Types of Psalms Table

47:title music director See note on 4:title.

the sons of Korah See note on 42:title.

A psalm See note on 3:title.

47:1 All you peoples, clap your hands Reflects a king’s coronation (2 Kgs 11:12). The psalmist encourages all people to applaud the divine King.

47:2 Most High The Hebrew name here, elyon, emphasizes God’s reign over all the earth—above all other powers (Deut 32:8). See Psa 46:4 and note; and Gen 14:18 and note.

The Name Theology of the Old Testament

47:3 peoples under us The people must praise God as the great King because He has provided for His people by subduing their enemies (Psa 18:46–48).

47:4 inheritance The Hebrew word used here, nachalah, is often used to refer to the promised land (16:6). In 2:8, it is applied more broadly as God extends the heritage of the anointed king to all the nations—in recognition that Yahweh Himself ultimately reigns over all the earth. It is also used to describe the people of Israel, whom God chose as His heritage (28:9; 33:12; Deut 32:8).

47:5 God has gone up with a shout Probably describes the procession of a victorious king, God in this instance, returning to the throne. Israelites may have sung this psalm as the ark of the covenant returned from battle (2 Sam 6:12; see Ps 24:7 and note).

47:6 Sing praises Repetition of the word zamar (“sing praise”) highlights the verse’s strong and urgent calls to praise God the King.

47:7 God is king of all the earth The psalmist repeatedly calls for praise because God is King over the entire earth. As the sole divine Ruler and Judge (9:7–8), He alone is worthy of such praise (22:28).

47:8 throne A symbol of authority. Many psalms portray God as seated on His throne in heaven looking down and judging the earth (9:7; 11:4; 14:2; 29:10). See Isa 6:1 and note.

47:9 The princes of the peoples are gathered together with Foreign leaders, who are often opposed to God in the psalms (Ps 2:1–3; 46:6), now come together with the descendants of Abraham to praise Him as King (2:10–11).

the people of Abraham’s God See note on Exod 3:6.