ horns and trumpets, and with cymbals and the music of harps and lyres.”Chronicles describes the same procession with shouting, horns, trumpets, and music.
- Acts 1:9 (BSB)“After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.”Luke records Christ's ascension, which many Christians have seen pictured in 47:5.
General
How does 47:9 describe the rulers of the nations?
Answer: Gathered as people of Abraham's God
The psalm ends with a striking picture: the leaders of the peoples gather as a people belonging to Abraham's God, because every shield on earth is God's and He is lifted high over all (47:9). This reaches back to God's promise that every clan on earth would be blessed through Abraham (Genesis 12:3). Paul explains that people who trust God as Abraham did are his sons and share his blessing, including Gentiles, meaning non-Jewish peoples (Galatians 3:7-9), and that all who belong to Christ are counted as Abraham's offspring and inherit the promise (Galatians 3:29).
- Psalm 47:9 (BSB)“The nobles of the nations have assembled as the people of the God of Abraham; for the shields of the earth belong to God; He is highly exalted.”The nobles of the nations gather as the people of Abraham's God, for every shield on earth is His.
- Genesis 12:3 (BSB)“I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.””God promised Abraham that every family on earth would be blessed through him.
- Galatians 3:7-9 (BSB)“Understand, then, that those who have faith are sons of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.”Paul says those who have faith are Abraham's sons and that God foretold the justification of the Gentiles.
- Galatians 3:29 (BSB)“And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.”Paul teaches that all who belong to Christ are counted as Abraham's offspring and heirs.
Theological
What does 47:9 say about the princes of the peoples?
Answer: Gathered as people of Abraham's God
47:9 envisions the princes of the peoples gathered as a people belonging to Abraham's God, since every shield on earth is God's own and He is supremely exalted. The Abrahamic promise of blessing for every clan on earth (Genesis 12:3) stands behind this. Paul shows its fulfillment in God's justifying of Gentiles through faith, so that believers are Abraham's sons (Galatians 3:7-9) and, in Christ, his offspring and heirs (Galatians 3:29).
- Psalm 47:9 (BSB)“The nobles of the nations have assembled as the people of the God of Abraham; for the shields of the earth belong to God; He is highly exalted.”The nobles of the nations gather as the people of Abraham's God, for every shield on earth is His.
- Genesis 12:3 (BSB)“I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.””God promised Abraham that every family on earth would be blessed through him.
- Galatians 3:7-9 (BSB)“Understand, then, that those who have faith are sons of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.”Paul says those who have faith are Abraham's sons and that God foretold the justification of the Gentiles.
- Galatians 3:29 (BSB)“And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.”Paul teaches that all who belong to Christ are counted as Abraham's offspring and heirs.