Psalm 47:1 kjv
O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
Psalm 47:1 nkjv
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
Psalm 47:1 niv
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.
Psalm 47:1 esv
Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy!
Psalm 47:1 nlt
Come, everyone! Clap your hands!
Shout to God with joyful praise!
Psalm 47 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 98:4 | Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth; burst into jubilant song... | Universal call to praise |
| Isa 55:12 | For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains... | Nature rejoicing with people |
| Zech 9:9 | Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! | Command to rejoice/shout for salvation |
| Psa 47:5 | God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. | Connects shouting with God's ascent/victory |
| Psa 66:1 | Shout joyfully to God, all the earth. | Global worship command |
| Psa 100:1 | Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! | Universal joyful noise/shout of praise |
| 1 Chr 29:11 | Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory... | God's universal reign and triumph |
| Dan 4:17 | ...that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men... | God's sovereignty over all rulers/kingdoms |
| Rev 11:15 | The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ... | Christ's future universal reign |
| Eph 4:8 | Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high, he led a host of captives..." | Christ's triumphant ascension echoes Psa 47 |
| Col 2:15 | He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing... | Christ's spiritual triumph |
| 2 Kgs 11:12 | Then he brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him...and they applauded... | Clapping as acclamation of a king |
| Job 27:23 | Men shall clap their hands at him and hiss him from his place. | Clapping as expression (here, of derision) |
| Ezra 3:11-13 | And they sang responsively to the Lord, with thanksgiving...and all the people shouted... | Shouting with joy for God's work |
| Psa 33:3 | Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. | Praise with loud shouts |
| Num 10:5 | When you blow an alarm (teruah), the camps that are on the east side shall set... | "Teruah" as a military/assembly signal |
| Josh 6:5 | ...when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn...all the people shall shout... | Shouting (teruah) as part of a victory |
| Zep 3:14 | Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all... | Command to rejoice and shout for deliverance |
| Psa 2:8 | Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth... | God's inheritance of nations |
| Phil 2:9-11 | Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name...every tongue confess... | Universal worship of exalted Lord |
| Rom 15:10-11 | And again, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles..." | Gentiles included in praise |
Psalm 47 verses
Psalm 47 1 Meaning
Psalm 47:1 issues an emphatic, universal command for all peoples and nations to engage in enthusiastic and jubilant worship of God. It calls for physical expressions of joy, such as clapping hands and triumphant shouts, in recognition of God's supreme kingship and victorious reign over all the earth. This is a directive to proclaim His absolute sovereignty and power with unrestrained praise.
Psalm 47 1 Context
Psalm 47 is one of the "Enthronement Psalms" (along with Psalms 93, 96-99), which celebrate God's kingship and universal reign. While its precise historical setting is debated, it likely reflects a liturgical celebration of God's divine sovereignty, perhaps in relation to a great victory for Israel, the ark's procession, or even a prefiguring of Messiah's ascension and future rule. It anticipates a time when all nations will acknowledge the God of Abraham as the Great King over all the earth. Culturally, clapping hands and shouting were common expressions of joy, celebration, acclamation for a king, or a battle cry, indicating a fervent and public display of honor. The psalm indirectly stands in polemic opposition to the polytheistic beliefs of surrounding nations by proclaiming Yahweh's unparalleled and singular authority over all gods and peoples, asserting that no other deity holds such universal dominion.
Psalm 47 1 Word analysis
- O clap your hands (תִּקְעוּ כַף, Taq'u chap): Literally "strike palm." Taq'u is an imperative verb, indicating a direct command for action. Clapping of hands is a physical gesture commonly associated with joy, approval, or celebration (e.g., 2 Kgs 11:12 for enthronement; Psa 98:8 where rivers clap). Here, it signifies enthusiastic acclamation of God.
- all ye people (כָּל־הָעַמִּים, Kol ha-Amim): Kol means "all," and ha-Amim refers to "the peoples" or "the nations," highlighting the universal scope of this command. It underscores that God's dominion extends beyond Israel to all humanity, inviting Gentiles to worship Him.
- shout (הָרִיעוּ, Har‘iu): An imperative from the root rua‘, meaning "to make a loud noise," often a trumpet blast, a war cry, or a shout of joy/acclamation. This verb specifically relates to the teruah (תְּרוּעָה), a characteristic sound in Israelite worship and warfare, signifying God's presence, victory, or solemn assembly (Lev 23:24, Josh 6:5).
- unto God (לֵאלֹהִים, La-Elohim): Directly states the recipient of this exuberant praise. Elohim is a general name for God, but in the context of Psalms and Israel, it refers to the one true God, emphasizing that this worship is directed specifically to Him.
- with the voice (בְּקוֹל, B'qol): "With a voice" or "with a sound." It further specifies the nature of the "shout" – it's an audible, expressive sound.
- of triumph (רִנָּה, Rinna): Means "ringing cry," "joyful shout," "singing for joy," or "exultation." It encapsulates the emotion and purpose behind the shouting – a celebratory, victorious expression. The entire phrase B'qol Rinna emphasizes a joyful, exultant, and victorious outcry, linking the sound to a proclamation of God's victory and rule.
- O clap your hands, all ye people: This phrase serves as a powerful opening, immediately establishing the psalm's tone of global, demonstrative praise. It's a call to universal participation in the joyful acknowledgement of God's sovereignty.
- shout unto God with the voice of triumph: This command amplifies the initial call to praise, specifying the form and intention of the "shout." It's not just a loud noise, but one infused with a deep sense of joy over God's victories and reign. The emphasis on "triumph" reinforces the theme of God's absolute conquest and kingship, especially highlighted throughout Psalm 47.
Psalm 47 1 Bonus section
The "shout" (teruah) here carries a rich Old Testament resonance. It was the blast of the ram's horn (shofar) used in the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) and at the downfall of Jericho, signifying a spiritual battle cry, a call to worship, or the heralding of God's presence. Thus, Psalm 47:1 subtly invokes this profound sound, connecting the joyous shouts of the nations to sacred, divine action. The sons of Korah, to whom this psalm is attributed in its superscription, were Levite musicians known for their praise and service in the temple, suggesting that this exuberant worship was an integral part of Israel's liturgy. Many Christian commentators also view this psalm, particularly the ascent and triumphant language, as a prophetic foretelling of Christ's ascension into heaven after His victory over sin and death, thereby fulfilling the universal reign of God in a new and profound way.
Psalm 47 1 Commentary
Psalm 47:1 sets the stage for a grand hymn celebrating God's kingship. It is an immediate and urgent call, demanding active, physical, and unrestrained participation from "all peoples." This is not a passive contemplation, but an invitation to jubilant worship that bursts forth in audible and visible expressions: hands clapping in enthusiastic affirmation, and voices rising in shouts of victorious praise. The combination of these actions – clapping and shouting – signals a total surrender to joyful exuberance in the presence of God. The specific nature of the shout as "of triumph" implies not merely general joy, but a celebration of God's achieved victories and His secure, absolute dominion. It implies a recognition of His past deliverances, present reign, and future triumph.