Psalm 47
Psalm 47 summons all nations to praise the God who chose Israel and reigns over the whole earth.
A worshiping voice calls all nations to clap and shout to God. The heading attributes the psalm to the sons of Korah and addresses the Chief Musician; its date and occasion are uncertain. Speaking from Israel’s place among the nations, the song celebrates God’s victories and his choice of Jacob’s inheritance. Trumpet blasts accompany God’s ascent, repeated commands summon praise, and the closing scene gathers the peoples’ princes before the God of Abraham.
Revelation shares Psalm 47’s imagery of God enthroned and receiving praise, while Isaiah and Zechariah share its vision of divine rule over the nations. The trumpet and shout accompanying God’s ascent also resemble the celebration surrounding the ark’s procession in 1 Chronicles.
After reading the whole chapter
How does the call for all nations to praise God shape your reading of Israel’s victory?
Write on thisWhat reasons for praise does this psalm give, and which could shape your own prayer?
Write on thisQuestions people ask about Psalm 47
Who wrote Psalm 47?
The heading attributes Psalm 47 to the sons of Korah and directs it to the Chief Musician. It names no individual author and gives no date. The text connects the song with this group, but it does not identify the particular event that prompted its celebration.
What does “God has gone up with a shout” mean in Psalm 47?
Verse 5 portrays God ascending amid shouts and trumpet sound, fitting the psalm’s celebration of his kingship. The language may reflect a worship procession involving the ark, though the ark is never named. The exact occasion remains uncertain; the surrounding verses emphasize God’s reign and the praise due him.
What are “the shields of the earth” in Psalm 47?
The shields are best understood as an image for the earth’s rulers or protectors. The phrase follows the gathering of the peoples’ princes, which supports that reading. By saying these shields belong to God, the psalm places human authority beneath his rule and ends by declaring his exaltation.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).