Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 47:2
For the LORD most high [is] terrible; [he is] a great King over all the earth.
2. We may also render as in R.V. marg.,
For the Lord is most high (and) terrible,
or better still,
For Jehovah, the Most High, the terrible,
Is a great King over all the earth,
for the universal sovereignty of Jehovah is the prominent thought of the Psalm. He is not merely King of Israel ( Psa 47:6) but King of all the earth ( Psa 47:7). It is to Him that the title ‘great King,’ so arrogantly assumed by the king of Assyria (Isa 36:4), really belongs. This verse links together Psa 46:4 and Psa 48:2. For the epithet ‘terrible’ cp. Psa 76:7; Psa 76:12; Exo 15:11; Deu 7:21; Deu 10:17.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For the Lord most high – Yahweh, the Most High God; that is, who is exalted above all other beings. Compare Exo 18:11; 1Ch 16:25 Psa 96:4; 2Ch 2:5; Psa 95:3.
Is terrible – literally, is to be feared; that is, reverenced and adored. There is an idea in the words terrible and terror which is not contained in the original, as if there were something harsh, severe, stern, in his character. The word in the original does not go beyond the notion of inspiring reverence or awe, and is the common word by which the worship of God is designated in the Scriptures. The meaning is, that he is worthy of profound reverence or adoration.
He is a great king over all the earth – He rules the world. He is a universal Sovereign. The immediate occasion of saying this, when the psalm was composed, was evidently some victory (which had been achieved over the enemies of the people of God) so decided, and so immediately by the divine power, as to prove that he has absolute control over all nations.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 2. For the Lord most high is terrible] He has insufferable majesty, and is a great King-the mightiest of all emperors, for he is Sovereign over the whole earth.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Most high is terrible; or, is most high (in himself, above all gods) and (which conjunction is off understood) terrible, to all his enemies.
A great King over all the earth; the universal Monarch of the whole world, and not of Israel only.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2, 3. His universal sovereigntynow exists, and will be made known.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For the Lord most high [is] terrible,…. Christ is not only the Son of the Highest, but he himself is the most high God, God over all, blessed for ever. He is higher than the highest, than the angels in heaven, or any of the sons of men on earth. He is the high and lofty One, that dwells in the high and lofty place. And even this character agrees with him as the ascended Lord and King in his human nature; he is ascended on high, is set down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. He is highly exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour; he is made higher than the heavens, and than the kings of the earth are; angels, authorities, and powers, are subject to him. And this is a reason exciting all the people to joy and gladness. And he is “terrible” to his enemies, being the Lion of the tribe of Judah; who will rule the nations with a rod of iron, and break them in pieces as a potter’s vessel: and so he will be when he shall come in the clouds of heaven, land descend from thence, in flaming fire, to take vengeance on those who have despised and rejected him; and at the same time will be glorious to and admired by them that believe in him. His appearance, which will be terrible to others, will be matter of joy to them. Though the word used may be rendered as it is in Ps 111:9; “reverend” or “to be feared” b, as he is; see Isa 8:13; both on account of his goodness, as the Redeemer and Saviour of his people, Ho 3:5; and of his greatness, being equal with God, and King of saints. As it follows;
[he is] a great King over all the earth; as he must needs be, since he is the great God and our Saviour; and is King of kings, and Lord of lords. He is now King of Zion, and head over all things to the church; and before long the kingdoms of this world will become his, and he will take to himself his great power and reign, and shall be King over all the earth openly and visibly; he shall be one, and his name One,
Zec 14:9; which is another reason for joy and gladness among the people.
b “reverendus”, Junius Tremellius “timendus est”, Coccius; “venerandus”, Michaelis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Since, then, no servitude is happy and desirable but that by which God subdues and brings under the standard and authority of Christ his Son those who before were rebels, it follows that this language is applicable only to the kingdom of Christ, who is called a high and terrible King, (verse 2;) not that he makes the wretched beings over whom he reigns to tremble by the tyranny and violence of his sway, but because his majesty, which before had been held in contempt, will suffice to quell the rebellion of the whole world. It is to be observed, that the design of the Holy Spirit is here to teach, that as the Jews had been long contumeliously treated, oppressed with wrongs, and afflicted from time to time with divers calamities, the goodness and liberality of God towards them was now so much the more illustrious, when the kingdom of David had subdued the neighboring nations on every sidle, and had attained to such a height of glory. We may, however, easily gather from the connection of the words the truth of what I have suggested, that when God is called a terrible and great King over all the earth, this prophecy applies to the kingdom of Christ. There is, therefore, no doubt, that the grace of God was celebrated by these titles, to strengthen the hearts of the godly during the period that intervened till the advent of Christ, in which not only the triumphant state of the people of Israel had fallen into decay, but in which also the people, being oppressed with the bitterest contumely, could have no taste of the favor of God, and no consolation from it, but by relying on the promises of God alone. We know that there was a long interruption of the splendor of the kingdom of God’s ancient people, which continued from the death of Solomon to the coming of Christ. This interval formed, as it were, a gulf or chasm, which would have swallowed up the minds of the godly, had they not been supported and upheld by the Word of God. As, therefore, God exhibited in the person of David a type of the kingdom of Christ, which is here extolled, although there followed shortly after a sad and almost shameful diminution of the glory of David’s kingdom, then the most grievous calamities, and, finally, the captivity and a most miserable dispersion, which differed little from a total destruction, the Holy Spirit has exhorted the faithful to continue clapping their hands for joy, until the advent of the promised Redeemer.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(2) Most high.Or, possibly, a predicate, is exalted.
Terrible.Literally, feared. (Comp. 2Ch. 20:29).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 47:2. The Lord most high is terrible Is to be fearedto be reveredto be held in awe. Fenwick, Mudge, &c.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 47:2 For the LORD most high [is] terrible; [he is] a great King over all the earth.
Ver. 2. For the Lord most high is terrible ] Amiable to his own, terrible to his rebels. This Son, if not kissed, will be angry, Psa 2:12 This Lamb, for a need, can show himself a lion; as he is the Father of mercies, so the God of recompenses, &c., and being most high, he can easily overtop and subdue the stoutest of his enemies.
He is a great King over all the earth
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
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 (Isa 36:4).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
is terrible: Psa 65:5, Psa 66:3-5, Psa 68:35, Psa 76:12, Psa 99:3, Psa 145:6, Deu 7:21, Deu 28:58, Neh 1:5, Nah 1:6, Nah 1:7, Rev 6:16, Rev 6:17
a great: Psa 47:7, Psa 22:27-29, Psa 95:3, Dan 7:13, Dan 7:14, Mal 1:14, Mat 28:18, Phi 2:9-11
Reciprocal: 2Ki 18:28 – the king of Assyria 2Ch 20:6 – rulest not Neh 9:32 – our God Psa 97:5 – the Lord of Psa 103:19 – his kingdom Jer 20:11 – a mighty Jer 48:15 – saith Dan 5:18 – the most Zec 14:9 – the Lord Mat 6:13 – thine 1Ti 6:15 – who Rev 19:6 – for