PSALM 47-PRAISE TO THE SOVEREIGN KING

PSALM 47
PRAISE TO THE SOVEREIGN KING

This is a psalm of praise to God for his reign over the world, his sovereignty. It seems to be written on the occasion of a military victory for Israel, giving credit to God, not the military, for the victory. There is also an eschatological dimension, a desire to see the full establishment of God’s rule on earth. Liturgical churches often read this psalm on Ascension Day.

47:1-4
The Call To Praise The King

The Psalmist calls upon the people to praise God extravagantly. He tells them to clap their hands and shout to God with loud songs.

There is a picture of this in 2 Kings 11. During a very turbulent time in Israel, when most of the royal family had been killed, the daughter of King Joram hid young his young son Joash from the queen until he could be made king. He was then brought before the people, crowned, and anointed as king. The people clapped their hands and shouted “long live the king”.

This call is issued to all peoples, not just to the Israelites. (1) The Psalmist was declaring the Lord’s sovereignty over all people and nations. This is the eschatalogical dimension. We know that, while all of those in heaven sing praises to God and recognize him as King, the kingdom of God will not be fully established until those on earth join them. And that will only happen at the end of this age.

Malachi 1:11 records God saying “For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.”

The call to praise is based on the fact that God is to be feared as the great king over the earth. He rules over all and should be feared over all.

At first glance, it may seem contradictory to call for exuberant and joyful praise in one breath, and fear of the Lord in the next. But, they are not contradictory for the believer.

That is because the believer has proper perspective. Perspective is point of view. Fear of the Lord is recognizing God and ourselves in proper prospective. He is holy and he is sovereign, and we recognize not only the fact of it, but the blessing of it. We have deep reverence to him because he is holy and total submission to him because he is sovereign. And, we praise him for these traits and rejoice because they benefit us.

God’s sovereignty calls for us to submit to him, but also promises us that he is in control and will work all things out as he has said and to his glory. The Psalmist understood that. He credited God for subduing Israel’s enemies and protecting their heritage as his people. (3)

Believers belong to God. We are his children, his family. (John 1:12) Because of that, we rejoice in his triumphs. First, we rejoice because we are happy to see him glorified. Second, we rejoice because, as his family, we benefit from his victories. Romans 8:28 tells us “…for those who love God all things work together for good”.

Our fear of God is not that he will destroy us, although we realize his power to destroy. Our fear of God is a deep reverence for who he is, a reverence that gives us peace and joy.

47:5-7
The King Ascends The Throne

These verses picture God as the warrior who has won a great victory and now ascends to the throne with great fanfare. The Psalmist calls the people to recognize him with songs of praise. He is king of all the earth.

47:8-9
The Reign of the King

These verses picture God seated on and reigning from his throne. The people of all the earth gather before him in submission and worship. He is exalted over all earthly rulers.

This is not always apparent to us. But the view of the Bible writers is always that of God directing the affairs of men. In his mercy, he often lets men and women descend into sin as they rebel against his sovereignty, but he always exerts his power and authority when he wishes.

One is example is the Flood in Genesis. God saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth. (Genesis 6:5) He let that go on for a while, then destroyed the earth with a flood. A few generations later, men built a tower in an attempt to reach the heavens and make a name for themselves, and God destroyed it and confused their languages. (Genesis 11)

Today, we certainly see ungodliness run wild in our world. Things we would not have thought of doing even a few decades ago are sources of merriment and rejoicing and even justification for oppressing those who do not agree with it.

None of this takes God by surprise and none of it is beyond his control. Romans 1 addresses the ungodliness of mankind and how God has given people up to their dishonorable passions to become objects of his wrath.

The Book of Revelation shows this world and its degradation to us in vivid images. It was written to show us that, while God lets Satan have his way to an extent and for a time, he will end it all at the time of his choosing and destroy all of his, and our, enemies. He will sit in judgment of mankind from his great, white, throne. (Revelation 20:11)

All people will acknowledge the king, willingly or unwillingly. Philippians 2: 10 tells us that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”.

He will then make all things new. And in that new creation, he will sit on his throne, in the midst of all of those who fear him, and reign over them with great and eternal blessing to them.

 We will sing about that tonight in Handel’s Messiah:

For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!:|
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ;
And He shall reign for ever and ever,
For ever and ever, forever and ever.