Notes on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 47
The xlvii. PSALM.
The Author of this Psalm, which seems to be penned in the time of the glorious condition of the people of Israel under David and Solomon, in the name of the Iewish Church and nation, invites all the world to yield obedience to the Government of Christ typified in theirs then ascendent, and to be partakers of their happiness, and tells them the danger of refusing, for as Christ must prevail, so must his Church and people, whose happiness he greatly extols, because of the love and presence of God with them; for which he stirs them up mightily to magnifie the Lord. And prophesies the enlargement of Christs Kingdom over and amongst the Gentils by the Almightie over-ruling hand of God, and the glorious condition of the Evangelical Church under him as of theirs under David or Salomon, and far beyond it.Psalm xlvii. To the chief musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.
A Psalm committed to Heman the chief musician of the familie of the Korathites for him and them to sing.
1 O That all the world would be advised to share in our happiness,1O Clap your hands (all ye people,) shout unto God with the voice of triumph. by entertaining that common salvation tendred them in the Messiah, now as it were ascended into heaven in that pledge of his presence the Ark pitched upon Sion; and that now they would subject themselves unto him, together with us, not of constraint, but of a willing mind, with joyful and thankful hearts, as one day they shall, receiving him for their Lord and King, that he might triumphantly reign over Jews and Gentils.
2 For they that refuse voluntarie subjection to him,2For the Lord most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth. will have cause to repent it, they will find him (even the Messiah whom they slighted in his types on earth) to be the most high God reigning not onelyonly in heaven, but on earth also, yea, all the world over, as he will make it appear by executing terrible vengeance upon such as rebel against him.
3 But for our parts that are his chosen people,3He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet. we shall be blessed of the Lord, and how ever the Gentils do stubbornly refuse to come in unto us, partake of our priviledges, and subject themselves to his government among us, yet shall they be made subject to us, and to our Kings the types of Christ, whose spiritual Kingdom shall enlarge it self over all the world, over-powring by his spirit the most ignorant and rebellious to receive him, and be subject to him.
4For he shall chuse our inheritance for us, the excellencie of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.4 As he hath graciously made choice of us for his people, so will he accordingly give us the utmost he hath promised to our forefathers his faithful servants and their faithful seed, concerning both an earthly and heavenly inheritance, maugre all enemies temporal or spiritual, and dignifie us the seed of holy Jacob his beloved with those excellent priviledges appropriated by promise of Temple-worship and royal government, figuring Christ his King and priestly office; An honour unspeakable.
5God is gone up with a shout, The Lord with the sound of a trumpet.5 How do we see it made good to us, in that the Lords Ark, the sure pledge and token of his presence with us and favour to us, is at this time to be fixed in its abiding place upon mount Sion, whether it is triumphantly carried with joyful acclamations, and sound of trumpet, answerable to the welcome entertainment of Christ in the hearts of his Gospel-converts and faithful people in his Church Evangelical on earth, and his glorious entertainment at his ascention, by saints and Angels in heaven.
6Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises unto our King, sing praises.6 O that we could rise up to their pitch of praise and gratitude for this unestinable merciemercy, and priviledge we enjoy of the gracious presence, and divine favour of God in Christ to us, and amongst us in its lively types, but though we cannot but come short of what it merits from us, yet let us lay out our selves to the utmost of our skill and abilities in praising, magnifying, and exalting the Lord, both for his own excellencies, and for our interest and proprietie in him and them, as a people ought to do that have such a God for their King, and gracious benefactor.
7 We above all people have cause to praise him,7For God is the King of all the earth, sing ye praises with understanding. for though he be King of all the whole earth, yet of us in a differing manner and eminencie, so that though honour be due to him from all creatures, yet more especially from us, for that none have that knowledge of him, and peculiar obligation to him that we have; Therefore we are not to praise him, as others that know him onelyonly by acts of creation, and providence, and are subjects at large: but with a saving Gospel-understanding of him in the Messiah, and powerfully not formally acting-faith in our hearts, answerably to the praises of our lips.
8 And though we be now the onelyonly peculiar of God,8God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. and all the world but we are as it were exempted out of grace and favour: Yet, are the heathen as well as we under his government and power: And the same God that hath been gracious to us can make them also his people, when he pleaseth: And doubtless will from heaven his place of holiness remember in truth and faithfulness the promises made to, and concerning them, for light to shine out of Sion to them that sit in darkness, which he is able to fulfil, and bring them in to himself accordingly.
9 Yea,9The Princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham; for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted. and which he will certainly do in great abundance, even Kings and Kingdoms that now are heathenish shall imbrace the faith of Christ preached amongst them out of Jerusalem, and be ingrafted into the stock of faithful Abraham our predecessour, as well as we our selves, whose seed they all are that do, or shall believe upon the face of the whole earth, and have as good a right to the God of Abraham as we, whose priviledge ought not to be in the flesh but in the spirit, by, and in which spirit, shall Jews and Gentils be united; when the power of God shall be made manifest in Christ, then shall the great as well as the small belong unto God, and how ever they have refused subjection to him, and stood in opposition against him, yet they shall take Laws from him, and and that right willingly; becomming, of enemies, friends: yea, under him, protectors and defendors of their fellow-brethren, believers in Christ throughout all the earth: Thus shall God in Christ be universally worshipped, and his Kingdom enlarged far beyond the bounds of Jewry. The particion shall be taken down, and his dominion shall be throughout all the world, as Davids and Salomons is over Jews and Gentils.