1O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
2For the Lord most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.
3He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet.
4He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.
5God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
6Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.
7For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.
8God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.
9The 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.
📖 Chapter study
Summary
A short, vibrant song that calls all peoples to clap their hands and praise God as King over all the earth, who has gone up with a shout and the sound of a trumpet.
Explanation
This psalm celebrates God's universal reign over all nations, not just Israel — a remarkable claim considering that, historically, Israel was a small nation surrounded by much larger empires. The language of 'going up' with shouting and trumpet is traditionally associated with celebrations of God's enthronement as King, possibly linked to festivals in the Jewish calendar. Today's application: the Bible does not portray God as a tribal deity limited to one people but as sovereign over all humanity, which broadens the scope of worship beyond ethnic or national boundaries.
Fun facts
- This psalm is traditionally recited in Jewish liturgy for Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), precisely because of its emphasis on God's universal kingship and the sound of the trumpet (associated with the shofar, the ram's horn used in that festival).
- The phrase 'the people of the God of Abraham' (v.9) is one of the rare direct mentions of Abraham within the book of Psalms, connecting Israelite worship to the ancient patriarchal promise of Genesis.