Psalms 47

¹To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.

Psa 47:1-9. Praise is given to God for victory, perhaps that recorded (2Ch 20:20-30); and His dominions over all people, Jews and Gentiles, is asserted. 1. clap ... hands ... people--literally, “peoples,” or “nations” (compare De 32:43; Psa 18:49; 98:9).

²For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.

³He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet.

2-3. His universal sovereignty now exists, and will be made known.

⁴He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.

4. He shall ... inheritance--the heathen to be possessed by His Church (Psa 2:8), as Canaan by the Jews. excellency of Jacob--literally, “pride,” or, that in which he glories (not necessarily, though often, in a bad sense), the privileges of the chosen people-- whom he loved--His love being the sole cause of granting them.

⁵God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.

⁶Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.

⁷For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.

5-7. God, victorious over His enemies, reascends to heaven, amid the triumphant praises of His people, who celebrate His sovereign dominion. This sovereignty is what the Psalm teaches; hence he adds, sing ... praises with understanding--literally, “sing and play an instructive (Psalm).” The whole typifies Christ’s ascension (compare Psa 68:18).

⁸God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.

⁹The 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.

8-9. The instruction continued. throne of ... holiness--or, “holy throne” (see on Psa 2:6; Psa 23:4).