4 He hath chosen our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.
Herein as to us has been manifested the love of God, that God has sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son a propitiation for our sins.
but God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love wherewith he loved us, (we too being dead in offences,) has quickened us with the Christ, (ye are saved by grace,)
For a holy people art thou unto Jehovah thy God: Jehovah thy God hath chosen thee to be unto him a people for a possession, above all the peoples that are upon the face of the earth. Not because ye were more in number than all the peoples, hath Jehovah been attached to you and chosen you, for ye are the fewest of all the peoples; but because Jehovah loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath Jehovah brought you out with a powerful hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
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Commentary on Psalms 47 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 47
Ps 47:1-9. Praise is given to God for victory, perhaps that recorded (2Ch 20:20-30); and His dominions over all people, Jews and Gentiles, is asserted.
1. clap … hands … people—literally, "peoples," or "nations" (compare De 32:43; Ps 18:49; 98:9).
2, 3. His universal sovereignty now exists, and will be made known.
3. under us—that is, His saints; Israel's temporal victories were types of the spiritual conquests of the true Church.
4. He shall … inheritance—the heathen to be possessed by His Church (Ps 2:8), as Canaan by the Jews.
excellency of Jacob—literally, "pride," or, that in which he glories (not necessarily, though often, in a bad sense), the privileges of the chosen people—
whom he loved—His love being the sole cause of granting them.
5-7. God, victorious over His enemies, reascends to heaven, amid the triumphant praises of His people, who celebrate His sovereign dominion. This sovereignty is what the Psalm teaches; hence he adds,
sing … praises with understanding—literally, "sing and play an instructive (Psalm)." The whole typifies Christ's ascension (compare Ps 68:18).
8, 9. The instruction continued.
throne of … holiness—or, "holy throne" (see on Ps 2:6; Ps 23:4).
9. princes—who represent peoples. For—
even—supply, "as," or, "to"—that is, they all become united under covenant with Abraham's God.
shields—as in Ho 4:18, "rulers" [Margin].