The Meaning of Psalms 47:9 Explained

Psalms 47:9

KJV: The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted.

YLT: Nobles of peoples have been gathered, With the people of the God of Abraham, For to God are the shields of earth, Greatly hath He been exalted!

Darby: The willing-hearted of the peoples have gathered together, with the people of the God of Abraham. For unto God belong the shields of the earth: he is greatly exalted.

ASV: The princes of the peoples are gathered together To be the people of the God of Abraham: For the shields of the earth belong unto God; He is greatly exalted.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The princes  of the people  are gathered together,  [even] the people  of the God  of Abraham:  for the shields  of the earth  [belong] unto God:  he is greatly  exalted. 

What does Psalms 47:9 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 47:9 mean?

The princes of the people have gathered together the people of the God of Abraham for [belong] to God the shields of the earth greatly He is exalted
נְדִ֘יבֵ֤י עַמִּ֨ים ׀ נֶאֱסָ֗פוּ עַם֮ אֱלֹהֵ֪י אַבְרָ֫הָ֥ם כִּ֣י לֵֽ֭אלֹהִים מָֽגִנֵּי־ אֶ֗רֶץ מְאֹ֣ד נַעֲלָֽה

נְדִ֘יבֵ֤י  The  princes 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: נָדִיב  
Sense: inclined, willing, noble, generous.
עַמִּ֨ים ׀  of  the  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
נֶאֱסָ֗פוּ  have  gathered  together 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָסַף 
Sense: to gather, receive, remove, gather in.
עַם֮  the  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אֱלֹהֵ֪י  of  the  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אַבְרָ֫הָ֥ם  of  Abraham 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַבְרָהָם  
Sense: friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God’s elective covenant.
לֵֽ֭אלֹהִים  [belong]  to  God 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
מָֽגִנֵּי־  the  shields 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: מָגֵן 
Sense: shield, buckler.
אֶ֗רֶץ  of  the  earth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
מְאֹ֣ד  greatly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.
נַעֲלָֽה  He  is  exalted 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.