Matthew Henry’s Modern English CommentaryPsalms 47

God Reigns over All the EarthThe psalmist is filled with joy as he thinks about God’s greatness and wants everyone else to join in praising Him. He encourages all people, not just Israel, to celebrate God. This psalm even looks forward to the time when people from all nations will come to worship the one true God. The message is clear: God deserves our praise, and we should not hold back our joy.v. 1: The psalmist calls out, “Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!”. He invites everyone to express their joy in God. Clapping and shouting show strong feelings of happiness and thankfulness for what God has done.

v. 2: He explains why we should praise: “For the Lord

v. 3: The psalmist says, “He will subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet”. God gives victory to His people. He brings other nations into His plan, changing hearts and leading people to follow Him. This points forward to Jesus, who gathers people from every nation to Himself (1 Peter 2:25 ).

v. 4: He adds, “He will choose our inheritance for us, the excellence of Jacob whom He loves”. God gives His people a wonderful inheritance. For Israel, this was the land God chose for them. For all believers, it is the spiritual blessings and eternal life that God has prepared (1 Peter 1:4 ). We can trust God to choose what is best for us, because He loves us.

Exhortation to Praise God This section urges everyone to praise God with joyful songs. The psalmist repeats the command to sing praises, reminding us how important and excellent it is to worship God. True praise should be done with understanding, knowing why we praise and what God has done. The passage also teaches us to praise God for his rule over all people and nations, and for gathering his people together. v. 5: God is gone up with a shout, the Lord

v. 6: Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. The command to sing is repeated four times, showing that praising God should be frequent and full of excitement. God is both our God and King, so we must praise him as loyal subjects and grateful children.

v. 7: For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding. God rules over the whole world, not just one nation. Our songs should be intelligent and thoughtful, knowing the reasons for our praise. We should also try to help others understand God’s greatness.

v. 8: God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. God is the ruler over all nations, even those who do not yet know him. He rules from his holy throne in heaven, always acting with fairness and holiness. This reminds us that God’s authority is supreme everywhere.

v. 9: The 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(Psalms 47:9 ). Leaders and rulers of the world come together with God’s people to honor him. This can refer to Israel’s leaders gathering to worship, but it also points to a future time when people from all nations will join God’s family through faith in Jesus (Galatians 3:14 ). All power and authority (“shields”) come from God and should be used for his glory. In the end, God is greatly exalted above all.