Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 47:8
God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.
8. God hath proclaimed himself king over the nations,
God hath taken his seat upon his holy throne.
The verbs express not merely a fact but an act. God was King, but He has given fresh proof of it. He has caused Himself to be acknowledged King, and taken His seat upon His throne to judge and rule (Psa 103:19). Cp. Rev 11:15.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
8, 9. The final realisation of Jehovah’s sovereignty over the world.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
God reigneth over the heathen – Over the nations; not over the heathen in the sense in which that term is understood now. It does not mean that God reigns, or that he has set up his throne over the people that have not the true religion, but that he is exalted over the nations of the earth as such; or, that he has universal dominion. See the notes at Psa 46:10.
God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness – Upon his holy throne, The idea is, that his government is established in holiness or justice.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 8. God reigneth over the heathen] Though this is literally true in God’s universal dominion, yet more is here meant. God reigns over the heathen when, by the preaching of the Gospel, they are brought into the Church of Christ.
God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.] He is a holy God; he proclaims holiness. His laws are holy, he requires holiness, and his genuine people are all holy. The throne of his holiness is the heaven of heavens; also the temple at Jerusalem; and, lastly, the hearts of the faithful.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Over the heathen, i.e. over all heathen nations, as being the King of all the earth, Psa 47:7; which was not true in Davids time, but; was fulfilled by Christ.
God sitteth upon the throne, to wit, as Judge and King, exercising dominion, or reigning, as he now said; this being only another expression of the same thing. And this holy throne is either,
1. The ark, upon which God was said to sit to govern the Israelites. Or rather,
2. Heaven; which is oft called Gods
throne, Psa 11:4; Isa 66:1, whence God is said to behold and to rule all nations; of which general dominion of God he here speaks. And here Christ sits at his Fathers right hand for that purpose.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8, 9. The instruction continued.
throne of . . . holinessor,”holy throne” (see on Ps2:6; Ps 23:4).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
God reigneth over the Heathen,…. He reigned over Israel under the former dispensation, and now he reigns over the Gentiles under the Gospel dispensation; as appears by the numerous instances of conversion among them in the first ages of Christianity; and by the many churches that were planted by the means of the apostles; and by the destruction of the Roman Pagan empire under the sixth seal, Re 6:12; and which will still more appear by the destruction of Rome Papal, when all the Heathens shall perish out of the land; and by the fulness and forces of the Gentiles being brought into a submission to him; all which are reasons to sing praises to him;
God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness; or his holy throne, which is heaven; on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; on his Father’s throne; having done his work on earth he is received up into heaven, and is set down on a throne at the right hand of God, an honour which none of the angels have: he has ceased from his work and entered into his rest, and sits and sees of the travail of his soul; all which is matter of joy to his people, and a reason why they should sing praises; and the rather, since they are set down with him in heavenly places: or this may be understood of his sitting on the throne of judgment to judge the world in righteousness at the last day, it following upon his reign over the Gentiles; though the other sense best agrees with his immediate ascension to heaven.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
8. He hath obtained the kingdom over the heathen Literally it is, He hath reigned; but as the verb מלך, malach, is in the past tense, which in Hebrew denotes a continued act, we have translated it, He hath obtained the kingdom The prophet repeatedly informs us that God reigns over the Gentiles; and from this it is easy to gather that he here treats of a new and a previously unheard of manner of reigning. There is an implied contrast between the time of the Law, when God confined his empire, or kingdom, within the boundaries of Judea, and the coming of Christ, when he extended it far and wide, so as to occupy the whole world from one end to the other. The majesty of God sent forth some sparks of its brightness among the heathen nations, when David made them tributary; but the prophet could not, on that account, have properly said that God reigned among them, since they both contemned his worship and the true religion, and also wished to see the Church completely extinguished. To find the fulfillment of this prophecy, we must, therefore, necessarily come to Christ. What is added in the second clause of the verse, God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness, may be taken in a twofold sense. By this form of expression is often to be understood the tabernacle, or the temple; but it also sometimes signifies heaven. If any are inclined to explain it of the temple, the meaning will be, That while God reigned over the whole world, and comprehended all nations under his dominion, he had established his chief seat at Jerusalem; and it was from thence that the doctrine of the gospel, by which he has brought under his dominion all people, flowed. We may, however, very properly take this expression as spoken of heaven; and thus the sense will be, That God, in stretching forth his hand to subdue men, and bring them to submit to his authority, evidently shows that, from his heavenly throne, he reigns over men. Unless he show men his power and working by signs manifest and near at hand, he is not acknowledged as Governor of the world.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
8. God reigneth over heathen , ( goyim,) Gentiles, heathen nations, and in Psa 47:2; Psa 47:8, “king over all the earth” Psa 47:4, “ peoples.” This Jehovistic reign was fully vindicated of old by calling or defending his Church in the midst of hostile nations. Thus he displayed his sovereign power over Egypt, the nations of Canaan, Syria, Assyria, Babylon, and Arabia. But the language takes a prophetic form, and is fully realized only in the call and gathering of the nations under Messiah’s reign into one spiritual commonwealth, so often and strongly brought out by the great apostle to the Gentiles. See Eph 1:10; Eph 2:11-19; Eph 3:10.
God sitteth upon the throne To which he had ascended, (Psa 47:5,) and where he receives the homage and submission of the nations.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
How beautiful, and especially to us poor Gentiles, is the view, that the Holy Ghost, for the most part, always blends with the relation of Israel’s salvation, the interest the Gentile church hath in the same. Sweet thought! they are joined and gathered together, as Abraham’s seed, to the same glorious Shiloh. Precious Jesus! hasten the fulness of the Gentiles, that all Israel may be saved, and thou be crowned universal Lord of all. Gen 49:10 ; Joh 11:51-52 ; Gal 3:28-29 ; Rom 11:25-26 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 47:8 God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.
Ver. 8. God reigneth over the heathen ] This is his universal kingdom, whereof before, Psa 47:7 , and yet never can too much be said of it.
God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
reigneth = hath become king.
heathen = nations.
throne of His holiness = His holy Throne. Genitive of Character.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
reigneth: Psa 22:27-29, Psa 93:1, Psa 96:10, Psa 97:1, Psa 99:1, Psa 110:6, 1Ch 16:31, Rev 19:6
throne: Psa 9:4, Psa 45:6, Psa 45:7, Psa 48:1, Psa 89:14, Psa 94:20, Heb 4:16, Rev 20:11
Reciprocal: 2Ch 20:6 – rulest not Psa 22:28 – General Psa 47:7 – King Psa 48:2 – the city Eze 43:7 – the place of my throne Eph 5:19 – making
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 47:8. God reigneth over the heathen Over all heathen nations. He is not only our King, and therefore we owe our homage to him, but he is King of all the earth, Psa 47:7, and therefore in every place the incense of praise ought to be offered to him. God, as Creator, and the God of nature and providence, reigns even over the heathen, and disposeth of them and all their affairs as he pleaseth, though they know him not, nor have any regard to him. God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness Namely, as Judge and King, exercising dominion, or reigning, as was now said. Heaven is often called Gods throne, whence God is said to behold and to rule all nations; of which general dominion of God he here speaks. And Christ sits at his Fathers right hand for that purpose.