5 God hath gone up with a shout, Jehovah with the sound of a trumpet.
Lift up, O gates, your heads, And be lifted up, O doors age-during, And come in doth the king of glory! Who `is' this -- `the king of glory?' Jehovah -- strong and mighty, Jehovah, the mighty in battle. Lift up, O gates, your heads, And be lifted up, O doors age-during, And come in doth the king of glory! Who `is' He -- this `king of glory?' Jehovah of hosts -- He `is' the king of glory! Selah.
And the seven messengers who are having the seven trumpets did prepare themselves that they may sound; and the first messenger did sound, and there came hail and fire, mingled with blood, and it was cast to the land, and the third of the trees was burnt up, and all the green grass was burnt up. And the second messenger did sound, and as it were a great mountain with fire burning was cast into the sea, and the third of the sea became blood, and die did the third of the creatures that `are' in the sea, those having life, and the third of the ships were destroyed. And the third messenger did sound, and there fell out of the heaven a great star, burning as a lamp, and it did fall upon the third of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters, and the name of the star is called Wormwood, and the third of the waters doth become wormwood, and many of the men did die of the waters, because they were made bitter. And the fourth messenger did sound, and smitten was the third of the sun, and the third of the moon, and the third of the stars, that darkened may be the third of them, and that the day may not shine -- the third of it, and the night in like manner. And I saw, and I heard one messenger, flying in the mid-heaven, saying with a great voice, `Wo, wo, wo, to those dwelling upon the land from the rest of the voices of the trumpet of the three messengers who are about to sound.'
because John, indeed, baptized with water, and ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit -- after not many days.' They, therefore, indeed, having come together, were questioning him, saying, `Lord, dost thou at this time restore the reign to Israel?' and he said unto them, `It is not yours to know times or seasons that the Father did appoint in His own authority; but ye shall receive power at the coming of the Holy Spirit upon you, and ye shall be witnesses to me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and unto the end of the earth.' And these things having said -- they beholding -- he was taken up, and a cloud did receive him up from their sight; and as they were looking stedfastly to the heaven in his going on, then, lo, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, `Men, Galileans, why do ye stand gazing into the heaven? this Jesus who was received up from you into the heaven, shall so come in what manner ye saw him going on to the heaven.'
and it came to pass, in his blessing them, he was parted from them, and was borne up to the heaven; and they, having bowed before him, did turn back to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
They have seen Thy goings, O God, Goings of my God, my king, in the sanctuary. Singers have been before, Behind `are' players on instruments, In the midst virgins playing with timbrels.
The chariots of God `are' myriads, thousands of changes, The Lord `is' among them, in Sinai, in the sanctuary. Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast taken captive captivity, Thou hast taken gifts for men, That even the refractory may rest, O Jah God. Blessed `is' the Lord, day by day He layeth on us. God Himself `is' our salvation. Selah.
And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying, `Make to thee two trumpets of silver; beaten work thou dost make them, and they have been to thee for the convocation of the company, and for the journeying of the camps; and they have blown with them, and all the company have met together unto thee, unto the opening of the tent of meeting. And if with one they blow, then have the princes, heads of the thousands of Israel, met together unto thee; `And ye have blown -- a shout, and the camps which are encamping eastward have journeyed. `And ye have blown -- a second shout, and the camps which are encamping southward have journeyed; a shout they blow for their journeys. `And in the assembling of the assembly ye blow, and do not shout; and sons of Aaron, the priests, blow with the trumpets; and they have been to you for a statute age-during to your generations. `And when ye go into battle in your land against the adversary who is distressing you, then ye have shouted with the trumpets, and ye have been remembered before Jehovah your God, and ye have been saved from your enemies. `And in the day of your gladness, and in your appointed seasons, and in the beginnings of your months, ye have blown also with the trumpets over your burnt-offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace-offerings, and they have been to you for a memorial before your God; I, Jehovah, `am' your God.'
wherefore, he saith, `Having gone up on high he led captive captivity, and gave gifts to men,' -- and that, he went up, what is it except that he also went down first to the lower parts of the earth? he who went down is the same also who went up far above all the heavens, that He may fill all things --
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 47
Commentary on Psalms 47 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
Exultation at the Lord's Triumphant Ascension
Whilst between Ps 45 and Psalms 46:1-11 scarcely any other bond of relationship but the similar use of the significant על־כּן can be discovered, Psalms 47:1-9 has, in common with Psalms 46:1-11, not only the thought of the kingly exaltation of Jahve over the peoples of the earth, but also its historical occasion, viz., Jehoshaphat's victory over the allied neighbouring nations, - a victory without a conflict, and consequently all the more manifestly a victory of Jahve, who, after having fought for His people, ascended again amidst the music of their celebration of victory; an event that was outwardly represented in the conducting of the Ark back to the temple ( 2 Chronicles 20:28). Psalms 47:1-9 has grown out of this event. The strophe schema cannot be mistaken, viz., 8. 8. 4.
On account of the blowing of the trumpet
(Note: In connection with which, עלה then is intended to point to the fact that, when the sound of the trumpets of Israel begins, God rises from the throne of justice and takes His seat upon the throne of mercy: vid., Buxtorf, Lex. Talmud . col. 2505.)
mentioned in Psalms 47:6, this Psalm is the proper new year's Psalm in the synagogue (together with Ps 81, the Psalm of the second new year's feast day); and on account of the mention of the ascension of Jahve, it is the Psalm for Ascension day in the church. Luther styles it, the “Christ ascended to Heaven of the sons of Korah.” Paulus Burgensis quarrels with Lyra because he does not interpret it directly of the Ascension; and Bakius says: Lyranus a Judaeis seductus, in cortice haeret . The whole truth here, as is often the case, is not to be found on either side. The Psalm takes its occasion from an event in the reign of Jehoshaphat. But was the church of the ages succeeding required to celebrate, and shall more especially the New Testament church still celebrate, that defeat of the allied neighbouring peoples? This defeat brought the people of God repose and respect for a season, but not true and lasting peace; and the ascent at that time of Jahve, who had fought here on earth on behalf of His people, was not as yet the ascent above the powers that are most hurtful to His people, and that stand most in the way of the progress of salvation, viz., those powers of darkness which form the secret background of everything that takes place upon earth that is in opposition to God. Hence this Psalm in the course of history has gained a prophetic meaning, far exceeding its first occasion, which has only been fully unravelled by the ascension of Christ.
(Heb.: 47:2-4) “ Thereupon the fear of Elohim ” - so closes the chronicler (2 Chronicles 20:29) the narrative of the defeat of the confederates - “came upon all kingdoms of the countries, when they heard that Jahve had fought against the enemies of Israel.” The psalmist, however, does not in consequence or this particular event call upon them to tremble with fear, but to rejoice; for fear is an involuntary, extorted inward emotion, but joy a perfectly voluntary one. The true and final victory of Jahve consists not in a submission that is brought about by war and bloodshed and in consternation that stupefies the mind, but in a change in the minds and hearts of the peoples, so that they render joyful worship unto Him. In order that He may thus become the God of all peoples, He has first of all become the God of Israel; and Israel longs that this the purpose of its election may be attained. Out of this longing springs the call in Psalms 47:2. The peoples are to show the God of revelation their joy by their gestures and their words; for Jahve is absolutely exalted ( עליון , here it is a predicate, just as in Psalms 78:56 it is an attribute), terrible, and the sphere of His dominion has Israel for its central point, not, however, for its limit, but it extends over the whole earth. Everything must do homage to Him in His own people, whether willingly or by constraint. According to the tenses employed, what is affirmed in Psalms 47:4 appears to be a principle derived from their recent experience, inasmuch as the contemporary fact is not expressed in an historical form, but generalized and idealised. But יבחר , Psalms 47:5 , is against this, since the choosing (election) is an act done once for all and not a continued act; we are therefore driven to regard the futures, as in Numbers 23:7; Judges 2:1, as a statement of historical facts. Concerning ידבּר , He bent, made to stoop, vid., Psalms 18:48. There is now no necessity for altering יבחר into ירחב , and more especially since this is not suited to the fact which has given occasion to the Psalm. On the contrary, יבחר presupposes that in the event of the day God has shown Himself to be a faithful and powerful Lord [ lit. feudal Lord] of the land of Israel; the hostile confederation had thought of nothing less than driving Israel entirely out of its inheritance (2 Chronicles 20:11). The Holy Land is called the pride ( גּאון ) of Jacob, as being the gift of grace of which this, the people of God's love, can boast. In Amos 6:8 גאון יעקב has a different meaning (of the sin of pride), and again another sense in Nahum 2:3 (of the glory of all Israel in accordance with the promise); here it is similar to Isaiah 13:19. את has a conjunctive accent instead of being followed by Makkeph , as in Psalms 60:2; Proverbs 3:12 (these are the only three instances). The strophe which follows supports the view that the poet, in Psalms 47:5, has a recent act of God before his mind.
(Heb.: 47:5-9) The ascent of God presupposes a previous descent, whether it be a manifestation of Himself in order to utter some promise (Genesis 17:22; Judges 13:20) or a triumphant execution of judgment (Psalms 7:8; Psalms 68:19). So here: God has come down to fight on behalf of His people. They return to the Holy City and He to His throne, which is above on Zion, and higher still, is above in heaven. On בּתרוּעה and קול שׁופר cf. Psalms 98:6; 1 Chronicles 15:28, but more especially Amos 2:2; for the “shout” is here the people's shout of victory, and “the sound of the horn” the clear sound of the horns announcing the victory, with reference to the celebration of the victory in the Valley of praise and the homeward march amidst the clanging music (2 Chronicles 20:26.). The poet, who has this festival of victory before his mind as having recently taken place, desires that the festive sounds may find an unending and boundless echo unto the glory of God. זמּר is first construed with the accusative as in Psalms 68:33, then with the dative. Concerning משׂכּיל = ᾠδὴ πενυματική (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16), vid., on Psalms 32:1. That which excites to songs of praise is Jahve's dominion of the world which has just been made manifest. מלך is to be taken in just the same historical sense as ἐβασίλευσας , Revelation 11:15-18. What has taken place is a prelude of the final and visible entering upon the kingdom, the announcement of which the New Testament seer there hears. God has come down to earth, and after having obtained for Himself a recognition of His dominion by the destruction of the enemies of Israel, He has ascended again in visible kingly glory. Imago conscensi a Messia throni gloriae , says Chr. Aug. Crusius, tune erat deportatio arcae faederis in sedem regni .
(Heb.: 47:10) In the mirror of the present event, the poet reads the great fact of the conversion of all peoples to Jahve which closes the history of the world. The nobles of the peoples ( נדיבי with the twofold meaning of generosi ), the “shields (i.e., the lords who are the defenders of their people) of the earth” (Hosea 4:18), enter into the society of the people of the God of Abraham; πέρας αἱ πρὸς τὸν πατριάρχην Ἀβραὰμ ἔλαβον ὑποσχέσεις , as Theodoret observes. The promise concerning the blessing of the tribes of the nations in the seed of the patriarch is being fulfilled; for the nobles draw the peoples who are protected by them after themselves. It is unnecessary to read עם instead of עם with Ewald, and following the lxx and Syriac; and it is also inadmissible, since one does not say נאסף עם , but ל or אל . Even Eusebius has rightly praised Symmachus and Theodotion, because they have translated the ambiguous ἀμ by λαὸς ( τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἀβραάμ ), viz., as being a nominative of the effect or result, as it is also understood by the Targum, Jerome, Luther, and most of the Jewish expositors, and among modern expositors by Crusius, Hupfeld, and Hitzig: They gather and band themselves together as a people or into a people of the God of Abraham, they submit themselves with Israel to the one God who is proved to be so glorious.
(Note: It is also accented accordingly, viz., נאספו with Rebia magnum , which (and in this respect it is distinguished from Mugrash ) makes a pause; and this is then followed by the supplementing clause with Zinnor, Galgal , and Olewejored .)
The conclusion (v. 11) reminds one of the song of Hannah, 1 Samuel 2:8. Thus universal homage is rendered to Him: He is gone up in triumph, and is in consequence thereof highly exalted ( נעלה , 3rd praet ., the result of consequence of the עלה in Psalms 47:6).