Psalm 47
Psalm 47 • 2 min. read • grade level: 13
This Psalm—the triumph of the Remnant—is quite plain and calls to " all people." Verse 9 is the only one which calls for inquiry, and the expression is a very interesting one, though, in the first instance, the construction is difficult. “People" is ammim, a word we have often noticed—Gentiles, brought in, having the name of a people. Now, on re-forming the Jews, or ever He was aware, His soul set Him in the chariots, “Thy people willing” (ammi nadiv), so here the willing people (n'divi ammim, the princes of the peoples) are gathered together, for "To him shall the gathering of the people" (ammim) "be." The difficulty is the apparent disconnection of “people” (am), but it is, I suspect, as ever, in the Hebrew, the strength of the sense—they are gathered into unity with the people of the God, of him who received as his name “The father of many nations." It is the exaltation of the people (am) of the God of Abraham—the people of the Jews; that they are brought in, under the then pressure of God's calling power, into blessing and gathering, so that He should be God of the whole earth (Elohey kol-haarets) Isa. 54:55For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. (Isaiah 54:5). "Gathering" is one of the names of Christ—"gathering into one the sons of God" (B'ney Elohim) that were scattered, and then of all, as here, or "earth" in Israel, for the shields of the earth belong or are, in fact, now to God, who is greatly exalted, for "the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day." God is the “Shield" of Abraham also, therefore gathering in heaven and earth all into one. It is a very interesting Psalm; kol-haaerets (the whole earth) is its title, along with being sung by them, I'mal'kenu (to our king).