Chapter 47
Themes, discussion questions, Christ connections, and denomination lenses.
Just read this chapter →Scripture
KJV1O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
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.
4He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.
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.
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.
“God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.”
Overview
Psalm 47 is a jubilant enthronement psalm calling all peoples to clap their hands and shout unto God with the voice of triumph. The LORD Most High is terrible and a great King over all the earth. He has subdued peoples and chosen an inheritance for His people. God has gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet. The psalm calls the nations to sing praises, for God reigns over the heathen and sits upon the throne of His holiness. The princes of the people are gathered together as the people of the God of Abraham.
Key Themes
God as Universal King
God's kingship is not limited to Israel but extends over all the earth — every nation and people are under His sovereign rule.
Joyful, Exuberant Worship
The psalm commands clapping, shouting, and singing — worship of the great King demands passionate, wholehearted expression.
God's Ascension to His Throne
God goes up with a shout and a trumpet sound, taking His seat on the throne of holiness — a picture of triumphant enthronement.
Study Questions
What does it mean that God is 'a great King over all the earth' (v. 2), and how does this universal claim challenge nationalistic religion?
How does the image of God ascending with a shout (v. 5) connect to Christ's ascension?
Why does the psalm call all peoples — not just Israel — to clap their hands and shout for joy (v. 1)?
What does it mean to 'sing praises with understanding' (v. 7)?
How does the inclusion of 'the people of the God of Abraham' (v. 9) point to God's original promise to bless all nations?
Connection to Christ
Christ's ascension to the Father's right hand fulfills this psalm's imagery of God going up with a shout and taking His throne. Jesus is the great King over all the earth, and at His name every knee shall bow (Philippians 2:10). The gathering of the princes of the peoples as the people of Abraham's God foreshadows the ingathering of the Gentiles into God's kingdom through Christ.
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Psalms 47. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?