Psalm 47
Scripture:
Psalm 47:7-8
For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise.
8 God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne.
Observation:
This is an enthronement psalm declaring God as King over the whole earth. The Hebrew word translated as “God” appears 8 times in this Psalm. God is referred to as “king” or the one who reigns 4 times.
The point is that God is King – not just over Israel but over all the people of the earth.
While the original writers of this Psalm would have written about God (Yahweh) as King, this Psalm points prophetically to Jesus defeating the power of death and ascending to heaven to sit at the right hand of God. (Ephesians 1:20-22)
Because of this Good News, we, God’s people, are commanded to celebrate. We are told to clap, shout, and sing!
Understanding:
We aren’t accustomed to a kingdom mindset in America. In our view of government, we tend to think things should go according to what seems right to us – we choose by a democratic or popular vote.
But the truth is, God is the One who is in control. He is King over the whole earth – every people and every nation, whether they acknowledge Him or not.
This isn’t a passive or ceremonial rule. Verse 8 says “God is seated on his holy throne.” Being seated signifies that the battle has been won, and Christ is actively reigning. His throne isn’t empty; it’s His throne, and it’s holy.
Hebrews 4:16 calls this holy throne a “throne of grace where we may receive mercy and grace in our time of need.”
Psalm 89:14 declares that “righteousness and justice are the foundation of this holy throne.”
Life Application:
This is a Psalm that can help us refocus and gain strength and clarity during these turbulent times. Regardless of what things look like on the earth, the fact is that God is on His throne.
God is in control. Nothing can change that, but if we don’t acknowledge it, we aren’t able to access the fruit in our lives that comes from this truth.
As God’s people, we aren’t praying for victory, we are praying from victory. We can choose to declare that victory now regardless of what circumstances may look like.
As we trust in Christ’s finished work on the cross, we will experience His grace and justice in our lives as He “works all things together for our good” (Romans 8:28)
That’s a great reason to clap, shout and sing!
-Julie Cole
Julie Cole is the Director of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care at The King’s University. She’s a licensed marriage and family therapist and a licensed Open Bible minister desiring to inspire people to connect with God and to see His hand in both the miraculous and the mundane. She and her husband, David, live in Trophy Club, Texas, and have four children and six grandchildren.