Psalms 47:5 - Meaning and Application

We are urged very strongly here to praise God and sing his praises. We are so slow to do this duty that we need repeated commands, line after line, to stir us up. That is why the psalm says, “Sing praises to God,” and then says it again, “Sing praises, sing praises to our King” (Psalm 47:6). This shows that praising God is both necessary and excellent, and that we should do it often and with full hearts. Repeating the same words is not empty if each time the heart is fresh.

Should a people not praise their God? (Daniel 5:4). Should subjects not praise their king? God is our God and our King, so we must praise him. We should sing his praises as people who are glad to do it and not ashamed of it. But the psalm also gives an important rule: “Sing praises with understanding” (Psalm 47:7). That means we should sing knowingly, understanding why we praise God and what the words mean. It also means we should sing in a way that helps others understand God’s greatness and learn to praise him too.

One reason for praise is this: “God has gone up with a shout” (Psalm 47:5). This can point to the carrying up of the ark to Mount Zion, done with great ceremony and joy. David danced before the ark, the priests likely blew trumpets, and the people rejoiced loudly. Since the ark was the special sign of God’s presence among them, its being brought up by his command could be described as God going up. When God brings his worship out of hiddenness into open and honored use, that is a great mercy and a good reason for thanksgiving.

These words also point to the ascension of the Lord Jesus into heaven after he finished his work on earth (Acts 1:9). Then God went up with a shout, the shout of a King and a conqueror, who had defeated powers and “led captivity captive” (Psalm 68:18). He went up as a Mediator, which means one who stands between God and people to bring them together, and the ark with the mercy seat was a picture of him. Christ entered heaven itself, just as the ark was brought into the holy place (Hebrews 9:24). We do not read of a trumpet blast at his ascension, but the beings in heaven, the sons of God, shouted for joy (Job 38:7). He will return in the same way he went up (Acts 1:11), and we are sure he will come again with a shout and the sound of a trumpet.

We must also praise God as the one who reigns (Psalm 47:7-8). He is not only our King, so we owe him our worship. He is King over all the earth, so praise should rise to him everywhere. This can be understood in two ways. First, it speaks of God’s rule in providence, meaning his wise government over all things. As Creator and Lord of nature, he rules over the nations, even when they do not know him or care about him. He sits on his holy throne in heaven and orders all things for his own purposes, even the affairs of the heathen.

This shows the greatness of God’s rule, because all people are born under his authority, even those who serve other gods. It also shows the fairness of his rule, because his throne is holy. From it he gives commands and judgments, and there is no injustice in what he does. Second, these words point to the kingdom of the Messiah, the promised Christ. Jesus Christ, who is God, reigns forever, and he rules over the nations. He not only governs the world in providence, but he also sets up his grace in the Gentile world and wins the hearts of many who were once in unbelief (Ephesians 2:12-13). This is the mystery Paul speaks of, that the Gentiles would become fellow heirs (Ephesians 3:6). Christ sits on his holy throne in heaven, and all his rule is meant to show God’s holiness and form holiness in human lives.

We must also praise God because he is honored by the princes of the people (Psalm 47:9). This may refer to the gathering of Israel’s leaders, the heads and rulers of the tribes, at their solemn feasts or for the nation’s public business. It was Israel’s honor that they were the people of the God of Abraham, chosen through Abraham’s covenant. And thanks be to God, that blessing has also come on the Gentile lands (Galatians 3:14). It was also their blessing to have a settled government, with princes who served as the shields of the land. Government is like a shield for a nation, and it is a great mercy when rulers belong to the Lord and use their power for his honor.

In another sense, this also honors God, because even “the shields of the earth” belong to him. Magistracy, or civil rule, is God’s own appointment, and he uses it to carry out his purposes in the world. He turns the hearts of kings wherever he pleases, just as streams of water are turned. Israel was in a good place when its princes gathered together for the public good. When the great men of a nation agree on what helps its peace, that is a very hopeful sign and often brings many blessings.

These words may also be taken as a prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles into Christ’s church. In the days of the Messiah, the kings of the earth and their people would join themselves to the church and bring their honor and power into the New Jerusalem. They would become the people of the God of Abraham, who was promised to be the father of many nations. “The volunteers of the people” is another way this may be read, the same idea found in “Your people will be willing” (Psalm 110:3). Those who come to Christ are not forced. They are made willing to belong to him. When the shields of the earth, the symbols of royal dignity (1 Kings 14:27-28), are given to the Lord Jesus, as when a city hands over its keys to a conqueror or ruler, and when princes use their power to support religion, then Christ is greatly honored.