Catholic Commentary on Psalm 47

"For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise." (Psalm 47:7)

The Universal King

Psalm 47 is one of the enthronement psalms, psalms that celebrate God ascending to his throne as universal king. Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. For the Lord Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth. The command to clap and shout is addressed to all nations, not just Israel. The God of Israel is not a tribal deity. He is the king of all the earth, and all nations are invited to the celebration of his kingship.

The Church has read Psalm 47 as an Ascension psalm: Christ ascending to his heavenly throne is the fulfilment of the divine king ascending in shouts of joy. The Lord has ascended amid shouts of joy, with the sounding of trumpets. God sits on his holy throne. This is the risen and ascended Christ who sits at the right hand of the Father, who is crowned Lord of all at the Ascension, before whom every knee will bow in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.

The Nations Assemble

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. The gathering of the nations before the throne of God is the ultimate vision of Psalm 47. Not Israel alone but all the nations, their nobles and their kings, assembled as the people of the God of Abraham. This is the vision of Pentecost, of the universal Church, of the final assembly of the redeemed from every tribe and language and people and nation. Psalm 47 is the psalm of Catholic universalism: the God of Abraham is the God of all.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, the evangelization of the nations is the execution of Psalm 47. Every mission, every Rosary prayed for the conversion of sinners, every personal sharing of the faith is a contribution to the gathering of the nobles of the nations before the throne of God. Clap your hands. Shout to God with cries of joy. The King of all the earth is worth it.

Prayer

Lord Most High, awesome King over all the earth, we clap our hands and shout to you with cries of joy. Gather the nations before your throne. Let the nobles of the peoples assemble as your people. For you are greatly exalted, the God of Abraham and the God of all. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

47
Clap Your Hands, All You Peoples
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
 
1 Clap your hands, all you peoples;
shout unto God with a voice of triumph.
 
2 How awesome is the LORD Most High,
the great King over all the earth!
3 He subdues nations beneath us,
and peoples under our feet.
4 He chooses our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom He loves.
Selah
5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the LORD with the sound of the horn.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is King of all the earth;
sing profound praises to Him.* 47:7 Or sing a Maskil of praise or sing praises with understanding
 
8 God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on His holy throne.
9 The nobles of the nations have assembled
as the people of the God of Abraham;
for the shields of the earth belong to God;
He is highly exalted.

*47:7 47:7 Or sing a Maskil of praise or sing praises with understanding

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