Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 47
PSALM XLVII.
Verſ. 1. O Clap your hands (all ye people) &c.] That is, all ye tribes of Iſrael (for ſo this expreſſion is ſometimes uſed, ſee Pſal. (66.8. and Zach. 11.10.) or all ye nations of the world, For becauſe of thoſe words verſ. 5. God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the ſound of a trumpet, it is probably conceived, that the ſolemn removing of the Ark, either by David or Solomon, which was done with much joy, with ſhouting and with the ſound of a trumpet, 2 Sam. 6.14, 15. 1 Kings 8.3, &c. was the occaſion of compoſing this Pſalm: and becauſe that was a ſhadow and type of the aſcenſion of Chriſt into heaven, it muſt be principally underſtood of the joy of all nations therein.
Verſ 2. For the Lord moſt high is terrible, &c.] To wit, to all that are his and his peoples enemies. And this alſo is meant of Chriſt, whom God hath made King over all the earth; as is expreſſed in the following words, he is a great King over all the earth: ſee the Note Pſal. 2.8.
Verſ. 3. He shall ſubdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet.] This may be meant of the nations round about, that were ſubdued by the people of God in the daies of David, But eſpecially it muſt be underſtood of the calling of the Gentiles: of whom the Iſraelites might ſay, that they were ſubdued unto them, and brought under their feet, either with reference to Chriſt, who was of the ſtock of Iſrael, and is the head of the Church; or becauſe they were brought in by the Goſpel preached by the primitive Church of the Jews, the Apoſtles and others, and ſo being joyned to them were brought under the government of Chriſt amongſt them, the branches of the wild olive-tree being graffed in amongſt them, Rom. 11.17. for which ſee Iſa. 2.2, 3, 4. And that this muſt be underſtood of this ſpirituall ſubduing of the Gentiles is evident, becauſe the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks of ſuch a ſubduing, as was to be matter of ſuch exceeding great joy to the people that were ſubdued, as is expreſſed before verſ. 1. O clap your hands, all ye people, &c.
Verſ. 4. He ſhall chuſe our inheritance for us, &c] That is, Having taken us for his adopted ſons and daughters, he will ſet apart for us that inheritance that he hath promiſed us. Now as this is ſpoken in reference to the Iſraelites, the inheritance here intended was partly the land of Canaan, which was never conferred upon them in the full extent as it was at firſt promiſed, till the daies of David and Solomon (ſee the Notes Gen. 15.18.) but principally the kingdome of heaven, whereof Canaan was a type: But as it refers to the Church of Chriſt, both of Jews and Gentiles, it is only meant of heaven, that incorruptible and undefiled inheritance, 1 Pet. 1.4. unleſſe we alſo include, that God will provide a place of habitation for his Church even here in this world. As for the following words, the excellency of Iacob whom he loved, we muſt know 1. that by Iacob may be meant either the Patriarch Jacob himſelf, (and the drift of the words is then to ſhew, that the excellency that God did at firſt confer upon Jacob in the covenant that God made with him, was from him derived to the whole Iſrael of God) or elſe the ſeed of Jacob, ſee the Note Pſal. 24.6. 2ly, that it is either the land of Canaan which is here called the excellency of Iacob; and that not ſo much becauſe it was a land flowing with milk and honey, as becauſe of Jeruſalem, and the Sanctuary therein, in which God was preſent amongſt them in his word and worſhip; for this is often tearmed the excellency of the Iſraelites, as Ezek. 24.21. Behold, I will profane my Sanctuary, the excellency of your ſtrength, and the deſire of your eyes, &c. Amos 6.8. I abhor the excellency of Iacob, and hate his palaces; ſee alſo chap. 8.7. and Nahum 2.2: or elſe, the glorious condition that is prepared for Gods people in heaven: or, more generally, all thoſe glorious things which were promiſed to the Iſrael of God; as that they ſhould be Gods peculiar people, and that to them appertained the kingdome and prieſthood and Temple, with all the glorious priviledges of the Church. And 3. that thoſe laſt words, whom he loved, are purpoſely added to ſhew, that it was of Gods free grace and love, that there were ſuch excellent things deſigned for Jacob, according to that Rom. 9.13. Iacob have I loved, but Eſau have I hated.
Verſ. 5. God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the ſound of a trumpet.] Some conceive that this is ſpoken in reference to that ancient manner of calling the people together in the time of the law, by the ſound of trumpets; at which times it might be ſaid, that God was gone up with a ſhout, &c. becauſe thereby they were ſtirred up to honour God, and there God was preſent and entertained, as it were, amongſt his people with joyfull acclamations, as their Lord and King. But I rather take it to be meant, as is before noted verſ 1. of the removall of the Ark (for which alſo ſee the Note Numb. 10.35.) and under that type, of the Aſcenſion of Chriſt by his own power into heaven. For having ſpoken in the foregoing verſe of the inheritance of the Saints in heaven, He shall chuſe our inheritance for us, he takes occaſion from thence to ſpeak of Chriſts aſcending thither in triumph, as a conquerour, having vanquiſhed Satan, ſin and death, and ſent forth his ſervants to ſubdue the nations by the word of his Goſpel. Yea and this of his being gone up with a shout, and with the ſound of a trumpet, ſome underſtand of the ſolemn attendance and joy of the angels when he aſcended into heaven; and that the rather, becauſe it is ſaid 1 Theſſ. 4.16. that the Lord himſelf ſhall deſcend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God, and Act. 1.11. it was ſaid to them that were eye-witneſſes of Chriſts aſcenſion, This ſame Ieſus which was taken up from you into heaven, shall ſo come in, in like manner as ye have ſeen him go into heaven.
Verſ. 7. For God is the kin of all the earth, &c] See the Note verſ. 2. Sing ye praiſes with underſtanding; that is, underſtanding and attending what ye ſing; which indeed they only doe, that are ſpiritually enlightened with the ſaving knowledge of God and of Chriſt. Yet ſome underſtand it of ſinging skilfully, and therefore render it, as it is in the margin, ſing ye praiſes every one that hath underſtanding. However obſervable it is, that theſe words, ſing praiſes, are five ſeverall times repeated in this and the foregoing verſe; to ſignify how vehemently deſirous he was that this ſhould be done, and that men ſhould doe it with all poſſible fervency, and that too conſtantly, and without ceaſing.
Verſ. 8. God reigneth over the heathen &c.] To wit, as having all nations under his power; ſee the Note alſo verſ. 2. God ſitteth upon the throne of his holineſſe, that is, his holy throne; which may be the Ark, or mercy-ſeat that covered it, according to that Pſal. 99.1. The Lord reigneth, let the people tremble, he ſitteth between the cherubims or elſe heaven, which Chriſt calleth Gods throne Matth. 5.34. and where he ſitteth at the right hand of God, having all power given him both in heaven and in earth.
Verſ. 9. The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham, &c.] Some underſtand this of the heads of the Tribes, and the Nobles of the people, aſſembling together when the ark was to be remooved by David or Solomon: ſee 2 Sam. 6.1.1 Kings 8.1. But doubtleſſe, as the Pſalm was intended as a prediction of Chriſts aſcention, theſe words muſt be underſtood of the coming in of many Princes of the Gentiles upon the preaching of the Goſpel, to joyn themſelves to the Church of the Jewes, accounting it their greateſt honour, not that they were princes, but that they were of the number of Gods people; as indeed all that became Chriſtians, were, thereby incorporated into the Church of the Jewes, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks Ephe. 3.6: who are rather here called the people of the God of Abraham, becauſe that very name Abraham ſignifieth the father of many nations, ſee the Notes Gen. 17.4, 5. and to him that promiſe was made, In thy ſeed shall all the nations of the earth be bleſſed, Gen. 22.18. Only we muſt withall note, that the words in the Hebrew may be tranſlated, as they are in the margin of our Bibles, The voluntary of the people are gathered unto the people of the God of Abraham, and ſo they muſt be underſtood of the voluntary coming in of the Gentiles, to joyn themſelves to the Church of the Jewes, according to that, Pſal. 110.3. Thy people ſhall be willing in the day of thy power. As for the following clauſe, for the shields of the earth belong unto God &c. Some take it thus, that all the Princes of the earth are under the diſpoſing power of God, and ſo no wonder though even their hearts are ſwayed by him to ſubmit to Chriſts ſcepter, whereby he is greatly exalted: for, ſay they, princes and magiſtrates are called the shields of the earth, becauſe they are for the defence and protection of the people; as we ſee Hoſ. 4.18. her rulers with shame do love, Give ye, which is in the originall, her shields with shame do love, Give ye. But others take it thus, for the shields of the earth belong unto God, that is, by Gods providence the inhabitants of the earth are many waies defended, as by ſo many ſhields. And ſo they take this to be added, as that whereby the Gentiles ſhould be mooved to joyn themſelves to the people of God, namely, that they might be under his protection, wherein God is greatly exalted.