Psalm 47-Rejoice in the Lord

“The world dwarfs us all, but God dwarfs the world.” J.I. Packer

A wonderful Psalm celebrating a great victory of a great King. 

Joy the true spirit of worship. The psalmist declares that God is the great king over all the earth, reigning and ruling over all.

Let us Rejoice in His Awesomeness

V1  Joy in God's character. Cheerfully, Clap your hands, for this is a sign of inward joy. “If they cannot all speak the same tongue, the symbolic language of the hands they can all use.” (Spurgeon) Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together. Psalm 98:8 Shout to the Lord.

V1 Who praises Him-ALL People

V2 Why do we praise Him? For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is awe-inspiring,
He is a great King over all the earth

Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, invincible in battle. Psa 24:8

V4 He will choose our inheritance for us- Ephesians 1:3-6  describes some of His choosing for us:

He chooses us in Him before the foundation of the world.         He chooses us to be holy and blameless before Him in love. He chooses us to be adopted as sons into His family.

We sometimes want to choose our own blessings, our own calling, our own cross. Trust is allowing our King to choose for us.

Moses, David knew that God chose for him-

Joseph knew that God chose for him-

Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, Gideon-they knew that God called their name.

Do we know that God has chosen our inheritance.

Is our call from Him?

 Are we an original or a copy of another?

 If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

Let us Rejoice in His Victorious Ascension  vv 5-7

God ascends amongst shouts of joy, the Lord, among the sound of trumpets.

Psa 24:3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? … Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Psa 24:7

Don’t keep HIM EARTH BOUND.  Arise is an action verb.  Praise calls Him into our situation. Sound the trumpet of praise.

With the Sound of trumpets- Exo 19:19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.

Lev 25:9 Then you shall sound the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the Day of Atonement you shall sound the trumpet throughout all your land.

Neh 4:20 When you hear the blast of the trumpet, rush to wherever it is sounding. Then our God will fight for us!"

1 Cor 15:52 It will happen in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, the Christians who have died* will be raised with transformed bodies. And then we who are living will be transformed so that we will never die.

Rev 1:10 It was the Lord's Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit.* Suddenly, I heard a loud voice behind me, a voice that sounded like a trumpet blast.

v 6 Praise gives God entrance into His rightful place

        In heaven

        In your life

Sing praises to God, sing praises
Sing praises to our King, sing praises
For God is the King of all the earth
Sing praises with understanding

He is the King of all the earth.

 “Let a thousand people speak at once; all thought and feeling are drowned in hubbub. But let them sing together in perfect time and tune; both the thought and feeling are raised to a pitch of energy else conceivable.” (Rawlinson)

1 Cor 14:15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

V8   God is reigning.   He is on His Throne. His throne is not vacant- “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it.” Heb 4:16

V 9 The people come together to Exalt the God of Abraham. They are rejoicing in the promises of God

I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you." Gen 12:3 The real children of Abraham, then, are all those who put their faith in God. Gal 3:7

SO…Sing praise I will shout for joy and sing your praises, for you have redeemed me. Psa 71:23