Psalm 47
Psalm 47 (NIV)
Psalm 47
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.
2 How awesome is the Lord Most High,
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. Selah
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 psalma 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 kingsb of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted.
[1]
Psalm 47
Clubs/interests/people’s passions – grandchildren!
Workaholics – lady on Wed who had become a single Mum at 18, is now 51 and had been working passionately in the area of medical research for 30 years! – still excited about it!
True Unity of humankind
Again : the well-crafted words of humankind which are the word of God for his people to speak to him.
How we are to think of life
What really excites us and leads us to urge others to get excited as well?
Many voices in the air clamouring for people’s attention
GAFCON
After all, just being a bishop does not make someone right!
One God, one King, one people
NB : Here is a view of the universal rule of God which many of our people will regard as the end of fun
NOTHING could be further from the truth!
NB _ what do we have to say to the world:
Desperate powerful to preserve their power
Wealthy to grow their wealth
How do you explain . . . .
Psalm 47. One God, one king, one people
The Lord’s victory over the earth (46:8, 9) is not intended to end in international despondency but joy.
Psalm 47 calls for universal acclaim of such a God (1).
This summons is explained (2 begins with ‘For’) by the Lord’s worldwide status as King.
The evidence for this is what he has done for Israel in power (3)
and love (4).
Consequently the truth of the exalted God can be reiterated (5). Once more for the dummies!
The same sequence is now repeated: invitation to praise (6, cf. 1),
explanation, the universal King (7–8, cf. 2),
the favoured people (9, cf. 3–4)
and the exalted God (9, cf. 5).
But, second time round, the emphasis is different: Israel is exalted over the nations by providence (3) and election (4); in v 9 the nations, represented by their nobles, are incorporated as the people of the God of Abraham, the Abrahamic promise is fulfilled and all nations find blessedness (Gn. 12:1–3). If God has ascended, ‘gone up’. i.e. having ‘come down’ to gain the victory, suggests a background to the psalm, we may think of the exodus (Ex. 3:8) or maybe the divine victory over David’s foes (18:9) or (best of all) the Sennacherib incident (Is. 31:4). But in any event in this psalm the OT looks gloriously forward to the greater ‘coming down’ of God in Christ to gather into one the scattered children of God (Jn. 11:52: cf. Is. 19:23–25; 60:1–3; 66:20), and to a greater ascension to universal kingship, actual (Eph. 1:20–23) and ultimate (Phil. 2:9–11).
[2]
1. INTRODUCTION:
Psalms: word of God to people which are the words of people his people are to speak to God
Almost all the Psalms are able to stand on their own. They teach us how to react to the different circumstances of life.
Now that Jesus has come they are even more important as we know that he is the one of whom they speak above all others.
Whether it be the deep lament over pain and suffering of 42-43;
The agony caused by awful things happening to God’s people of Ps 44
The relief and joy that comes from thinking about the true Ruler of the Universe in Ps 45;
OR
The deep confidence in the reassurance that God is our refuge and strength;
Each one can stand on its own.
And yet, God has placed them in a particular order, and you can see in the pattern of these 4 a progression.
And it continues with Psalm 47.
46:11
Psalm 46:11 (NIV)
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
[3]
What do you do with that?
What is to be the reaction of the people of God to the fact that their God is the one true God and the one true ruler of all things?
OK
He is the undoubted universal ruler. He is with his people.
Therefore we will not fear – whatever happens!
That’s a pretty bold statement
Therefore we will not fear – International, national, community, personal and family, natural, demonic
Everything else may tumble and fall, Psalm 46:11 (NIV)
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
[4]
END of story?
We now come to a theme in Psalm 47 that many believers find hard to handle.
There are certain things in life that we want to tell everyone about.
They are so important to us, so exciting, so life-changing, so wonderful, that we can’t keep quiet.
And we can bore people to tears – but that doesn’t stop us.
We can make people angry – politely – but even that won’t shut us up.
I remember the night my wife accepted my proposal of marriage!
Tell the world! etc
Family,
career success,
good news about illness
rescued from danger
The whole world should know!
Listen :
Psalm 47 (NIV)
Psalm 47
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.
2 How awesome is the Lord Most High,
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. Selah
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 psalma 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 kingsb of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted.
[5]
What’s the reaction of God’s people as they rejoice in the great rule of God over all things?
What’s the reaction of God’s people as they remind one another that the LORD Almighty is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge?
If we know that Jesus is with us by His Spirit
If we know he has won the victory over all enemies
If we know he is the one who has overcome the world
If we know he is the one who has dealt with the sins of all mankind and killed off death’s power to hurt us
How are we to react?
47 picks up many of the themes of the previous Psalms
V 2 : The LORD most High . . great King
V 5 : ascended his throne
V 7,8 King, seated on his throne
God rules the world
NT : Jesus is LORD
HE is the One who:
Showed his kingship
When he had made purification for sins, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high
What’s to be our reaction?
Well, of course to acknowledge him as our own saviour and king –
That we are disciples of Christ the King
Doesn’t stop there!
More than acknowledging that God is with US
Matt 18: Matt 28:
Psalm 23
Marvellous!
“I’ve got my God”
More even than acknowledging what God has done for us
“Why are you doing this?”
“All I know is that Jesus died for me”
WHAT MORE IS THERE?
It is –
You – all of you – you praise him as well!
Note from Psalm 47
V 1
Why?
V 2 because Jesus is Lord
V 3 because he rescued us, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father
So v 6 : YOU sing praises to OUR King
V 7 YOU sing him a psalm of praise
See where this is heading?
NOT JUST that . . .
BUT that others – the nations, should join us.
And we are to be confident they will!
i.e. E word
NATURAL!
Hits hard at our:
Reticence
Hesitance
Wrong thinking
Fear of rejection
Selfishness
If you don’t sense the importance of this, then you are probably not a real believer
For the real believer will want others to know and join them in praise of King Jesus
Frank:
Racism? But –
Ageism:
Self-centredness
Self-justification
Rigidity
Blindness
Idolatry!
NOT talking about methods here
BUT this passionate cry will demonstrate itself!
When E things put on you’ll be wanting to pray, to help, to support, to work out how to bring people, to ask how you can help.
P Boyce
Holy Trinity is at a very important stage of its life
Community changing as we look
Not a time for fear or disunity
For selfishness or pride
But a time for bold calling on all
----
a Or a maskil (probably a literary or musical term)
b Or shields
[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984
cf. compare
OT Old Testament
[2]Carson, D. A.: New Bible Commentary : 21st Century Edition. 4th ed. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., USA : Inter-Varsity Press, 1994, S. Ps 47:1
[3] The Holy Bible : New International Version. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984
[4] The Holy Bible : New International Version. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984
a Or a maskil (probably a literary or musical term)
b Or shields
[5] The Holy Bible : New International Version. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984