Psalm 47:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; he is highly exalted!

NIV: The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted.

NASB: The princes of the people have assembled as the people of the God of Abraham, For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is highly exalted.

CSB: The nobles of the peoples have assembled with the people of the God of Abraham. For the leaders of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted.

NLT: The rulers of the world have gathered together with the people of the God of Abraham. For all the kings of the earth belong to God. He is highly honored everywhere.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: The princes of the people have gathered together, The people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted.

Many psalms contain dual layers of meaning. They often celebrate contemporary events: incidents that happened during the lifetime of their writers. Those same words can echo as prophecies, frequently by describing the ministry of the Messiah. This psalm, for instance, makes references which aptly depict the rule of Jesus Christ over the entire earth during the end times. This verse evokes the idea of the entire world coming to worship the God of Abraham, showing loyalty to Him alone (Revelation 22:1–5). They will turn to the Messiah and be allowed to enter His glorious earthly kingdom (Revelation 21:22–26). Isaiah 2:1–5 promises that one day the nations will flock to Jerusalem. They will say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths" (Isaiah 2:3).

The word "shields of the earth" in Psalm 47:9 may refer to the kings and prime ministers of the converted Gentile nations, because those leaders are the protectors of their people. At the time depicted by Isaiah, the Lord will decide disputes and the nations will turn their weapons into farm implements (Isaiah 2:4). Peace will prevail at last! Zechariah 14:9 assures readers that "the LORD will be king over all the earth." Today, the Lord is often rejected and despised, but someday, as the psalmist indicates, He will be "highly exalted!"

This passage may also be literally applied to historical events. Two likely candidates for this psalm are the defeat of Sennacherib (2 Kings 19) and the defeat of an attack against Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20).

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.