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Psalm 47 is the 47th psalm of the
Book of Psalms The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived f ...
, beginning in English in the
King James Version The King James Version (KJV), also the King James Bible (KJB) and the Authorized Version, is an Bible translations into English, English translation of the Christian Bible for the Church of England, which was commissioned in 1604 and publis ...
: "O clap your hands". The Book of Psalms is the third section of the
Hebrew Bible The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;"Tanach"
''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''.
Hebrew: ''Tān ...
, and a book of the
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
Old Testament The Old Testament (often abbreviated OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew writings by the Israelites. The ...
. In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek
Septuagint The Greek Old Testament, or Septuagint (, ; from the la, septuaginta, lit=seventy; often abbreviated ''70''; in Roman numerals, LXX), is the earliest extant Greek translation of books from the Hebrew Bible. It includes several books beyond th ...
and Latin
Vulgate The Vulgate (; also called (Bible in common tongue), ) is a late-4th-century Latin translation of the Bible. The Vulgate is largely the work of Jerome who, in 382, had been commissioned by Pope Damasus I to revise the Gospels u ...
translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 46. In Latin, it is known as "Omnes gentes plaudite manibus". The psalm is a hymn psalm. It is one of twelve psalms attributed to the sons of Korah, and one of fifty-five psalms addressed to the "Chief Musician" or "Conductor". The psalm forms a regular part of
Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
,
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
,
Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...
,
Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
and other Protestant liturgies. It has often been
set to music Set, The Set, SET or SETS may refer to: Science, technology, and mathematics Mathematics *Set (mathematics), a collection of elements *Category of sets, the category whose objects and morphisms are sets and total functions, respectively Electro ...
, notably by
Heinrich Schütz Heinrich Schütz (; 6 November 1672) was a German early Baroque composer and organist, generally regarded as the most important German composer before Johann Sebastian Bach, as well as one of the most important composers of the 17th century. He ...
,
Ralph Vaughan Williams Ralph Vaughan Williams, (; 12 October 1872– 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies, written over ...
,
John Rutter John Milford Rutter (born 24 September 1945) is an English composer, conductor, editor, arranger, and record producer, mainly of choral music. Biography Born on 24 September 1945 in London, the son of an industrial chemist and his wife, Rutte ...
and Oskar Gottlieb Blarr.


Background

In Jewish tradition, Psalm 47 is one of 12 psalms attributed to the sons of Korah. It is also classified as part of the "Elohistic Psalter" (Psalms 42–83), which includes psalms referring to God as
Elohim ''Elohim'' (: ), the plural of (), is a Hebrew word meaning "gods". Although the word is plural, in the Hebrew Bible it usually takes a singular verb and refers to a single deity, particularly (but not always) the God of Israel. At other times ...
rather than
YHWH The Tetragrammaton (; ), or Tetragram, is the four-letter Hebrew theonym (transliterated as YHWH), the name of God in the Hebrew Bible. The four letters, written and read from right to left (in Hebrew), are ''yodh'', '' he'', ''waw'', and '' ...
. Psalm 47 is also grouped with other psalms that declare God's kingship, as stated in verse 7. In Christian scholarship, Psalm 47 is one of seven " enthronement psalms" which refer to the crowning of God as king at a festive occasion. It has also been suggested that the theme of Psalm 47 is "universal rejoicing for God's universal reign". According to Christian scholars, verse 6 (verse 5 in the
KJV The King James Version (KJV), also the King James Bible (KJB) and the Authorized Version, is an English translation of the Christian Bible for the Church of England, which was commissioned in 1604 and published in 1611, by sponsorship of K ...
), "God has gone up with a shout", indicates that the psalm was written when King David brought the
Ark of the Covenant The Ark of the Covenant,; Ge'ez: also known as the Ark of the Testimony or the Ark of God, is an alleged artifact believed to be the most sacred relic of the Israelites, which is described as a wooden chest, covered in pure gold, with an e ...
to
Mount Zion Mount Zion ( he, הַר צִיּוֹן, ''Har Ṣīyyōn''; ar, جبل صهيون, ''Jabal Sahyoun'') is a hill in Jerusalem, located just outside the walls of the Old City (Jerusalem), Old City. The term Mount Zion has been used in the Hebrew ...
. Alternately, it is an allusion to the
Ascension of Jesus The Ascension of Jesus (anglicized from the Vulgate la, ascensio Iesu, lit=ascent of Jesus) is the Christian teaching that Christ physically departed from Earth by rising to Heaven, in the presence of eleven of his apostles. According to the N ...
to the heavenly Zion after completing his mission on earth.


Themes

This psalm is an expansion of the thought underlying Psalm 46:10: ''Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!'' It is all the nations of the world who are addressed. Psalm 47 includes allusions to
Rosh Hashanah Rosh HaShanah ( he, רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, , literally "head of the year") is the Jewish New Year. The biblical name for this holiday is Yom Teruah (, , lit. "day of shouting/blasting") It is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days (, , " ...
, the day of judgment in Judaism. Verse 6, which cites the
shofar A shofar ( ; from he, שׁוֹפָר, ) is an ancient musical horn typically made of a ram's horn, used for Jewish religious purposes. Like the modern bugle, the shofar lacks pitch-altering devices, with all pitch control done by varying the ...
that is blown on Rosh Hashanah, further hints at God ascending his thrones of judgment and mercy, themes that resonate with the day of judgment. The connection is explained in the
Midrash ''Midrash'' (;"midrash"
''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''.
he, מִדְרָשׁ; ...
:
Yehuda bar Nahmani began in the name of
Shimon ben Lakish Shim‘on ben Lakish ( he, שמעון בן לקיש; arc, שמעון בר לקיש ''Shim‘on bar Lakish'' or ''bar Lakisha''), better known by his nickname Reish Lakish (c. 200 — c. 275), was an amora who lived in the Roman province of Juda ...
: "Elohim ascends amidst shouting, YHWH to the blast of the shofar" (Psalms 47:6). When the Holy One ascends to sit on the throne of judgment, it is in order to render strict justice, as it says, "Elohim ascends amidst shouting". When the Jews take up their shofars and sound them, immediately "YHWH to the blast of the shofar". What does the Holy One do? Arises from the throne of judgment, sits on the throne of mercy, is filled with mercy towards them and transforms the attribute of strict justice into the attribute of mercy for their sake. When? On Rosh Hashanah (Leviticus Rabbah 29:3).
Verse 6 also alludes to the trumpet or shofar blowing at the conclusion of the holiday of
Yom Kippur Yom Kippur (; he, יוֹם כִּפּוּר, , , ) is the holiest day in Judaism and Samaritanism. It occurs annually on the 10th of Tishrei, the first month of the Hebrew calendar. Primarily centered on atonement and repentance, the day's ...
, when the
Divine Presence Divine presence, presence of God, Inner God, or simply presence is a concept in religion, spirituality, and theology that deals with the ability of God to be "present" with human beings. According to some types of monotheism God is omnipresent; h ...
, which has rested upon the Jewish people throughout the day of atonement, returns to heaven. This verse can be translated, "God ascends with a teruah", '' teruah'' being a reference to the sound of the shofar.


Text


Hebrew Bible version

Following is the Hebrew text of Psalm 47:


Christian Standard Bible

# Clap your hands all you peoples; shout to God with a jubilant cry. # For the LORD, the Most High is awe-inspiring; a great King over the whole earth. # He subdues peoples under us, and nations under our feet. # He chooses for us our inheritance- the pride of Jacob, whom he loves.
Selah (; hbo, סֶלָה, selā) is a word used 74 times in the Hebrew Bible. Its etymology and precise meaning are unknown, though various interpretations are given. It is probably either a liturgical-musical mark or an instruction on the reading ...
. # God ascends among shouts of joy, the LORD, with the sound of trumpets. # Sing praise to God, sing praise: sing praise to our King, sing praise. # Sing a song of wisdom, for God is King of the whole earth. # God reigns over the nations: God is seated on his holy throne. # The nobles of the peoples have assembled with the people of the God of Abraham. For the leaders of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted.


Uses


Judaism

Psalm 47 is recited seven times prior to the
shofar A shofar ( ; from he, שׁוֹפָר, ) is an ancient musical horn typically made of a ram's horn, used for Jewish religious purposes. Like the modern bugle, the shofar lacks pitch-altering devices, with all pitch control done by varying the ...
blowing on
Rosh Hashanah Rosh HaShanah ( he, רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, , literally "head of the year") is the Jewish New Year. The biblical name for this holiday is Yom Teruah (, , lit. "day of shouting/blasting") It is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days (, , " ...
. These seven repetitions correspond to the seven mentions of
Elohim ''Elohim'' (: ), the plural of (), is a Hebrew word meaning "gods". Although the word is plural, in the Hebrew Bible it usually takes a singular verb and refers to a single deity, particularly (but not always) the God of Israel. At other times ...
(God) in this psalm, as well as allude to the seven heavens which God created. Verse 6 is one of the ten verses included in the grouping known as '' Shofarot'' (verses related to shofar-blowing), recited during the
Mussaf Mussaf (also spelled Musaf or Musof) is an additional service that is recited on Shabbat, Yom Tov, Chol Hamoed, and Rosh Chodesh. The service, which is traditionally combined with the Shacharit in synagogues, is considered to be additional to the ...
prayer on both days of Rosh Hashanah. According to the
Siddur A siddur ( he, סִדּוּר ; plural siddurim ) is a Jewish prayer book containing a set order of daily prayers. The word comes from the Hebrew root , meaning 'order.' Other terms for prayer books are ''tefillot'' () among Sephardi Jews, ' ...
''Avodas Yisrael'', Psalm 47 is recited as the Song of the Day on the second day of Rosh Hashanah.


Christianity

Since the line "God is gone up with a shout" has been related to the
Ascension of Jesus The Ascension of Jesus (anglicized from the Vulgate la, ascensio Iesu, lit=ascent of Jesus) is the Christian teaching that Christ physically departed from Earth by rising to Heaven, in the presence of eleven of his apostles. According to the N ...
, the psalm is used in liturgies on this feast day.


Anglican Church

In the Anglican Church's
Book of Common Prayer The ''Book of Common Prayer'' (BCP) is the name given to a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion and by other Christian churches historically related to Anglicanism. The original book, published in 1549 in the reign ...
, Psalm 47 is part of the Evening Prayer on Day 9, along with
Psalm 48 Psalm 48 is the 48th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint ver ...
and
Psalm 49 Psalm 49 is the 49th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint vers ...
.


Musical settings

The psalm and selected verses have often been set to music, focusing on the call to clap and sing, and related to the line "God is gone up with a shout" which has been related to the
Ascension of Jesus The Ascension of Jesus (anglicized from the Vulgate la, ascensio Iesu, lit=ascent of Jesus) is the Christian teaching that Christ physically departed from Earth by rising to Heaven, in the presence of eleven of his apostles. According to the N ...
.
Heinrich Schütz Heinrich Schütz (; 6 November 1672) was a German early Baroque composer and organist, generally regarded as the most important German composer before Johann Sebastian Bach, as well as one of the most important composers of the 17th century. He ...
set the psalm in German as part with the text from the
Becker Psalter The ''Becker Psalter'' is a German metrical psalter authored by the Leipzig theologian Cornelius Becker and first published by Jakob Apel in Leipzig in 1602 under the title ''Der Psalter Davids Gesangweis''. Several composers set the psalms contai ...
, "Frohlockt mit Freud, ihr Völker all", for choir as his SWV 144.
Marc-Antoine Charpentier Marc-Antoine Charpentier (; 1643 – 24 February 1704) was a French Baroque composer during the reign of Louis XIV. One of his most famous works is the main theme from the prelude of his ''Te Deum'', ''Marche en rondeau''. This theme is still us ...
set in 1683 - 85 one ''"Omnes gentes plaudite manibus"'' H.192, for 3 voices, 2 treble instruments and continuo.
Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...
began a cantata for Ascension with three verses from the psalm, ''Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen'', BWV 43, first performed in 1726.
Carl Martin Reinthaler Carl Martin Reinthaler (13 October 1822 – 13 February 1896) was a German organist, conductor and composer. Alternative spellings include Karl Martin Reinthaler and Carl Martin Rheinthaler. Biography Reinthaler was born in Erfurt. He received ...
set the complete psalm in German for choir, ''Frohlocket mit Händen, alle Völker''. In 1904,
Florent Schmitt Florent Schmitt (; 28 September 187017 August 1958) was a French composer. He was part of the group known as Les Apaches. His most famous pieces are ''La tragédie de Salome'' and ''Psaume XLVII'' (Psalm 47). He has been described as "one of the ...
composed a setting for soprano solo, choir, organ and orchestra, called ''Psaume XLVII''.
Orlando Gibbons Orlando Gibbons ( bapt. 25 December 1583 – 5 June 1625) was an English composer and keyboard player who was one of the last masters of the English Virginalist School and English Madrigal School. The best known member of a musical famil ...
(1583-1625) set the psalm in English for choir.
Ralph Vaughan Williams Ralph Vaughan Williams, (; 12 October 1872– 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies, written over ...
set the psalm in English in 1920 as '' O clap your hands'', a
motet In Western classical music, a motet is mainly a vocal musical composition, of highly diverse form and style, from high medieval music to the present. The motet was one of the pre-eminent polyphonic forms of Renaissance music. According to Margar ...
for chorus and orchestra. Lili Wieruszowski (1899-1971) also composed a musical setting for the psalm. John Rutter set verses 1 to 7, '' O clap your hands'', for choir and organ or orchestra in 1973. Oskar Gottlieb Blarr composed a setting for soprano, tenor, choir (ad lib.), trumpet, trombone, percussion (steel drums), violin, harp and double bass in 1998.
Rory Cooney Rory is a given name of Gaelic origin. It is an anglicisation of the ga, Ruairí/''Ruaidhrí'' and gd, Ruairidh and is common to the Irish, Highland Scots and their diasporas. for the given name "Rory". The meaning of the name is "red king", ...
set ''Psalm 47 for Ascension'', subtitled ''God Mounts His Throne'' in 2003, scored for soloist, three-part choir, the assembly, and brass. It can also be performed in a reduced version with guitar accompaniment. Many hymns are modelled after Psalm 47. They include the English ''The Universal Sovereignty of Christ'' with the
incipit The incipit () of a text is the first few words of the text, employed as an identifying label. In a musical composition, an incipit is an initial sequence of notes, having the same purpose. The word ''incipit'' comes from Latin and means "it beg ...
"Rejoice, ye people, homage give", published in 1902, and the German "Völker aller Land", written by
Georg Thurmair Georg Thurmair (7 February 1909 – 20 January 1984) was a German poet who wrote around 300 hymns, a writer, journalist and author of documentary films. Career Born in Munich, he took commercial training and worked from 1926 as a secretary at the ...
in 1964 and revised 1971, when it was selected to appear in the German Catholic hymnal ''Gotteslob'' of 1975.GL 556 Völker aller Land, Gotteslob, 1975 Even more hymns pick up topics from Psalm 47, including "
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty" is a Christian hymn based on Joachim Neander's German-language hymn "Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren", published in 1680. John Julian (priest), John Julian in his ''A Dictionary of Hymnology'' c ...
", which paraphrases verses 6–9.


References


External links

* * * Text of Psalm 47 according to th
1928 Psalter


text in Hebrew and English, mechon-mamre.org
All you peoples, clap your hands
text and footnotes, usccb.org United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

introduction and text, biblestudytools.com
Psalm 47
enduringword.com
Psalm 47 / Refrain: O sing praises to God, sing praises.
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...

Psalm 47
at biblegateway.com
Hymns for Psalm 47
hymnary.org {{authority control 047 Ascension of Jesus