Golden Year's Message by Preacher Lek Aik Wee

A Devotional Study of the Psalms

Rejoice the LORD is King

PSALM 47

(1) Introduction

The confession of the sovereignty of God should occasion the praise and glory of God and encourage a life lived in obedient love within the Kingdom of the King. [Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Elwell, Sovereignty of God, 1132] This statement speaks well the heart of the psalmist, who expresses his gratitude to God Almighty in the singing praise for the sovereign rule and power of God over all the earth. God is all powerful. Earthly powers are all under God's supreme power. He has absolute control over all the earth and heaven too. This incommunicable attribute of God belongs to God alone. He is therefore God. His power is demonstrated not only in His power (v 3 ) and rule (v 8 ) over the unbelieving world but He gives His inheritance to His people whom He loved. What a great privilege! Hence, the people of God rejoice and praise Him with grateful hearts (v 6 , 7b ), assembling themselves together to worship Him (v 9 ). Also, His moral attribute of holiness is highlighted (v 8 ). His decretive will of loving His chosen people is also mentioned. On this side of heaven, Christians as Israel of old, rejoice for a personal relationship with their LORD. What comfort it is to be part of God's inheritance in His eternal Kingdom. His sovereignty is not only in heaven but here on earth.

We have not been to heaven where God reigns, how can we fathom God with our eyes? We read in the scriptures that God reigns in heaven, with spiritual eyes we believe and therefore see. This psalm tells us explicitly that God reigns on earth too. We are to know this truth and be comforted by it. Observe the occurrence of the words that brings our attention to that Eternal God that is not only reigning in heaven, but on earth. "God" is used eight times, "king" three times, "LORD" two times.

The word "LORD" occurring only two times for the LORD most high is terrible, the LORD with the sound of trumpet. God is God over all the earth, He is King over all the earth, but He is LORD only to His own people. How many are His own people, very few, far and in between. His people rejoice because they belong to Him and He loves them (verse 4 ). This is most significant! We cannot fully comprehend the depth and the height of God's condescension to mankind, most significantly those whom He loved. The LORD is described as terrible when He fought Israel's enemies. When Israel was delivered from the bondage of Egypt, God inflicted ten plagues to finally forced Pharaoh to released the oppression on God's people. The LORD is greatly to be praised.

(2) Victorious (v 1-4 )

(a) Therefore Clap and Raise a Shout of triumph (v 1 )

Psalm 47:1 "O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph."

This is a song of praise. The people are exhorted to clap and raise a shout unto God with a voice of triumph. Two imperatives - clap and shout, encouraged the people to rejoice in the sovereignty of God over all the earth.

(b) His dominion is over all the earth (v 2 )

(i) His power demonstrated to subdue the nations (v 3 )

Psalm 47:2-3 "For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth. He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet."

The power of God is demonstrated. He is to be revered, honoured and respected for He is a dreadful, fearful God in His wrath, to be feared as seen in the demonstrated of His power. He inspires reverence, Godly fear and awe. Israel are exhorted to remember how God led them out of Egypt, through the wilderness to the Promised Land. The Amorites and the Canaanites were idolatrous and immoral. God's judgment befell them in demonstration over His sovereign rule over all the earth. God hates sin. Sin is rebellion against God's Holy Laws. The nations had to be shown the living and true God. Israel was chosen as God's witness.

Testimony

Deuteronomy 7:17-26 "If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them? Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt; The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, whereby the LORD thy God brought thee out: so shall the LORD thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid. Moreover the LORD thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed. Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible. And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee. But the LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed. And he shall deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven: there shall no man be able to stand before thee, until thou have destroyed them. The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God. Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing."

God used Israel to be the instrument to mete out justice over the idolatrous and immoral rulers.

(ii) His inheritance given to His people whom He loved (v 4 )

Psalms 47:4 "He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah."

Testimony

Deuteronomy 7:7-16 "The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face. Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them. Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee. Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee. And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee."

The choice of Israel as God's witness is according to His good pleasure of His will. We praise God because of what He has done to give us all spiritual blessings.

Ephesians 1:3-10 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him."

We cannot understand such privilege, we are so undeserving yet God has chosen us. Much thanksgiving is outpoured to our Great God.

(3) Enthroned on High (v 5-9 )

(a) Therefore Sing praises (v 6 , 7b )

Psalm 47:5-7 "God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding."

When we announce the arrival of a King, the trumpet will sound first to welcome Him. For example, when we have a VIP, a foreign dignitary visiting Singapore, the band would play a welcome tune, with the trumpets sounding, and the presidential guards in "Hormat" position, in salute to honour the guest.

Five imperatival injunctions to "sing praises" to the LORD to God and to the King. It must be with understanding. Understanding who our LORD is most comforting. He is King alluding to His sovereign rule.

Observe the occurrence of the word "sing" in the imperative, a command, five times in two verses. Not often, we observe such frequency of occurrence. What is the significance? The psalmist's entreaties for all that come within ears of his words to "Sing praises" to God who is King and LORD over all the earth. We often localize God in our hearts, thinking that the LORD cannot help us solve our problems. The psalmist wants us to know that the "LORD" that we worship is no ordinary God but He is GOD and He is KING. He reigns over all the earth, not only of the Christian nations but also the heathen nations. Therefore, it is a truth that is worth our rejoicing, to continually sing praises in worship to our LORD and KING.

(b) Appreciate His dominion over all the earth (v 7 )

(i) His rule demonstrated over the unbelievers (v 8 )

Verse 8 is explained in verse 3 . His reign over the heathen is demonstrated in Israel's conquest over the Cannanites and Amorites.

(ii) His people gathered to exalt Him (v 9 )

Psalm 47:8-9 "God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted."

Exodus 13:5 "And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month."

God's favour toward Israel was God's promise to Abraham.

Genesis 15:1-16 "After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not. And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away. And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full."

The people of Israel is now in the land, partaking of the milk and honey in the land. They are exhorted not to forget their beginnings, their forefathers of whom they inherit these blessings.

(4) Conclusion

May the LORD help us to be drawn in faith to God's sovereign rule over all the earth. His eyes is especially on His children because He loved them. May we be His grateful children.