Psalm 47:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm!

NIV: For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise.

NASB: For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with a psalm of wisdom.

CSB: Sing a song of wisdom, for God is King of the whole earth.

NLT: For God is the King over all the earth. Praise him with a psalm.

KJV: For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.

NKJV: For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding.

This verse affirms God's sovereignty over all the earth: His right to rule and use His creations as He sees fit. Therefore, the writer calls for praises in a specific way: with a maskiyl. This term is used in the description of various other psalms (Psalm 32:1; 42:1; 89:1). The word itself suggests something self-reflective. In this context, it might mean something more literal, such as skillful singing or musical play.

A prophetic glance into the future may come from the affirmation that that "God is the King of all the earth." God's universal kingdom refers now to His rule over everything. His mediatorial kingdom refers to His kingdom on earth under the rule of Jesus. Following the tribulation, the King of kings and Lord of lords will descend from heaven with His saint and angels, subdue His enemies, judge the nations, and establish His kingdom on earth (Revelation 19:11—21:4). Matthew 25:31–34 says all nations will gather before Him at His glorious return to earth. Saved people, depicted as sheep, will be welcomed into the kingdom. However, the unsaved people, represented as goats, will be banished from His presence to suffer eternal punishment (Matthew 25:41).

Psalm 47:5–9 expands on God's absolute rule over the entire earth. The psalmist depicts the Lord on His heavenly throne. This psalm may have been written in response to a real-world event where God demonstrated His power over all people (2 Kings 19; 2 Chronicles 20). Someday, the Lord's appointed heir, Jesus Christ, will establish His kingdom on earth, and Gentiles will join the Jews in praising Him.

Psalms 45, 46, and 47 seem to share common themes. This song begins with an appeal for praise. God is depicted as the sovereign Ruler of the entire earth, not merely the nation of Israel. This psalm may refer to literal historical events (2 Kings 19; 2 Chronicles 20) or it might be purely prophetic. In either case, it depicts the eventual state of the world in the end times: ruled under the God of Abraham.

If this is inspired by real-world events, two possibilities stand out. One is the defeat of Sennacherib during the reign of Hezekiah (2 Kings 19). The other is the miraculous defeat of a multi-nation attack on Israel during Jehoshaphat's rule (2 Chronicles 20). Phrasing in this psalm closely resembles the account of Jehoshaphat's rescue. The descriptions given in this passage are also seen as prophecies of the Messiah's eventual rule over the entire earth.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.