Psalm 47

A Basic Outline
An invitation to praise, 1
…clap your hands..shout to God = what to do
…all you people’s = who should do
…with the voice of triumph = how to do
The reason for praise, 2-4
…the Lord Most High is awesome = why to do
…He is a great King over all
…He will subdue
…He will choose
A description of a victorious return? 5
…God has gone up with a shout
…The Lord with the sound of a trumpet
An invitation to praise, 6-7
…sing praises to God
…sing praises to our King
…sing praises with understanding
A description of God’s Sovereignty, 8
…reigns over the nations
…sits on His holy throne
The effect of God of God’s Sovereignty, 9
…the princes have gathered together
…for the shields of the earth belong to God
…He is greatly exalted

What sticks out?
The Lord Most High is awesome…over all the earth. Praise because You are awesome.
Where does this make a difference?
When circumstances well up around me it’s easy for me to forget the awesome facts of who You are. It’s easy to let the questions in my life become the focus of my life.
I go back to the previous Psalm…to be still and know that You are God. You are the Lord Most High. You are awesome, the great King over all the earth. You will provide for Israel. You made a promise to Abraham. I look forward to its final condition… Your Son ruling, Your people in the promised land.
Am I trying to become the person with all the answers for all my circumstances or am I trying to become a person of praise? a person of faith?

What sticks out?
Is the psalmist looking forward to God’s future rule or back to a previous victory or is this a vision of the current state of affairs in heaven? The verb tense in 1-4 is future. Verse 5 is past. Verses 6-8 is present. Verse 9 is past.
Without knowing for certain, God’s victory and sovereignty is clear. The psalmist would have me praise with a clear understanding.
You are truly the King. All in authority have been appointed by You… not us. Rom 13:1, Daniel 2:21.
You are my source of hope today. Not any president or treaty. Not any particular form of government. You.
Ultimately Your rule will be physically evident and eternally obvious. Come Lord Jesus come!
May is sift all the circumstances of this day through these facts… You are the Sovereign King. You have brought me near…made alive, raised, seated. Ephesians 2:4-7.