Day 643: The applause God deserves! - Psalm 47

1-2 Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy! For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth. 3-4 He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet. He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah

5-7 God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. 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 a psalm! 8-9 God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne. The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; he is highly exalted! Psalm 47 English Standard Version

If you lived near a big sports stadium there’d be times when you would hear the thunderous applause and joyful shouts of fans as their team won a crucial game. That's the type of atmosphere this Psalm is speaking of. The writer was calling on people everywhere to give God the applause He rightly deserves. (vs 1-2) What was the special reason God's people had for clapping their hands with joy? (vs 3-4)

God had given them victory and a heritage. He had given them security. Verses 5-7 describe the sounds of a joyful parade - much like the triumphant open-top bus parade football teams do when they've won the cup. What do vs 8-9 tell us about God that also show why He is worthy of our applause?

The writer says He is not just the God of Israel – He is God over all the nations of the world. Using the football picture again, God isn't just champion of a local league – He has won the World Cup! He is supreme over all Kings and nations. Do we remember that when we come to Him in prayer? A hymn once said “You are coming to a KING – large requests you can bring!”

But this Psalm wasn’t just for Old Testament saints. Christians are privileged to see how wonderfully more it applies to what God has done since it was written. The Psalm writer said 'God has gone up with a shout, and with the sound of a trumpet'. Scenes of rejoicing like that happened when King David brought the Ark to Jerusalem in 2 Samuel 6:15. (The Ark was a chest that contained the symbols of God's promises to His people). But Christians can rejoice because God brought Jesus up from the grave and took Him up to heaven itself. Listen to how Paul puts that in Ephesians 1:19-22. He says:

“I pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honour at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now Jesus is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else - not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.” Ephesians 1:19-22

This is why Jesus receives great applause even in heaven itself. In Revelation 4:11 we read how majestic angels continually praise God saying “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty - the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” Then in Chapter 5:11 the man who saw this vision of heaven says: “I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea; they sang: 'Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.'” That lamb is the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who was sacrificed for our sins to reconcile us to the Father.

God is worthy of our most joyful applause! Yes, worship should always be reverent – but it should also be exuberant! Our God has done marvellous things. He created the universe - and He has conquered the grave on our behalf. Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy!