The Meaning of Psalms 47:8 Explained

Psalms 47:8

KJV: God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.

YLT: God hath reigned over nations, God hath sat on His holy throne,

Darby: God reigneth over the nations; God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.

ASV: God reigneth over the nations: God sitteth upon his holy throne.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

God  reigneth  over the heathen:  God  sitteth  upon the throne  of his holiness. 

What does Psalms 47:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 47:1-9 - "king Over All The Earth"
This psalm may have been sung in the valley of Berachah, where Jehoshaphat celebrated his victory over the Moabites. See 2 Chronicles 20:1-37. When some great deliverance has been granted, we should break out in blessing and praise. Notice Psalms 47:3-4! They are rightly placed side by side; because God will not subdue our enemies under us, unless we have allowed Him to choose our life-plan. Live on that plan and you are unconquerable.
In the second division, Psalms 47:5-9, Jehovah is depicted as returning from the war to his dwelling-place in the height of Zion. This seems to anticipate the Ascension, when Jesus became the enthroned King of men. They fail to recognize Him now, but some day the princes of the people shall be gathered together, and the kingdoms of the world shall have become the one kingdom of the Christ, Revelation 15:4. The shields of the earth, Psalms 47:9, are its princes and leaders. See Hosea 4:18, r.v., margin. The kings of wealth, science, art, literature, and power will one day bring their glory and honor into the gates of the New Jerusalem, Revelation 1:5; Revelation 21:24. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 47

1  The nations are exhorted cheerfully to entertain the kingdom of Christ

What do the individual words in Psalms 47:8 mean?

Reigns God over the nations God sits on throne His holy
מָלַ֣ךְ אֱ֭לֹהִים עַל־ גּוֹיִ֑ם אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים יָשַׁ֤ב ׀ עַל־ כִּסֵּ֬א קָדְשֽׁוֹ

מָלַ֣ךְ  Reigns 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָלַךְ 
Sense: to be or become king or queen, reign.
אֱ֭לֹהִים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
עַל־  over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
גּוֹיִ֑ם  the  nations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יָשַׁ֤ב ׀  sits 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
כִּסֵּ֬א  throne 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כִּסֵּא 
Sense: seat (of honour), throne, seat, stool.
קָדְשֽׁוֹ  His  holy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.