#727 Clap Psalm 47

Clap your hands, all peoples!

Shout to God with loud songs of joy!

2 For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared,

a great king over all the earth.

3 He subdued peoples under us,

and nations under our feet.

4 He chose our heritage for us,

the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah

5 God has gone up with a shout,

the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.

6 Sing praises to God, sing praises!

Sing praises to our King, sing praises!

7 For God is the King of all the earth;

sing praises with a psalm!

8 God reigns over the nations;

God sits on his holy throne.

9 The princes of the peoples gather

as the people of the God of Abraham.

For the shields of the earth belong to God;

he is highly exalted! Psalm 47 ESV

God is not the maker of only Israel. He is not geographically constrained to one place or time. Abraham was told by God that his offspring would be a blessing to all nations. Now there are many languages, but there is only One true God, Creator of all, and no matter where we are from, all who believe, those whose hearts and affections are set upon Christ, we all clap together. He is worthy. 

Shout to God - Some are so afraid of their culture, create such a culture where they are afraid to lift their hands or to sing aloud. Do not let your religion be horizontal, take it vertical, cry unto heaven, pray speaking to God and not men, for men cannot be nor do so much as God. Others our just loud, wanting to be seen of men, heard for their many words, praised by men who cannot see the true nature of their hearts.

The most High - There is no higher place, no throne above His, and every throne held beneath Him exist only because God has allowed it. We are told, and rightly so, that we should fear God rather than man. So many times I have been anxious or afraid because of the unrighteousness of men, the fickle nature of those who have rule over me, but all along God was in control and to Him be the glory, for nothing that men do to me is lasting, and oh how I do now pray for their souls. 

He chose our heritage for us - Men do not make themselves, choose where they are born or who they are born to. Adam and Eve did not choose the song of redemption, but rather at a time before they were slaves to sin, they chose in their free will to disobey, and became spiritually dead in their trespasses and sins. Abraham did not see nor come to God with the idea of a great nation, dedicated and devoted to the One true God, God chose him from all the people on the earth to make a people, teach a people, reveal to them the law of God, His holiness, and the void that they could not overcome. Christ is our heritage, He is our inheritance. 

All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, who apportions them to each one as He determines. 12The body is a unit, though it is comprised of many parts. And although its parts are many, they all form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink.…1 Corinthians 12: 11-13

God has gone up - The King eternal has paid the ultimate price for a fallen humanity. He will not hold such honor against His holiness, sin leads to death, and He has met the price with His own self, for no man could die in such a way to satisfy the infinitely righteous. I praise You for living the life I could not live, for humbling Yourself, for taking my sin upon You and satisfying justice. Oh God, I know that You have known what is to be forsaken so that I would not be. I know that the wages of sin is death even though I pretended for so long that there was no such thing as sin. Nothing compares to Your majesty, please accept my praise and let both my words and my actions become one beautiful song of praise.

Reigns over the nations - God is over all. This looks forward to the time of the gentiles as well, for there is only One way, One mediator between God and man, Christ Jesus. Amen and forever Amen