GENTILES ASSEMBLE AS GOD’S PEOPLE
Key verse: 9
NIV
Psalm 47[a]
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
2 For the Lord Most High(C) is awesome,(D)
the great King(E) over all the earth.
3 He subdued(F) nations under us,
peoples under our feet.
4 He chose our inheritance(G) for us,
the pride of Jacob,(H) whom he loved.[b]
Footnotes
- Psalm 47:1 In Hebrew texts 47:1-9 is numbered 47:2-10.
- Psalm 47:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
- Psalm 47:9 Or shields
Cross references
- Psalm 47:1 : S 2Ki 11:12
- Psalm 47:1 : S Ps 33:3
- Psalm 47:2 : Ge 14:18
- Psalm 47:2 : S Dt 7:21
- Psalm 47:2 : Ps 2:6; 48:2; 95:3; Mt 5:35
- Psalm 47:3 : Ps 18:39, 47; Isa 14:6
- Psalm 47:4 : Ps 2:8; 16:6; 78:55; 1Pe 1:4
- Psalm 47:4 : Am 6:8; 8:7
- Psalm 47:5 : Ps 68:18; Eph 4:8
- Psalm 47:5 : S Job 8:21; S Ps 106:5
- Psalm 47:5 : S Nu 10:2; S 2Sa 6:15
- Psalm 47:6 : S 2Sa 22:50
- Psalm 47:7 : Zec 14:9
- Psalm 47:7 : 1Ch 16:7; Col 3:16
- Psalm 47:8 : S 1Ch 16:31
- Psalm 47:8 : S 1Ki 22:19; S Ps 9:4; Rev 4:9
- Psalm 47:9 : S Job 25:2
- Psalm 47:9 : Ps 46:10; 97:9
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
God Is King over All the Earth
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of (A)the Sons of Korah.47 (B)Clap your hands, all peoples!
(C)Shout to God with loud songs of joy!
2 For the Lord, the Most High, (D)is to be feared,
(E)a great king over all the earth.
3 He (F)subdued peoples under us,
and nations under our feet.
4 He chose our (G)heritage for us,
(H)the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah
5 God (I)has gone up with a shout,
the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is (J)the King of all the earth;
sing praises (K)with a psalm![a]
8 God (L)reigns over the nations;
God sits on his holy throne.
9 (M)The princes of the peoples gather
as the people of the God of Abraham.
For (N)the shields of the earth belong to God;
he is highly exalted!
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Footnotes
- Psalm 47:7 Hebrew maskil
Cross references
- Psalm 47:1 : Ps. 42, title
- Psalm 47:1 : 2 Kgs. 11:12; Isa. 55:12; Nah. 3:19
- Psalm 47:1 : Ps. 95:1; [1 Sam. 10:24]
- Psalm 47:2 : Ps. 66:3, 5; 68:35; Deut. 7:21
- Psalm 47:2 : Mal. 1:14
- Psalm 47:3 : See Ps. 18:47
- Psalm 47:4 : Ps. 2:8; [1 Pet. 1:4]
- Psalm 47:4 : Amos 6:8; 8:7; Nah. 2:2
- Psalm 47:5 : 2 Sam. 6:15; [Ps. 68:18]
- Psalm 47:7 : Zech. 14:9
- Psalm 47:7 : 1 Cor. 14:15
- Psalm 47:8 : Ps. 22:28; 1 Chr. 16:31
- Psalm 47:9 : [Ps. 72:11; Isa. 49:7, 23]
- Psalm 47:9 : Ps. 89:18
47 (B)Clap your hands, all peoples!
(C)Shout to God with loud songs of joy!
2 For the Lord, the Most High, (D)is to be feared,
(E)a great king over all the earth.
3 He (F)subdued peoples under us,
and nations under our feet.
4 He chose our (G)heritage for us,
(H)the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah
5 God (I)has gone up with a shout,
the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is (J)the King of all the earth;
sing praises (K)with a psalm![a]
8 God (L)reigns over the nations;
God sits on his holy throne.
9 (M)The princes of the peoples gather
as the people of the God of Abraham.
For (N)the shields of the earth belong to God;
he is highly exalted!
Footnotes
- Psalm 47:7 Hebrew maskil
Cross references
- Psalm 47:1 : Ps. 42, title
- Psalm 47:1 : 2 Kgs. 11:12; Isa. 55:12; Nah. 3:19
- Psalm 47:1 : Ps. 95:1; [1 Sam. 10:24]
- Psalm 47:2 : Ps. 66:3, 5; 68:35; Deut. 7:21
- Psalm 47:2 : Mal. 1:14
- Psalm 47:3 : See Ps. 18:47
- Psalm 47:4 : Ps. 2:8; [1 Pet. 1:4]
- Psalm 47:4 : Amos 6:8; 8:7; Nah. 2:2
- Psalm 47:5 : 2 Sam. 6:15; [Ps. 68:18]
- Psalm 47:7 : Zech. 14:9
- Psalm 47:7 : 1 Cor. 14:15
- Psalm 47:8 : Ps. 22:28; 1 Chr. 16:31
- Psalm 47:9 : [Ps. 72:11; Isa. 49:7, 23]
- Psalm 47:9 : Ps. 89:18
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
The psalm begins with “Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.” This psalm is the Old Testament anticipation of New Testament evangelism. We read in verse 9a: “The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God.” It is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:2,3.
But we know nations are in rebellion against God (Ps. 2:1,2). The nations will come to God’s fold through evangelism. Evangelism is spiritual warfare (Eph 6:12; 2Cor 4;4). God himself is the King who leads his people to battles against nations and brings victories. If we interpret verse 3, “He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet” as God’s favoritism shown to Israel, we miss the point. God’s ultimate purpose of putting Gentiles under their feet is to assemble them as his people. God’s chosen people must not be proud but thank him for choosing them as his instruments (cf. Rom 6:13).
When Gentiles, even their nobles and kings, assemble as God’s people, God is greatly exalted (9). When we see God highly exalted, we shout to God with cries of joy.
Prayer: Father, thank you for the vision and hope of world evangelism. We can’t do it by our own power, but you can. Amen.
One Word: God reigns over nations
