Psalms of praise: Psalm 47–49, 84–85, 87

Many of the psalms have no author attributed to them, so we have a large group of ‘unallocated’ psalms that were written for (or by) the descendants of Korah.

We don’t know when they were written. Psalm 47 celebrates a time when Israel was (or will be) a dominant power, with God rather than man on the throne. It suggests a time of David or Solomon, or it look forwards to a future restored Israel when the princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham.

Psalm 47

Clap your hands, all you peoples;
shout to God with loud songs of joy.
For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome,
a great king over all the earth.
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 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 God is king 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.