Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 47:3
He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet.
3, 4. It is difficult to decide what is the exact force of the tenses in these verses. The most probable rendering (see Driver’s Tenses, 83 f., 173) appears to be either (1). He subdued the peoples under us He chose our inheritance for us; referring to the settlement of Israel in Canaan as a proof of the universal sovereignty of Jehovah (Deu 32:8; Exo 19:5): or (2), He hath subdued hath chosen; referring to the recent triumph by which He had once more driven out the enemies of His people from the land, and proved that He had chosen it for their inheritance. The first explanation is preferable, for the second requires a somewhat forced sense to be given to hath chosen, which can hardly be justified even by Isa 14:1, Zec 1:17. Less satisfactory are the renderings subdueth chooseth (R.V. marg.), expressing a general truth, though not perhaps without reference to its illustration by recent events: and shall subdue shall choose, or may he subdue may he choose.
3 a . appears to be a reminiscence of Psa 18:47.
our inheritance ] The common word for Canaan as the possession destined for Jehovah’s firstborn son Israel (Exo 15:17; Deu 4:21; Deu 4:38; Jer 3:19; &c.).
the excellency ] Better, the pride of J., the land on which Israel prided itself. So the Temple is called “the pride of your power,” Eze 24:21.
whom he loved ] Jehovah’s love, not Israel’s merit, was the ground of the choice. Cp. Deu 4:37; Mal 1:2. R.V. marg. loveth is a less suitable rendering.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He shall subdue the people under us – Compare Psa 18:39, note; Psa 18:47, note. The word rendered subdue is that which commonly means to speak. The idea in the use of this word here is that he has only to speak and it is done (compare Psa 33:9), or that he could do it by a word. Compare, however, on the use of the word here, Gesenius (Lexicon), on the word – dabar, 2, Hiphil.
And the nations under our feet – That is, they shall be entirely or effectually subdued. See Psa 7:5, note; Psa 44:5, note. As God would enable them to do this, it was an occasion for thankfulness and triumph.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. He shall subdue the people under us] He shall do again for us what he had done for our forefathers-give us dominion over our enemies, and establish us in our own land. I would rather read this in the past tense, relative to what God did for their fathers in destroying the Canaanites, and giving them the promised land for their possession, and taking the people for his own inheritance. This is also applied to the conversion of the Gentiles, who, on the rejection of the Jews, have become his inheritance; and whom he has chosen to inherit all those spiritual blessings typified by the sacrifices and other significant rites and ceremonies of the Jewish Church.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Or, he shall lead like sheep; or, bring into the fold; as divers render the word, by comparing Isa 5:17; Mic 2:12. He seems to speak of such a subjugation of them, as was for the good of the people subdued, because this is matter of rejoicing to them, Psa 47:1; which is true both of these people whom David subdued, who thereby had opportunities, obligations, and encouragements to own and worship the true God, which was the only way to their true and lasting happiness; and especially of those Gentiles who were subdued to Christ by the preaching of the gospel. The Gentile converts were in some sort brought under the Jews, because they were subjected to Christ, and to his apostles, and to the primitive church, which were Jews. Or the psalmist may speak this in the name of the whole church, which then were Israelites only, but afterwards were madeup of Jews and Gentiles, unto which all particular believers were to submit themselves in and for the Lord.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. under usthat is, Hissaints; Israel’s temporal victories were types of the spiritualconquests of the true Church.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet. As Joshua, his type, subdued the Canaanites; and as David, another type of subdued the Syrians, Moabites, and others: the Jews from these words expect, that, in the times of the Messiah they look for, the Gentiles in a literal sense will be subdued by him, and become subject to them; but these, and all other expressions of the like kind, are to be understood in a spiritual sense; such as Isa 49:23; and which will have their accomplishment in the latter day, in the subjection of the Gentiles to the word and ordinances of the Gospel administered in his churches: though the passage here refers to the times following the ascension of Christ to heaven, when he went forth in the ministry of his apostles conquering and to conquer; and which he made use of to cause the people to fall under him, and to be willing to be saved by him; to submit to his righteousness, and to his ordinances, the sceptre of his kingdom; and which was causing them to triumph, and subduing the people under them, who through the Gospel preached by them became obedient by word and deed; and which was an occasion of joy even to the conquered ones.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
3. He hath set in order the people under us Some translate the verb he hath subjected; and this agrees with the translation which I have given. Others translate it he hath led, which is somewhat more remote from the meaning. But to understand the verb ידבר, yadebber, as meaning to destroy, as is done by others, is altogether at variance with the mind of the prophet; for it is doubtless an advantageous, joyful, and desirable subjection which is here meant. In the Hebrew, the verb is in the future tense, he will set in order; and if any are disposed to prefer retaining it in this tense, I have no great objection to it. As, however, it is certain that under the figure of the kingdom of David there is here celebrated the grace of God to come, I have readily adopted that rendering which has been preferred by other interpreters. Besides, although in this verse the prophet especially exhorts his own countrymen to gratitude to God, because, through his favor, they ruled over all people; yet it is certain that he means, that those also who were subdued are associated with the Jews in this joy. The body does not differ more from the shadow than the reigned expressions of joy with which the heathen nations honored David in old time, differ from those with which the faithful through the whole world (184) receive Christ,; for the latter flow from the willing obedience of the heart. And assuredly, if after the ark was brought to the temple, there had not appeared hidden under this figure something far higher, which formed the substance of it:, it would have been as it were a childish joy to assign to God his dwelling there, and to shut him up within such narrow limits. But when the majesty of God which had dwelt in the tabernacle was manifested to the whole world, and when all nations were brought in subjection to his authority, this prerogative of the offspring of Abraham was then illustriously manifested. The prophet, then, when he declares that the Gentiles Will be subdued, so that they will not refuse to obey the chosen people, is describing that kingdom of which he had previously spoken. We are not to suppose that he here treats of that secret providence by which God governs the whole world, but of the special power which he exercises by means of his word; and, therefore, in order that he may be properly called a King, his own people must necessarily acknowledge him as such. It may, however, be asked, “Since Christ has brought the Church under his own authority and celestial power, in what sense can it be said that the nations are subject to the Jews, seeing we know that the order of the Church cannot be settled aright, and as it ought to be, unless Christ the only head stand forth prominently above all, and all the faithful, from the greatest to the least, keep themselves in the humble rank of members? Nay, more, when Christ erected his dominion through the whole world, the adoption, which had before been the peculiar privilege of one people, began to be the common privilege of all nations; and by this means liberty was granted to all together, that being united to one another by the ties of true brotherhood, they should aspire to the celestial inheritance.” The answer to this is easy: When the yoke of the law, (185) was imposed upon the Gentiles, the Jews then obtained the sovereignty over them; even as by the word the pastors of the Church exercise the jurisdiction of the Holy Spirit. For this very reason the Church is called a Queen, and the Mother of all the godly, (Gal 4:26,) because divine truth, which is like a scepter to subdue us all, has been committed to her keeping. Although then the Jews, when the kingdom of Christ emerged into light, were in a state of wretched and ignominious servitude to heathen nations, and had been, as it were, their slaves; yet the sovereignty is truly and justly attributed to them, because God “sent the rod of his strength out of Zion,” (Psa 110:2😉 and as they were intrusted with the keeping of the la their office was to restrain and subdue the Gentiles by its authority. The only way by which the rest of the world has been brought into subjection to God is, that men, being renewed by the Spirit of God, have willingly yielded themselves docile and tractable to the Jews, and suffered themselves to be under their dominion; as it is said in another passage,
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In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew,saying, We will go with you;for we have heard that God is with you,” (Zec 8:23.)
(184) “ Par tout le monde.” — Fr.
(185) “ C’est a dire, la reformation selon la vraye religion de Dieu.” — Fr. marg. “That is to say, the reformation according to the true religion of God.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) Our inheritance.The LXX. read, his inheritance, suggesting that originally the passage may have run, He chooses us for His inheritance, an even commoner thought in the Hebrew mind than that of the present text, that Jehovah chose Canaan as an inheritance for Israel.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
(3, 4) Shall subdue . . . shall choose.Rather, subdues, chooses, indicating a continued manifestation of the Divine favour.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 47:3. He shall subdue, &c. The inspired author of the psalm takes occasion to praise God for calling the Gentiles in the time of the Messiah, which, by the Holy Spirit, was then revealed to him. As if he had said, “He, this great God, who is to be revered by all people, to whom all knees shall bow, who is constituted and appointed King over all the earth, he shall render all the nations of the world subject to the rules which shall be delivered under his authority by persons of our country; from whence his all-subduing law shall go forth.”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Two most glorious and comprehensive blessings are assigned for this great joy; the one is a risen and exalted Saviour, who will subdue all his and our foes; and the other is, he will prepare us a place to follow him. Observe, Reader, what a beautiful correspondence – there is between the Old Testament hopes, and the New Testament assurances: read what Jesus himself hath said upon this very subject, Joh 14:1-3 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 47:3 He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet.
Ver. 3. He shall subdue the people under us ] This was typified in the government of the Israelites, then ascendant in David’s days, but fulfilled when Christ rode abroad on his white horse, the apostles, conquering and to conquer, Rev 6:2 Quando Britannorum inaccessa Romanis loca Christo patuerint, as Tertullian hath it: Christ subdued the Britons and others, whom the victorious Romans could never come at. The Chaldee hath it, He shall kill the people under us, sc. with the sword of the Spirit, the word; “when the law came, sin revived, and I died,” Rom 7:9 . The Hebrew is, He shall speak the people under us; that is, he shall, by the preaching of the gospel, powerfully persuade Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem, Gen 9:27 . Tremellius rendereth it, Cogit in caulam populos, he gathereth the people into the fold, viz. that, there may be one sheepfold and one shepherd, as Joh 10:16 Eph 2:14 (Jun. ex Aben Ezra, and R. Judah).
And the nations under our feet
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
He shall subdue = may He subdue.
nations = tribes of men.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
subdue: Psa 18:47, Psa 81:14, Deu 33:29, *marg. Jos 21:44, Phi 3:21
our feet: Psa 110:1, Jos 10:24, Jos 10:25, 1Co 15:25
Reciprocal: Jos 19:51 – These are Jdg 4:23 – General Psa 49:14 – upright Psa 65:5 – terrible
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 47:3. He shall subdue the people under us Though this may be applied to the victories which God gave the Hebrews over the neighbouring people, yet the expressions are too magnificent to signify that only. To subdue the nations, seems to indicate something more than bringing a few neighbouring countries under the Hebrew government. And God certainly never intended to bring, nor, in fact, did he bring, the nations of the earth under the yoke of the Jewish people; who were far from being fit to have the rest of the world subjected to them. And therefore it is reasonable to conclude, that the bringing the nations of the earth to the knowledge and worship of Jehovah, and under subjection to the gospel, whereby, instead of being slaves, they were made free from the bondage of sin and death, was the great subject signified by these magnificent expressions. The Hebrew, , is literally, He shall speak the people under us, that is, shall conquer, and make them subject to us by his word, the rod of his strength, to be sent forth out of Zion, (Psa 110:2,) whereby the people were to be made willing in the day of his power; by the law, the gospel law, or word of the Lord, which was to go forth from Jerusalem, Isa 2:3. In consequence of our Lords ascension, his all-subduing word went forth, and, under its influence and direction, the convinced and converted nations renounced their idols and their lusts, and bowed their willing necks to the yoke of Jesus, and became his holy and happy subjects. This, says Dr. Horne, is that great conquest foreshowed by the victories of Joshua, David, and all the faithful heroes of old time, and foretold in language borrowed from their histories. And the nations under our feet The Gentile converts were in some sort brought under the Jews, because they were subjected to Christ and to his apostles, and to the primitive church, who were Jews. Or, rather, the psalmist speaks this in the name of the whole church, made up of Jews and Gentiles, unto which all particular believers were to submit themselves in and for the Lord.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
47:3 He shall {b} subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet.
(b) He has made the Jews who were the keepers of the law and prophets, schoolmasters to the Gentiles, that they would with gladness obey them.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
God showed His sovereignty by subduing nations to give the Israelites their inheritance in Canaan. When Jesus Christ returns to the earth, He will again exercise authority over all nations and exalt Israel among them (Mat 21:43; Rom 11:1-32).