Psalm 47:2-9

2 Because the LORD Most High is awesome, he is the great king of the whole world.

3 He subdues the nations under us, subdues all people beneath our feet.

4 He chooses our inheritance for us: the heights of Jacob, which he loves. Selah

5 God has gone up with a joyous shout— the LORD with the blast of the ram's horn.

6 Sing praises to God! Sing praises! Sing praises to our king! Sing praises

7 because God is king of the whole world! Sing praises with a song of instruction!

8 God is king over the nations. God sits on his holy throne.

9 The leaders of all people are gathered with the people of Abraham's God because the earth's guardians belong to God; God is exalted beyond all.

Psalm 47:2-9 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.

Footnotes

• [a] Or Sing praises with understanding or wisely (cf LXX, Vulg); Heb maskil; see the note at Ps 32.