Psalms 47:1-4

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

1 [a]Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.
2 For the LORD Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth.
3 He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet.
4 He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.[b]

Psalms 47:1-4 Meaning and Commentary

To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. Thus psalm is thought by some to be written on occasion of the ark being brought from the house of Obededom to the city of David, to the place he had prepared for it; which was attended with singing and dancing, with shouting, and the sound of a trumpet, 2 Samuel 6:12; but it rather seems to be penned on account of the ascension of Christ to heaven, prophetically spoken of in this psalm; and of the spread of the Gospel, and the conquests it made in the Gentile world upon Christ's ascension; as the whole psalm shows: and even Aben Ezra and Kimchi apply it to the times of the Messiah; and so do some of their most ancient writers, who particularly interpret Psalm 47:5 of him, as may be seen in the note upon it.

Cross References 8

  • 1. S 2 Kings 11:12; Psalms 98:8; Isaiah 55:12
  • 2. S Psalms 33:3; Psalms 106:47
  • 3. S Deuteronomy 7:21
  • 4. Genesis 14:18
  • 5. Psalms 2:6; Psalms 48:2; Psalms 95:3; Matthew 5:35; Malachi 1:14
  • 6. Psalms 18:39,47; Isaiah 14:6
  • 7. Psalms 2:8; Psalms 16:6; Psalms 78:55; 1 Peter 1:4
  • 8. Amos 6:8; Amos 8:7

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. In Hebrew texts 47:1-9 is numbered 47:2-10.
  • [b]. The Hebrew has "Selah" (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
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