Psalms 47:2
in Psalms 47How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For Jehovah Most High is terrible; He is a great King over all the earth.
KJV
For the Lord most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.
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This verse in Psalms 47
Commentary
13 notes on this verseHe became manifest in the events themselves, by which he routed those harassing the godly and proved superior to their scheme, fearsome to the enemy and, in short, king like no other on earth, since he is also Lord of all.
This site's exposition
Clap your hands, all you peoples
on Psalms 47:1-2
Clap your hands, all you peoples puts the call to every nation on earth. The reason comes at once: He is the LORD Most High, and the great King over all the earth. The shout is a voice of triumph.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
This is really a great king, one who rids the world of error, and in a short space of time installs truth and abolishes the devil's tyranny, who was a great king even before there were subjects, having the might of his rule not in slaves, nor in pomp and circumstance but in nature itself.… This is a great king, the one whose dignity is not from without, who depends on no one for his kingship, who does all he wishes.… He chose his subjects in such a way as to persuade them to surrender their spirit rather than disregard what was commanded. Whereas the king enjoys the esteem of his subjects themselves, he by contrast provides the subjects with esteem; thus one is only a name, the other is reality. A great king is the one who made the whole world heaven, caused savages to have sound values and persuaded them to imitate angels.
When you hear that your Lord was impaled, that he was hanged on the cross, that he was buried, that he descended to the lower parts of the earth, do not be discouraged or troubled: he is most high, and by nature most high. What is most high by nature would never change its exaltation, nor would it become lowly; rather, even in his lowliness his exaltation remains and is revealed. For even in his dying he then most of all demonstrated his power over death. "The light shines in the darkness," Scripture says, "and the darkness did not overcome it." That was the way his elevation appeared in his lowliness.… At that time the sun diverted its rays, rocks were split, the veil torn, the earth disturbed, Judas expired, Pilate and his wife scared, the judge himself on the defensive. So when you hear that he was bound and scourged, do not be disturbed; rather, see him giving evidence of his might even in bondage. He said, "Whom do you seek?" and hurled them on their back. Do you see how he is fearsome, working such marvels by voice and nod alone?
"For the Lord Most High is terrible" [Psalm 47:2]. The Most High in descending made like one ludicrous, by ascending into Heaven is made terrible. "A great King over all the earth." Not only over the Jews; for over them also He is King. For of them also the Apostles believed and of them many thousands of men sold their goods, and laid the price at the Apostles' feet, [Acts 4:34] and in them was fulfilled what in the title of the Cross was written, "The King of the Jews." [Matthew 27:37] For He is King also of the Jews. But "of the Jews" is little. "O clap your hands, all you nations: for God is the King of all the earth." For it suffices not Him to have under Him one nation: therefore such great price gave He out of His side, as to buy the whole world.
The Medieval Church1 voice
"Because the Lord." Here the cause of praise is set forth, and the goods that flow from the greatness of God. And first the greatness of God is set forth. Second, the sign of His greatness. The greatness of God is commended in two ways. …
The Reformation1 voice
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.
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
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.
): The Lord most high is terrible. He is infinitely above the noblest creatures, higher than the highest; there are those perfections in him that are to be reverenced by all, and particularly that power, holiness, and justice, that are to be dreaded by all those that contend with him.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
For the Lord, or Jehovah, the self existent and only God; Most high, most great in power, lofty in dominion, eminent in wisdom, elevated in glory. Is terrible, none can resist his power or stand before his vengeance; yet as these terrors are wielded on the behalf of his subjects, they are fit reasons for rejoicing. Omnipotence, which is terrible to crush, is almighty to protect.
For the Lord, or Jehovah, the self existent and only God; Most high, most great in power, lofty in dominion, eminent in wisdom, elevated in glory. Is terrible, none can resist his power or stand before his vengeance; yet as these terrors are wielded on the behalf of his subjects, they are fit reasons for rejoicing. Omnipotence, which is terrible to crush, is almighty to protect. At a grand review of the troops of a great prince, all his loyal subjects are filled with triumph, because their liege lord is so able to defend his own, and so much dreaded by his foes. He is a great King over all the earth. Not over Judea only, but even to the utmost isles his reign extends. Our God is no local deity, no petty ruler of a tribe; in infinite majesty he rules the mightiest realm as absolute arbiter of destiny, sole monarch of all lands, King of kings, and Lord of lords. Not a hamlet or an islet is excluded from his dominion. How glorious will that era be when this is seen and known of all; when in the person of Jesus all flesh shall behold the glory of the Lord!
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.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
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.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
clap hands Join together with one another to shout to God with a voice of praise.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
9 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יְהוָ֣ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| עֶלְי֣וֹן | elyon | [the] Most High | H5945 → | 53 times |
| נוֹרָ֑א | nora' | [is] to be feared | H3372 → | 315 times |
| מֶ֥לֶךְ | melekh | a king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| גָּ֝דוֹל | gadol | great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָאָֽרֶץ׃ | haaretz | the earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
יְהוָ֣הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
עֶלְי֣וֹן[the] Most High
elyonH5945 →53 times
נוֹרָ֑א[is] to be feared
nora'H3372 →315 times
מֶ֥לֶךְa king
melekhH4428 →2525 times
גָּ֝דוֹלgreat
gadolH1419 →526 times
עַל־over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הָאָֽרֶץ׃the earth
haaretzH776 →2504 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 95:3For the LORD is a great God, a great King above all gods.
it leads to
- Psalms 96:4
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.
- Jeremiah 10:6–7
There is none like You, O LORD. You are great, and Your name is mighty in power.
- Psalms 145:3
Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; His greatness is unsearchable.
- Psalms 97:9
For You, O LORD, are Most High over all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods.
- Psalms 135:5
For I know that the LORD is great; our Lord is above all gods.
- Psalms 96:4
Through
Psalms 99:3Let them praise Your great and awesome name— He is holy!
it leads to
- Isaiah 6:3
And they were calling out to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.”
- Isaiah 6:3
Through
Malachi 1:14“But cursed is the deceiver who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord. For I am a great King,” says the…
it leads to
- Acts 5:1–10
Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.
- Acts 5:1–10
Through
Deuteronomy 7:21Do not be terrified by them, for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God.
it leads to
- Nehemiah 1:5
Then I said: “O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion with those who love Him and keep His commandments,
- Nehemiah 1:5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Psalms
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 47; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 2; Diodorus of Tarsus, COMMENTARY ON PSALM 47; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Chrysostom, COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 47:3; John Chrysostom, COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 47:2; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.