Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 47:3

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 47:3. He shall subdue the people under us — He shall do again for us what he had done for our forefathers-give us dominion over our enemies, and establish us in our own land. I would rather read this in the past tense, relative to what God did for their fathers in destroying the Canaanites, and giving them the promised land for their possession, and taking the people for his own inheritance. This is also applied to the conversion of the Gentiles, who, on the rejection of the Jews, have become his inheritance; and whom he has chosen to inherit all those spiritual blessings typified by the sacrifices and other significant rites and ceremonies of the Jewish Church.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalm 46-48 When God saved Jerusalem

Confident in tone and bold in expression, these three psalms express praise to God for delivering Jerusalem from an enemy invasion. One example of such a deliverance was on the occasion of Assyria’s invasion of Judah during the reign of Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:9-37).

No matter what troubles he meets, whether from earthquakes, floods or wars, the person who trusts in God is not overcome by them (46:1-3). He has an inner calmness, likened to a cool refreshing stream that flows gently from God. The Almighty is still in full control, and he gives strength to his people (4-7). God’s power can smash all opposition. Therefore, opponents should stop fighting against him and realize that he is the supreme God, the supreme ruler of the world (8-11).
The psalmist calls upon people of all nations to worship God with reverence and joy. The king who rules over all has come down from heaven, fought for his people and given them victory (47:1-4). Now he is seen returning to heaven to the sound of his people’s praises (5-7). He takes his seat on his throne again, king of the world. All nations are, like Israel, under the rule of the God of Abraham (8-9).
Now that their beloved city Jerusalem has been saved, the people praise its beauty and strength. More than that, they praise the God who saved it (48:1-3). Enemies thought they could destroy Jerusalem, but God scattered them. They were broken in pieces as ships smashed in a storm (4-7). Israel’s people had heard of God’s marvellous acts in the past; now they have seen them with their own eyes (8). In thanks for the victory, the people flock to the temple to praise God. Throughout the towns of Judah, and even in other countries, there is rejoicing (9-11). The citizens of Jerusalem are proud of their city, but they are prouder still of their God who has preserved it (12-14).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

PRAISE OF GOD FOR HIS DELIVERANCE

“Oh clap your hands, all ye peoples; Shout unto God with the voice of triumph. For Jehovah Most High is terrible; He is a great king over all the earth. He subdueth peoples under us, And nations under our feet. He chooseth our inheritance for us, The glory of Jacob whom he loved. (Selah)”

“Jehovah Most High” It is true that some ancient pagan god is said to have claimed this title; but in the Holy Scriptures, it never refers to a pagan deity, but always to Jehovah Most High, as here.

“Is terrible” “This word has a misleading connotation in our day. It does not mean anything repulsive, but something most marvelous and attractive, calling forth our richest praises. `Awe-inspiring’ is what is meant.”H. C. Leupold, p. 370.

“He is a great king over all the earth” No event in the history of Israel any more demonstrated this truth than the unqualified destruction of the army of Sennacherib. This truth is one that gets overlooked today; but the hand of God continually moves in human history. He rules in the kingdom of men, exalting whom he will (Daniel 4:25). God has even determined the appointed seasons of nations and “the boundaries of their dwelling places” (Acts 17:26). Men may not like this, or accept it as a fact; but it is true anyway. It was the Providence of God alone, for example, that gave Babylon the victory over Assyria. An unexpected flood made the difference, just as an untimely rain ruined Napoleon at Waterloo.

“He subdueth peoples under us... under our feet” The Jewish attitude toward the Gentiles surfaces in this, namely, their desire to control and rule over them; but the Holy Spirit overruled this error on their part to prophesy the conversion of the Gentiles and their reception into God’s kingdom upon full parity with the Jews, in the very next paragraph.

“He chooseth our inheritance for us” This, of course, was the land of Canaan which God gave to the posterity of Abraham as their inheritance. Although this psalm makes no mention of any conditions, there were nevertheless stern and binding conditions laid down by God Himself, indicating that their “inheritance” would be taken away from them, that they would be removed from it, and scattered all over the world, unless they remained faithful to God. Anyone doubting that should read the last two or three chapters of Deuteronomy.

“The glory of Jacob whom he loved” Another rendition of `glory’ here is `pride’; but either way it is a reference to Canaan the possession of Israel.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

He shall subdue the people under us - Compare Psalms 18:39, note; Psalms 18:47, note. The word rendered “subdue” is that which commonly means” to speak.” The idea in the use of this word here is that he has only to speak and it is done (compare Psalms 33:9), or that he could do it by a word. Compare, however, on the use of the word here, Gesenius (Lexicon), on the word - דבר dâbar, 2, Hiphil.

And the nations under our feet - That is, they shall be entirely or effectually subdued. See Psalms 7:5, note; Psalms 44:5, note. As God would enable them to do this, it was an occasion for thankfulness and triumph.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

3.He hath set in order the people under us Some translate the verb he hath subjected; and this agrees with the translation which I have given. Others translate it he hath led, which is somewhat more remote from the meaning. But to understand the verb ידבר, yadebber, as meaning to destroy, as is done by others, is altogether at variance with the mind of the prophet; for it is doubtless an advantageous, joyful, and desirable subjection which is here meant. In the Hebrew, the verb is in the future tense, he will set in order; and if any are disposed to prefer retaining it in this tense, I have no great objection to it. As, however, it is certain that under the figure of the kingdom of David there is here celebrated the grace of God to come, I have readily adopted that rendering which has been preferred by other interpreters. Besides, although in this verse the prophet especially exhorts his own countrymen to gratitude to God, because, through his favor, they ruled over all people; yet it is certain that he means, that those also who were subdued are associated with the Jews in this joy. The body does not differ more from the shadow than the reigned expressions of joy with which the heathen nations honored David in old time, differ from those with which the faithful through the whole world ⁽¹⁸⁴⁾ receive Christ,; for the latter flow from the willing obedience of the heart. And assuredly, if after the ark was brought to the temple, there had not appeared hidden under this figure something far higher, which formed the substance of it:, it would have been as it were a childish joy to assign to God his dwelling there, and to shut him up within such narrow limits. But when the majesty of God which had dwelt in the tabernacle was manifested to the whole world, and when all nations were brought in subjection to his authority, this prerogative of the offspring of Abraham was then illustriously manifested. The prophet, then, when he declares that the Gentiles Will be subdued, so that they will not refuse to obey the chosen people, is describing that kingdom of which he had previously spoken. We are not to suppose that he here treats of that secret providence by which God governs the whole world, but of the special power which he exercises by means of his word; and, therefore, in order that he may be properly called a King, his own people must necessarily acknowledge him as such. It may, however, be asked, “Since Christ has brought the Church under his own authority and celestial power, in what sense can it be said that the nations are subject to the Jews, seeing we know that the order of the Church cannot be settled aright, and as it ought to be, unless Christ the only head stand forth prominently above all, and all the faithful, from the greatest to the least, keep themselves in the humble rank of members? Nay, more, when Christ erected his dominion through the whole world, the adoption, which had before been the peculiar privilege of one people, began to be the common privilege of all nations; and by this means liberty was granted to all together, that being united to one another by the ties of true brotherhood, they should aspire to the celestial inheritance.” The answer to this is easy: When the yoke of the law, ⁽¹⁸⁵⁾ was imposed upon the Gentiles, the Jews then obtained the sovereignty over them; even as by the word the pastors of the Church exercise the jurisdiction of the Holy Spirit. For this very reason the Church is called a Queen, and the Mother of all the godly, (Galatians 4:26,) because divine truth, which is like a scepter to subdue us all, has been committed to her keeping. Although then the Jews, when the kingdom of Christ emerged into light, were in a state of wretched and ignominious servitude to heathen nations, and had been, as it were, their slaves; yet the sovereignty is truly and justly attributed to them, because God “sent the rod of his strength out of Zion,” (Psalms 110:2;) and as they were intrusted with the keeping of the la their office was to restrain and subdue the Gentiles by its authority. The only way by which the rest of the world has been brought into subjection to God is, that men, being renewed by the Spirit of God, have willingly yielded themselves docile and tractable to the Jews, and suffered themselves to be under their dominion; as it is said in another passage,

“In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew,saying, We will go with you;for we have heard that God is with you,” (Zechariah 8:23.)

(184) “Par tout le monde.” —Fr.

(185) “C’est a dire, la reformation selon la vraye religion de Dieu.” — Fr. marg. “That is to say, the reformation according to the true religion of God.”

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 47:1-9 is a psalm for the New Year. This psalm is read seven times before the blowing of the trumpet to announce the holy day, the beginning of the Jewish New Year.

O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. For the LORD most high is awesome; he is a great King over all the earth. He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet. He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of the trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises unto our God, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding. God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. 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: and he is greatly exalted ( Psalms 47:1-9 ).

This, again, is looking into the glorious New Age. The Jews looked at it as their New Year. But it is a psalm really by which we will usher in the New Age. The age in which Jesus establishes His kingdom and reigns over the earth. It is going to be a whole New Age. And so, it is significant that they would use it for a new year, because always in a new year there is a hope of things better, a new day dawning, and so forth. A new year dawning, new opportunities. But this is a New Age, the Kingdom Age that is dawning. And this is the psalm that will usher in the glorious Kingdom Age, as we clap our hands and shout unto God with a voice of triumph, because He has now established His kingdom over all of the earth and we are there with Him. He is the King over the earth, sing praises. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

1. The sovereign King’s homage 47:1-4

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 47

The psalmist called on all nations to honor Israel’s God who will one day rule over them. This is one of the so-called "enthronement" psalms that deals with Yahweh’s universal reign (cf. Psalms 93; Psalms 95-99). These are prophetic psalms since the worldwide rule of Messiah was future when the psalmist wrote.

"The enthronement festival is a scholarly extrapolation from a Babylonian festival in which the god Marduk was annually reenthroned in pomp and circumstance at a special event in the fall agricultural festival. The comparable occasion in Israel, or so thought Sigmund Mowinckel, was the Feast of Tabernacles in the seventh month. However, the direct biblical evidence for such an Israelite festival is virtually nil. It has essentially grown out of a ’parallelomania’ in biblical studies that shapes Israelite religion in the form of the neighboring cultures’ religions. One can identify parallels, to be sure, but the imposition of whole institutions on Israelite religion merely because echoes of such institutions from other cultures can be heard in the Psalms is questionable." [Note: Bullock, p. 181.]

A better title for this classification of psalms might be "kingship of Yahweh" psalms. [Note: Ibid., p. 188.] They bear the following characteristics: universal concern for all peoples and the whole earth, references to other gods, God’s characteristic acts (e.g., making, establishing, judging), and physical and spiritual protocol of the attitude of praise before the heavenly King. [Note: J. D. W. Watts, "Yahweh Malak Psalms," Theologische Zeitschrift 21 (1965):341-48.]

The Jews use this psalm on Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year’s Day, and liturgical Christians use it as part of the celebration of Ascension Day. [Note: Wiersbe, The . . . Wisdom . . ., p. 184.]

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

God showed His sovereignty by subduing nations to give the Israelites their inheritance in Canaan. When Jesus Christ returns to the earth, He will again exercise authority over all nations and exalt Israel among them (Matthew 21:43; Romans 11:1-32).

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet. As Joshua, his type, subdued the Canaanites; and as David, another type of subdued the Syrians, Moabites, and others: the Jews from these words expect, that, in the times of the Messiah they look for, the Gentiles in a literal sense will be subdued by him, and become subject to them; but these, and all other expressions of the like kind, are to be understood in a spiritual sense; such as Isaiah 49:23; and which will have their accomplishment in the latter day, in the subjection of the Gentiles to the word and ordinances of the Gospel administered in his churches: though the passage here refers to the times following the ascension of Christ to heaven, when he went forth in the ministry of his apostles conquering and to conquer; and which he made use of to cause the people to fall under him, and to be willing to be saved by him; to submit to his righteousness, and to his ordinances, the sceptre of his kingdom; and which was causing them to triumph, and subduing the people under them, who through the Gospel preached by them became obedient by word and deed; and which was an occasion of joy even to the conquered ones.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

To the chief musician. A psalm for the sons of Korah.

      1 O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.   2 For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.   3 He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet.   4 He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.

      The psalmist, having his own heart filled with great and good thoughts of God, endeavours to engage all about him in the blessed work of praise, as one convinced that God is worthy of all blessing and praise, and as one grieved at his own and others' backwardness to and barrenness in this work. Observe, in these verses,

      I. Who are called upon to praise God: "All you people, all you people of Israel;" those were his own subjects, and under his charge, and therefore he will engage them to praise God, for on them he has an influence. Whatever others do, he and his house, he and his people, shall praise the Lord. Or, "All you people and nations of the earth;" and so it may be taken as a prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles and the bringing of them into the church; see Romans 15:11.

      II. What they are called upon to do: "O clap your hands, in token of your own joy and satisfaction in what God has done for you, of your approbation, nay, your admiration, of what God has done in general, and of your indignation against all the enemies of God's glory, Job 27:23. Clap your hands, as men transported with pleasure, that cannot contain themselves; shout unto God, not to make him hear (his ear is not heavy), but to make all about you hear, and take notice how much you are affected and filled with the works of God. Shout with the voice of triumph in him, and in his power and goodness, that others may join with you in the triumph." Note, Such expressions of pious and devout affections as to some may seem indecent and imprudent ought not to be hastily censured and condemned, much less ridiculed, because, if they come from an upright heart, God will accept the strength of the affection and excuse the weakness of the expressions of it.

      III. What is suggested to us as matter for our praise. 1. That the God with whom we have to do is a God of awful majesty (Psalms 47:2; Psalms 47:2): The Lord most high is terrible. He is infinitely above the noblest creatures, higher than the highest; there are those perfections in him that are to be reverenced by all, and particularly that power, holiness, and justice, that are to be dreaded by all those that contend with him. 2. That he is a God of sovereign and universal dominion. He is a King that reigns alone, and with an absolute power, a King over all the earth; all the creatures, being made by him, are subject to him, and therefore he is a great King, the King of kings. 3. That he takes a particular care of his people and their concerns, has done so and ever will; (1.) In giving them victory and success (Psalms 47:3; Psalms 47:3), subduing the people and nations under them, both those that stood in their way (Psalms 44:2) and those that made attempts upon them. This God had done for them, witness the planting of them in Canaan, and their continuance there unto this day. This they doubted not but he would still do for them by his servant David, who prospered which way soever he turned his victorious arms. But this looks forward to the kingdom of the Messiah, which was to be set over all the earth, and not confined to the Jewish nation. Jesus Christ shall subdue the Gentiles; he shall bring them in as sheep into the fold (so the word signifies), not for slaughter, but for preservation. He shall subdue their affections, and make them a willing people in the day of his power, shall bring their thoughts into obedience to him, and reduce those who had gone astray, under the guidance of the great shepherd and bishop of souls,1 Peter 2:25. (2.) In giving them rest and settlement (Psalms 47:4; Psalms 47:4): He shall choose our inheritance for us. He had chosen the land of Canaan to be an inheritance for Israel; it was the land which the Lord their God spied out for them; see Deuteronomy 32:8. This justified their possession of that land, an d gave them a good title; and this sweetened their enjoyment of it, and made it comfortable; they had reason to think it a happy lot, and to be satisfied in it, when it was that which Infinite Wisdom chose for them. And the setting up of God's sanctuary in it made it the excellency, the honour, of Jacob (Amos 6:8); and he chose so good an inheritance for Jacob because he loved him, Deuteronomy 7:8. Apply this spiritually, and it bespeaks, [1.] The happiness of the saints, that God himself has chosen their inheritance for them, and it is a goodly heritage: he has chosen it who knows the soul, and what will serve to make it happy; and he has chosen so well that he himself has undertaken to be the inheritance of his people (Psalms 16:5), and he has laid up for them in the other world an inheritance incorruptible, 1 Peter 1:4. This will be indeed the excellency of Jacob, for whom, because he loved them, he prepared such a happiness as eye has not seen. [2.] The faith and submission of the saints to God. This is the language of every gracious soul, "God shall choose my inheritance for me; let him appoint me my lot, and I will acquiesce in the appointment. He knows what is good for me better than I do for myself, and therefore I will have no will of my own but what is resolved into his."