Psalm 47 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 47 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with loud songs of joy.
Verse 2For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome, a great king over all the earth.
Verse 3He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet.
Verse 4He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah
Verse 5God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
Verse 6Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.
Verse 7For God is the king of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm.
Verse 8God is king over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.
Verse 9The 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.
Devotion
“Clap your hands all you people,
Shout unto God with the voice of singing,
Clap your hands all you people,
Shout unto God with the sound of Praise!
Hosanna! Hosanna!”
This was one of the favorites of the Vacation Bible School crowd. Sung with the clapping of hands, and at least one foot stomping, this song was sung as loud as possible. This song catches the spirit of Psalm 47, from which it comes. Such joyful exuberance is appropriate for what our “awesome” God (vs.2) has done for his children. Such praise is worthy of the church’s singing this Ascension week.
Joyful singing is the appropriate response to the ascended Lord’s promise to his Church that he would empower his followers (us) to be witnesses for the risen one. With such a witness: “…and with the sound of singing…,” the promised Kingdom would come. As the Psalmist declared, “He chose our heritage for us!” (vs.4)
Prayer
Come Lord Jesus, be our Guest, and let Your gifts to us be blessed. Amen.