For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Psalm 47

1 Clap your hands, all you nations;
    shout to God with cries of joy.

2 For the Lord Most High is awesome,
    the great King over all the earth.
3 He subdued nations under us,
    peoples under our feet.
4 He chose our inheritance for us,
    the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.

5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
    the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
    sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 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.
9 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.

A. Find Out:    

1. What does the psalmist exhort us to do? v.1,6,7b
2. How is God described? v.2b,7a
3. What two things had He done for Israel ? v.3,4
4. How does the psalmist see the Lord? v.8
5. How are rulers seen? v.9

B. Think:

1. What reasons are given for describing God as king?
2. What response is expected of us?
3. How does this psalm change the usual perspective of the world?

C. Comment:

     This psalm reveals God as THE king. Rev 19:16 pictures Jesus coming as the King of kings and Lord of lords. Here God is shown as the supreme ruler. What is said that declares that?

    First there is the history of Israel . It was God who took Israel out of Egypt , subdued other nations before them and gave them an inheritance in the Promised Land. All of that was simply a miracle. The psalmist realised that Israel on their own could not have done this; that was the work of a sovereign God.

   Then there is a recognition of the greatness of God and the smallness of rulers. God had called Abraham forth, chosen to be the father of a special nation, and then God had looked after that family in such a way that kings had to humbly bow before Him. From Abram’s earliest history the pharaoh of Egypt had to bow (Gen 12:17 -20), then warring kings were overcome (Gen 14:14 -16), and finally Abimelech had to bow (Gen 20:1-18). And so it went on, God showing Himself to be sovereign as he guarded this chosen people. No king, no ruler, can stand before God. The Creator of the world is sovereign Lord over them all. They are as little naughty children before Him.

   The result of all this? It should be praise and worship. He, the Lord, is worthy of our praise and adoration. May he receive it!

D. Application:

1. God IS sovereign, Lord of all the earth.
2. Only a fool fails to acknowledge Him.