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Wisdom & Poetry · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Psalm 47

Psalm 47 is read especially through the theme of praise, within Book II (Psalms 42–72). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application.

PraiseKingshipCreation
Psalms overview
Old Testament

Psalm 47

1For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. Oh clap your hands, all you nations. Shout to God with the voice of triumph!

2For the LORD Most High is awesome. He is a great King over all the earth.

3He subdues nations under us, and peoples under our feet.

4He chooses our inheritance for us, the glory of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.

5God has gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.

6Sing praises to God! Sing praises! Sing praises to our King! Sing praises!

7For God is the King of all the earth. Sing praises with understanding.

8God reigns over the nations. God sits on his holy throne.

9The princes of the peoples are gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God. He is greatly exalted!

READ IN CONTEXT

Understanding Psalm 47

Psalm 47 is read especially through the theme of praise, within Book II (Psalms 42–72). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application. Read it within the complete five-book Psalms collection, then compare its prayer language with the types of prayer found across Scripture. Classification is a reading aid rather than a replacement for the Psalm's own movement and tension.

Collection

Book II (Psalms 42–72). The five-book shape of the Psalter helps readers hear individual prayers within a deliberately arranged collection.

Themes detected

Praise, Kingship, Creation. Read for these themes while remaining open to tension and secondary movements.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Psalm 47

Psalm 47 contains 9 verses and about 142 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. Oh clap your hands, all you nations. Shout to God with the voice of triumph!” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 9 closes: “The princes of the peoples are gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God. He is greatly exalted!” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include sing, praises, nations, king, earth, shout. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Psalm 47

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Psalms 47:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

What kind of Psalm is this?+

Our reading profile emphasizes praise, with related themes of Praise, Kingship, Creation. Many Psalms blend genres or move between moods, so this label is a guide rather than a rigid classification.

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