1.
O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
Title. A Psalm. Hebrew. mizmor. See App-65 . Referring to the time of Hezekiah. One of three Psalms (46, 47, 48) in praise of Zion, delivered from Sennacherib's siege.
for the sons of Korah. The fourth of nine so ascribed. See note on 42, and App-65 .
people = peoples.
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
2.
For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
MOST HIGH. Hebrew. Elyon. App-4 .
terrible = to be reverenced.
a great King. This in special contrast with Sennacherib (Isaiah 36:4 ).
3.
He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet.
He shall subdue = may He subdue.
nations = tribes of men.
4.
He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.
shall choose = chooseth: referring to Israel's inheritance. Repeat this verb at the beginning of the next line.
Selah. Connecting the consideration of what God had done for Hezekiah and Zion and the exaltation claimed in Psalms 46:10 with the exaltation given in Psalms 47:5 , Psalms 47:9 ( App-66 .).
5.
God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
gone up = exalted, as in Psalms 47:9 (same word).
6.
Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.
Sing praises. Figure of speech Epanadiplosis , the verse beginning and ending with the same word.
praises. Pl of majesty = great praise. Note the Figure of speech Repetitio , for emphasis.
to God. Some codices, with Septuagint and Vulgate, read "to our God".
7.
For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.
of. Some codices, with two early printed editions, read "over", as in Psalms 47:8 .
with understanding. Compare Psalms 49:3 and 1 Corinthians 14:15 , 1 Corinthians 14:16 .
8.
God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.
reigneth = hath become king.
heathen = nations.
throne of His holiness = His holy Throne. Genitive of Character.
9.
The 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.
Even. Perhaps better to supply Ellipsis ( App-6 ): "[unto] the People", or "[to be] a People". See the Structure, and Compare Psalms 47:4 .
shields. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Effect), for princes (in preceding line), or, for defenses in general Compare Psalms 89:18 (margin) and Hosea 4:18 (margin)
exalted. Compare Psalms 47:5 . This is the object of the Psalm connected with 46 by the Selah in Psalms 46:11 .