Psalm 47:8 kjv
God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.
Psalm 47:8 nkjv
God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.
Psalm 47:8 niv
God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne.
Psalm 47:8 esv
God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.
Psalm 47:8 nlt
God reigns above the nations,
sitting on his holy throne.
Psalm 47 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 15:18 | The LORD will reign forever and ever. | Early declaration of God's eternal kingship. |
| Deut 33:2 | ...from His holy mountain... at His right hand a fiery law for them. | God's authoritative presence and rule. |
| 1 Sam 8:7 | ...for they have rejected Me from being king over them. | God is Israel's true King, rejected by human desire. |
| 1 Kgs 22:19 | I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing. | Vision affirming God's heavenly throne and dominion. |
| Ps 11:4 | The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven. | Establishes God's heavenly dwelling and sovereign seat. |
| Ps 22:28 | For the kingdom is the LORD’s, and He rules over the nations. | Direct statement of God's rule over all peoples. |
| Ps 93:1-2 | The LORD reigns... Your throne is established from of old... | Emphasizes the ancient, established nature of God's rule. |
| Ps 96:10 | Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns!" | Command to proclaim God's universal kingship to Gentiles. |
| Ps 99:1 | The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble! | Reiterates divine rule and its implications for all. |
| Ps 103:19 | The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all. | God's universal dominion from His heavenly throne. |
| Isa 6:1 | I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and exalted... | Isaiah's vision of God's majestic and sovereign presence. |
| Isa 52:7 | How beautiful... when he proclaims... "Your God reigns!" | Future declaration of God's reigning as good news. |
| Jer 10:10 | But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. | Contrast with false gods, declaring God as the eternal, living King. |
| Dan 4:17 | ...the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind... | Gentile king recognizes God's absolute sovereignty over earthly kingdoms. |
| Matt 28:18-19 | All authority has been given to Me... Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations... | Christ's supreme authority and universal missionary command. |
| Acts 17:26 | He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth... | God's sovereign creation and distribution of nations. |
| Heb 1:8 | But of the Son He says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever..." | God's eternal throne and rule applied to Christ. |
| Heb 4:16 | Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace... | God's throne as accessible, not just of power, but of grace. |
| Heb 8:1 | ...taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty... | Christ's exaltation to God's ultimate throne of authority. |
| Rev 4:2-3 | ...a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne... | John's vision of God's ultimate and glorious throne. |
| Rev 11:15 | The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ... | Final proclamation of God and Christ's universal, eternal reign. |
| Rev 19:6 | Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. | Victorious praise for God's completed and eternal reign. |
| Rev 21:5 | And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." | God's creative and re-creative authority from His throne. |
Psalm 47 verses
Psalm 47 8 Meaning
Psalm 47:8 declares the universal and absolute sovereignty of God. It asserts that He is not merely the God of Israel, but the King over all nations, exercising His authority over every people and realm. His kingship is depicted as an established reality, symbolized by Him being firmly seated upon His throne, which is characterized by divine holiness and righteousness, signifying the unshakeable nature of His rule and the purity of His judgments.
Psalm 47 8 Context
Psalm 47:8 is a pivotal statement within Psalm 47, an enthronement psalm celebrating YHWH's kingship. The chapter likely originated in a festive setting, possibly celebrating the Lord's return with the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem (v. 5 "God has gone up with a shout"), or anticipating the universal recognition of His dominion. It opens with an exuberant call for all peoples to applaud and praise God, the "great King over all the earth." The verses preceding verse 8 speak of God subduing peoples under Israel and choosing Israel's inheritance. Verse 8 expands this specific historical act to a universal theological declaration, shifting the focus from God's rule through Israel to His direct, overarching reign over all the gôyim (nations). It asserts God's ultimate sovereignty as the bedrock upon which all His specific actions, triumphs, and covenants are founded. In a historical context often marked by competing national gods and kings claiming divine sanction, this verse is a polemical statement: YHWH, the God of Israel, is superior to all, the supreme and sole King of the cosmos.
Psalm 47 8 Word analysis
- God (אֱלֹהִים - Elohim): This Hebrew term for God is plural in form but singular in meaning when referring to the one true God. Its usage emphasizes His immense power, majesty, and multifaceted divine nature, setting Him apart as the preeminent, ultimate Being. The repetition of "God" in both clauses reinforces that the subject of this majestic action is indeed the singular, true God of creation and salvation.
- reigns (מָלַךְ - malakh): This verb in Hebrew is in the perfect tense, signifying a completed action with ongoing results. It means God has taken His kingship, is reigning, and continues to reign. It conveys a present and perpetual exercise of sovereign power, rather than merely a future aspiration. It signifies absolute authority and control over the universe.
- over: This preposition signifies dominion and supremacy. It communicates that God's authority extends above and encompasses all others, positioning Him as the ultimate power.
- the nations (גּוֹיִם - goyim): This term refers to the Gentiles, the non-Israelite peoples and their geopolitical entities. The inclusion of "the nations" is crucial as it elevates God's dominion beyond a particular group (Israel) to encompass all humanity. It contrasts with pagan ideas of local deities and asserts His universal claim to allegiance and worship.
- God (אֱלֹהִים - Elohim): The second instance of "God" acts as an emphatic repetition, strengthening the declaration and underscoring that this truth pertains to Him alone. It maintains a powerful rhythmic and thematic parallelism within the verse.
- sits (יָשַׁב - yashav): Also in the perfect tense, meaning He has "taken His seat" and "remains seated." This portrays established, stable, and settled authority. Unlike human monarchs whose reign may be precarious, God's reign is unshakeable and eternal. It signifies complete command, unburdened power, and absolute control.
- on his holy throne (עַל־כִּסֵּא קָדְשׁוֹ - al-kisse' qadsho):
- Throne (כִּסֵּא - kisse'): The throne is a universal ancient symbol of supreme royal authority, judgment, and power. It's the seat from which laws are issued, justice administered, and dominion exercised.
- Holy (קָדְשׁוֹ - qadsho): This Hebrew word signifies set-apartness, purity, and transcendence. It means God's throne is inherently sacred, morally pure, and removed from earthly defilement or human corruption. His rule is perfectly just, righteous, and free from error, grounding His kingship in His very divine nature. It indicates His inviolable separation from creation and His unique, revered status.
Psalm 47 8 Bonus section
The parallelism in Psalm 47:8—"God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne"—is a key poetic feature that reinforces the message. The first clause describes the scope and action of His reign, while the second portrays its source and stability. It suggests an enthroned King who is actively engaged in His universal dominion, not a passive figure. This declaration lays the groundwork for understanding the missional heartbeat of the Bible; if God truly reigns over all nations, then His truth and redemptive plan are intended for all nations. It implies a divinely appointed end-goal for history where God's righteous rule will be fully recognized and celebrated by every tribe and tongue (Rev 7:9-10).
Psalm 47 8 Commentary
Psalm 47:8 is a core affirmation of divine kingship, encapsulating the pervasive biblical truth that the God of Israel is the supreme sovereign of all creation and all of human history. The declaration, "God reigns over the nations," is not a wish, but an established reality ("reigns" being perfect tense in Hebrew), indicating that His royal authority is continuously active and extends universally. This assertion contrasts sharply with ancient polytheistic beliefs where gods were often confined to specific regions or peoples; the Lord’s dominion knows no bounds. The subsequent phrase, "God sits on His holy throne," powerfully visualizes this reign. "Sitting" implies a fixed, permanent, and undisturbed authority, signifying stability, assurance, and complete control rather than a transient or struggling grip on power. The description of the throne as "holy" underscores the absolute purity, righteousness, and transcendent nature of God’s rule. His sovereignty is not capricious but perfectly just, infallible, and eternally set apart from all imperfection. This verse thus serves as both a source of comfort for believers in a turbulent world, assuring them of ultimate divine control, and a summons to universal worship and obedience to the One true King.