This is a good week for me to write this blog, for it is my Dad's birthday - and it is hard to remember him as anything else than as a man of PRAISE. In Church you could hear him sing them loudly, at home you could always here him, like David and Paul, `in all circumstances, giving thanks' and praise to God. I know my Dad would have loved this Psalm.
Some theologians believe that Psalm 47 was written, like 46, after the Jews victory over the Assyrians. Others believe it was written when the Ark of the Covenant was being brought up into Jerusalem. There is also a disagreement about the author - David or the Sons of Korah?What there is no disagreement over is that it is definitely a psalm of JOY AND PRAISE. In fact, in Verse 6 we are told to `sing praises' 4 times. We are told to `clap our hands', publicly and cheerfully, shouting to God with `shouts of joy". Those people who are still alive to remember my Dad, can identify him as man who just loved to do this.
Why? Because, like David, the Sons of Korah and the people they were encouraging to sing praises, they knew who their God was - He was their majestic, sovereign God; their exalted, Redeemer and King - and my Dad knew this King PERSONALLY!
"God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the shouts of trumpets. SING PRAISES TO GOD, SING PRAISES; SING PRAISES TO OUR KING, SING PRAISES. For God is the King of all the earth; sing to Him a PSALM OF PRAISE." Psalm 37:5-7 (NLT)
Why were they singing Him these praises? Well it could have been because of their SALVATION from the Assyrians; or they could have been remembering their great SALVATION God brought them out of Egypt. Whatever it was, GOD WAS CLOSE TO THEIR HEARTS!
God continues to bring salvation for his people. He sent His Son Jesus to die for us, and this salvation is available for us today. We can know Jesus personally as we take him close to our hearts. We can continue to PRAISE! PRAISE! PRAISE! PRAISE!
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but will have everlasting life. For God sent His Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world, through Him, might be SAVED." John 3:16&17 (NIV)
CLAP YOUR HANDS - Read Verse 1
"Come everyone! Clap your hands! Shout to God with joyful praise!" Psalm 47:1 (NLT)
The Psalmist, filled with joy, calls others to join him in praise to God, In this time clapping of hands and shouting praises was a natural and enthusiastic way of showing someone they were pleased with their accomplishment. They were encouraged to do this cheerfully and vocally. Today we are encouraged to sing our praises to God in the same way.
This is what I miss most about my Dad. His praises came from the heart because he loved God and he wanted to share this love with others. But he didn't just do this vocally, he did this by giving this love to others. And it was natural and enthusiastic!
"O clap your hands. The voice of melody is not so much to be uttered with the tongue as with the hands. It is our deeds, not our words, by which God is to be praised." J.M Neale
GOD - PROVIDER & COMPASSIONATE - Read Verses 2-4
God showed his loved for his people Israel by providing for them in the wilderness. They are His proud inheritance. We too are his inheritance and He will continue to care and provide for us.
"God will choose our inheritance for us both on earth and for eternity. His choices are better than ours. He will leave us to the consequences of His choices. He will help us in obtaining that which He chooses for us." Matthew Henry
If we truly trust in the inheritance God has planned for us, we need to submit our WILLS, our CHOICES and our DESIRES wholly to him. This isn't always easy, especially when you are a person who has always done everything on your own, when you have always been `in charge', and when you trust in your own wealth; but our `best treasure lies in having a God in whom we can trust'- for it is only in Him will we receive our greatest inheritance.
"Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God." Mark 10:24&25 (NIV)
JESUS - OUR ASCENDED KING - Read Verses 5-8
Christians often sung this psalm on what was known as Ascension Sunday - the day they remembered when Jesus returned to Heaven after his death and resurrection. Again, we are encouraged to sing praises to our ascended King who sits on the throne watching over us, and waits for us to come to Him.
"Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in Heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-10 (NIV)
We are earnestly encouraged to praise our King again and again, not just to make melody in our heart, but with true understanding - considering the true greatness of our King Jesus. Sitting at His Father's right hand, our King Jesus has the same rule and dominion.
UNITY IN OUR CHURCHES - Read Verse 9
The writer finishes this psalm with a final prophecy. He speaks of the Jewish and Gentile leaders meeting together - as they are both highly honoured by God. They with all be worshipping the Lord together,
"The battle is not ours - it is the Lords. It will take his own time, but He will certainly achieve victory for His Church. Truth and righteousness shall be won by grace in the most rebellious and stubborn hearts. Jews and Gentiles will both `clap their hands' for victory will be theirs. The Church, with Christ as their head, will be the greatest of monarchies."
Charles Spurgeon - The Treasury of David
In Acts Chapter 10, we read how Peter, a devout Jew had a vision in which he was asked to go and kill meat and eat it - something he had grown up to believe was 'impure and unclean'. Three times he saw this vision and while he pondered over it, he had a visitor - Cornelius servant.
Cornelius was a Gentile, and he had received a visit from an angel who had told him to send a servant to Peter's house, and ask him to come to his home, for Peter had something important to tell him.
At this time, Jew and Gentiles did not associate with each other. When the servant arrived, Peter knew what his vision meant, and he went with the servant and was made welcome in Cornelius' home. He shared with him, his family and servants the message of the gospel. They were all saved, baptized and so began the Gentile Church, and later what would be the unified church - the New Testament Church of today, where people from all nations would worship the Lord together.
"Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit as we have? Acts 10:47 (NIV)
"All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed."
Revelation 15:4b (NIV)
CONCLUSION
What a joy will it be when all children of God - Gentile priests and God's chosen the Jews - will gather together at Jesus' feet, jointly giving Him praise and worship. What a wonderful day this will be, when I can join with my Dad, and all my other family who are already there, singing, shouting and clapping together PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE!
