Psalms 47:5
A plain-spoken deep dive on this verse. Read the chapter →
God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the LORD with the sound of the horn.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
We are here most earnestly pressed to praise God, and to sing his praises; so backward are we to this duty that we have need to be urged to it by precept upon precept, and line upon line; so we are here (Psa 47:6): Sing praises to God, and again, Sing praises, Sing praises to our King, and again, Sing praises. This intimates that it is a very necessary and excellent duty, that it is a duty we ought to be frequent and abundant in; we may sing praises again and again in the same words, and it is no vain repetition if it be done with new affections. Should not a people praise their God? Dan 5:4. Should not subjects praise their king? God is our God, our King, and therefore we must praise him; we must sing his praises, as those that are pleased with them and that are not ashamed of them. But here is a needful rule subjoined (Psa 47:7): Sing you praises with understanding, with Maschil. 1. "Intelligently; as those that do yourselves understand why and for what reasons you praise God and what is the meaning of the service." This is the gospel-rule (Co1 14:15), to sing with the spirit and with the understanding also; it is only with the heart that we make melody to the Lord, Eph 5:19. It is not an acceptable service if it be not a reasonable service. 2. "Instructively, as those that desire to make others understand God's glorious perfections, and to teach them to praise him." Three things are mentioned in these verses as just matter for our praises, and each of them will admit of a double sense: - I. We must praise God going up (Psa 47:5): God has gone up with a shout, which may refer, 1. To the carrying up of the ark to the hill of Zion, which was done with great solemnity, David himself dancing before it, the priests, it is likely, blowing the trumpets, and the people follow…
Open source ↗47:5-6 The psalmist portrays the Lord as returning to heaven, having accomplished his victories. For a portrayal of his descent, see 18:9-16. 47:5 trumpets: Or rams’ horns (see 81:3). At times, rams’ horns were sounded in celebration (98:5-6; 2 Kgs 11:14; 1 Chr 15:28).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
to Him who rides upon the highest heavens of old; behold, His mighty voice resounds.
in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise.
Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a mighty warrior overcome by wine.
Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.”
Praise Him with the sound of the horn; praise Him with the harp and lyre.
while he and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and the sounding of the ram’s horn.
And when there is a long blast of the ram’s horn and you hear its sound, have all the people give a mighty shout. Then the wall of the city will collapse and all your people will charge straight into the city.”
He considers no disaster for Jacob; He sees no trouble for Israel. The LORD their God is with them, and the shout of the King is among them.
So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, with the sounding of rams’ horns and trumpets, and with cymbals and the music of harps and lyres.