THE RULER OF THE WHOLE EARTH A ROYAL MESSIANIC PSALM According to the “Telmud”, this psalm, in the latter Jewish eras, was used in celebrating the new year; revealing the rejoice in the coronation of God a King on the whole earth. While according to others, this psalm, together with psalms 93; 95-100, were written to celebrate an annual feast as a memorial of an exalted divine work, in which God proclaimed conquest on His enemies, and revealed His kingdom on the creation. This psalm is closely connected to the last one, and was probably written in the same occasion. And some believe that, like psalm 24, it was written on the occasion of moving the Ark of the Covenant to Mount Zion, to carry a prophecy about the ascension of the Lord Christ to heaven, His royal reign, His sitting on the right hand of God the Father, and the extension of preaching the gospel over the whole world. According to many Rabinic Interpreters, it is a Messianic psalm. This psalm bears the three threads of prophecy in the old covenant: 1- The Messiah: Being the King of the whole earth (7) 2- The Gentiles: All will submit to the Messianic kingdom (8, 9). 3- The Jews: As intermediaries to realize that (4). The Lord Christ opened the doors of His church before all the Gentiles; and reigned spiritually on them, longing to reign on our whole life, namely, on our bodies, spirits, https://coptic-treasures.com/ thoughts, works, and words (Colossians 1: 17, 18); not to control, but to grant the spirit of joy, and to restore our lost honor and glory. This psalm is bound to the feasts of Epiphany and Ascension; in which the Lord Christ is proclaimed as a spiritual King over the whole earth. PROGRAMS TO INTERPRET THIS PSALM: 1- The historical interpretation: Some seek the understanding of this psalm in the light of certain historical event or events; probably a conquest in a certain war, or the rebuilding of the temple after the return from captivity. For, with the conquest in a certain battle, the believers expect an overall conquest, by which God reigns over the whole earth, through receiving faith by all the nations. And according to others -- seeing in the temple, the royal divine palace – they longed to enjoy the reign of God on all the nations of the earth… by which the goal of history will be realized, namely, to come to be in the hand, and submitted to God. 2- The eschatological interpretation: According to some, this psalm concerns the great day of the Lord, when creation reaches its goal, with the ultimate and final fall of the kingdom of the devil, and the eternal reign of the Lord. 3- The Messianic interpretation: Accepted by many Jewish interpreters, and proclaimed, as well, by most of the early fathers of the church; seeing the Lord Christ as the King of kings, who, by the cross, has realized His spiritual kingdom. 4- The worship interpretation: Believing that this psalm represents a part of the liturgy of the celebration of the enthronement of God a King on His people. THE GENERAL FRAME: 1- Prophesying the overall reign of God 1 -- 4 2- The general worship to God the King 5 -- 7 3- The glory of God the King 8 – 9 https://coptic-treasures.com/ THE TITLE: To the Chief Musician. A psalm of the sons of Korah. And, according to the Septuagint version: To completion, a psalm of the sons of Korah. 1- It is befitting for this psalm to carry the title ‘To completion’ (consummation) or ‘to the ultimate end’, for it represents the goal of the law, namely, for the Lord Christ to reign spiritually over the peoples; And probably on account of that this psalm bears an eschatological nature; As the goal of our existence and our whole human history, is for the Lord of glory to come and carry us forth to His eternal kingdom. 2- We previously knew how the word “Korah” refers to “Golgotha”; For it is not possible to perceive the Lord Christ as the King of kings, who reigns on the life of man, except by him who has become a son of the Crucified, who, by the spirit of simplicity, throws himself on His chest, like an infant, to be made a king by Him (Revelation 1: 6). + ‘Childhood’ was put before our eyes to follow the example of humility, and to keep away from foolishness. “The sons of Korah” are the sons of the Groom, who was crucified at the location of atonement (Calvary or Golgotha). Let us listen to Him, as Christians -- “the sons of Korah”, the sons of the Groom, who was crucified by the cruel children at the location of atonement “Calvary”. (St. Augustine) 1- PROPHESYING THE OVERALL REIGN OF GOD: (1 – 4) https://coptic-treasures.com/ “Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples. Shout to God with the voice of triumph” (1) 1- The language of this psalm quotes the rejoice in the conquest of a king over His enemies, yet in the spirit of prophecy by which the psalmist saw the King of kings enter a decisive battle to destroy the kingdom of the devil, the real enemy, and to establish His kingdom. By his inner eyes, the psalmist saw the supreme Kingdom, the great battle, and the exalted conquest, ending with the resurrection of the Lord Christ, who destroyed “death” as the last enemy of humanity; … then set forth to His heavens, bearing His believers up to where He resides; … and by His ascension, preaching Him stretched, righteousness reigned over all nations of the earth, and the life of believers turned into a kingdom of joy and gladness. This psalm is therefore, a military song; as, up to this very day, clapping the hands and shouting, are used in the military and political atmosphere (Numbers 23: 21; Joshua 6: 16, 20; 1 Samuel 10: 24; Ezra 3: 12). 2- The psalmist seeks from us to celebrate the reign of the Messiah by clapping the hands, together with the voice of gladness, and the shouts of joy; to bind the work of hands with that of the larynx and mouth. For clapping the hands refers to the proclamation of the reign of the kingdom of the Messiah on all nations, through preaching to others by our practical behavior’ and to celebrating the reign of the Messiah a King over our hearts, all our body members, and possibilities, all of which to be dedicated to the account of His kingdom, through our love – if possible – to everyone in the whole world. As to the work of the larynx and the mouth or the tongue, it refers to testifying to His kingdom. By that, the testimony by word will meld with that by work. In other words, we should celebrate the victorious King, proclaiming our rejoice by our practical life, as well as by our words. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 3- This psalm repeats the word “Alleluia”, meaning (Praise Jehovah); bearing the spirit of joy, bound to conquest or victory. As the believer sees in His God dwelling in his depths, “the Conqueror who went out conquering and to conquer” (Revelation 6: 2). + Do not rejoice just by the mouth, while the hands are idle; “Clap your hands”. The hands of believers are their good behavior + Rejoice by the tongue, as well as by the hands; The hands should not be idle, and the tongue should not be mute; Let the hands conform to the tongue; confession conform to work; “Shout to God with the voice of triumph” (St. Augustine) + The Book instructs us to sing to the Lord, and to dance wisely, according to the words of God to Ezekiel, commanding him to “pound his fists, and stamp his feet” (Ezekiel 6: 11); God does not seek from us to do some kind of funny movements by our bodies, but to do it with reverence; the Spirit dancing by the exaltation of the body with good works; when we hang our harps upon the willows” (Psalm 137: 2). + As preaching faith in Christ has stretched all over the world, the prophecy, therefore, calls all the Gentiles to praise God with joy and gladness. The psalmist instructs us to clap our hands, which were defiled by the blood of the sacrifices of idols, and are now purified by baptism; namely, to do good works that bring pleasure to the angels, and grief to the demons; the same way clapping the hands would bring pleasure to the conquerors, and grief to the defeated. https://coptic-treasures.com/ Your voices, by which you previously blasphemed, have now become joyful prayers of praise to our Lord Jesus Christ, who is Most High, despite being humble by His incarnation; … Who is awesome, despite receiving reproach by His own choice. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) “For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over the earth” (2) This language only suits the kingdom of Christ, a high and awesome “kingdom which cannot be shaken” (Hebrew 12: 28, 29; Deuteronomy 4: 24; 9: 3; 10” 17-21; Nehemiah 1: 5; Zephaniah 2: 11). Our Christ is God, Lover of mankind, who delivers Himself for the sake of everyone; compassionate on sinners; cares for their salvation, without hurting their feelings. Yet, in His love, He is Awesome; Holy; has no fellowship with corruption; Light who endures no darkness; Truth, who does not partake of vanity; and a Royal Way, who knows no diversion…. Let us then love and fear Him at the same time; For loving Him without submission to His will, and obedience to His commandment, is a kind of despise…. Let us worship Him with love, together with fear and terror. The Lord reigned on the cross; perfectly established His love for us by His shed blood; proclaimed His awe and justice; and by His cross destroyed the hosts of darkness … By the cross He proclaimed that “He is a great King over the earth”, and not just over one nation, as according to St. Augustine: [As It is not enough to have one nation submit to Him, He paid a great price, His blood, to acquire the whole world]. He subdues the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet” (3) https://coptic-treasures.com/ The word “subdue” here, means receiving the word of the apostle, to enter into the meek flock of Christ, when the Gentiles forsake their spirit of pride and haughtiness, and their oppression against the church, to bow, and to carry the cross of her Christ with joy and gladness. According to some fathers, it means the submission of the demons and sins that have for long subdued the heathen nations, and their falling under feet of the cross. For by the submission of the Gentiles in faith with the spirit of love and obedience, their evil collapsed and crushed under the feet of the church. It is the apostles who talk here, not with the spirit of pride and haughtiness, but with great astonishment and marvel before the work of the cross of Christ in the life of the heathens; For while opposing Him, they were drawn into an utter submission to the preachers, to come to be as though under their feet; and the apostle, in their turn, came to carry them with joy, for all to submit at the feet of the Crucified. + We see the saints, through the voice of the psalmist, raised up presenting praises of thanksgiving to Christ who crowns them, saying: “He subdues the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet”. The ultimate and serious desire of the saints, is to see those they instruct become partakers of the grace given to them by Christ; according to the epistle sent by the apostle Paul to the Romans, saying: “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established” (Romans 1: 11). (St. Cyril of Alexandria) “He will choose our inheritance for us, the excellence of Jacob whom He loves” (4) According to the Hebrew text, it came as: “He will choose our portion for us, the pride of Jacob whom He loved” … If we rejoice because God has, by His cross, drawn the Gentiles to become members of His holy church, in submission to the apostles; the secret of our joy is truly the https://coptic-treasures.com/ work of God, who planned the ordinance of our salvation, gave us Himself as our portion, and received us as His portion and inheritance. According to the Septuagint version, it came as “He will choose us as His inheritance”… If the Gentiles submit to the church through believing in her Groom, it is not accounted as favor by those entering into faith, because it is the Holy Spirit who draws them, and the Lord who chooses them. … He chose us, and loved us first; He reflected His beauty on us; and granted us the blessing to be counted as His inheritance. 2- THE GENERAL WORSHIP TO GOD THE KING: (5 – 7) Our Christ came to open the gates of faith before all nations and peoples, delivering His own life given for all; And by His ascension to His heavens, He opened the gates before all. … Hence the catholic church will keep on worshipping Him, exultant in His work in her, as long as she is on the earth, until she encounters her Christ who ascended to heaven, on the day of His ultimate coming. “God has gone up with a shout; the Lord with the sound of a trumpet” (5) This is interpreted by the psalmist as follows:: 1- “With a shout”, is a sign of worshipping with great joy; according to the words of the gospel: “It came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God” (Luke 24: 51 – 53). His ascension did not bring them into sorrow or grief, but into great joy, worshipping, praising, and thanksgiving God; For, in His ascension, they saw their own ascension; and what the Lord has done was to their own account, and in their own names. His ascension turned the church into https://coptic-treasures.com/ an exultant worshipping heaven; partaking of the praise and joy of the heavenly hosts. 2- As to the sound of the trumpet, there is nothing in the New Testament concerning the apostles hearing the sound of a trumpet; Yet we perceive that they saw Him as the victorious and conqueror King, who set forth to Heaven, for heaven to give the sound of trumpets, proclaiming the conquest of her King. … Hence, on the day of His ultimate coming, the angels will sound the trumpets (1 Corinthians 15: 52; 1 Thessalonians 4: 16). + The shouts are the voice of the joyful conquerors; and the trumpet is the sign and proclamation of royalty; Saying: “God has gone up with a shut”, means, therefore, that after overcoming death, sin, and demons, uprooting vanity, and turning things to the better, He ascended returning to heaven, from which He never separated, nor did from the world, on His incarnation (as His Divinity fills heaven and earth). His ascension was not through a power foreign to Him, like the way Elijah was taken up to heaven, but was by His own power. Saying: “with the sound of a trumpet” concerns the praises of the angels, who were signaling one another to open up the heavenly gates to receive the Lord of glory (Psalm 24: 7 – 10). It is also said that the preaching of the apostles all over the world of the ascension of the Lord, was as though with a trumpet…. The impact of the ascension of our Lord has been so overwhelming to be proclaimed from generation to another. The psalmist does not say “with the sound of trumpets”, but “… of a trumpet”, on account of the conformity of the views of the angels and the apostles. (Father Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) https://coptic-treasures.com/ + What are the shouts but the expression of joy, unutterable by words?! … The apostles, who were sorrowful for His death, rejoiced to see Him ascend to heaven. As that was truly unutterable by mere words, the shouts came to make up for what the words were unable to express. There was also the sound of trumpets by the angels, to give the good news of the ascension of the Lord; those who said to the apostles: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1: 11). The body might have disappeared from your sight, but God will never forsake your hearts. Look up at Him ascending; … Believe in Him a Conqueror; … Have hope in His ultimate coming; … But, through His hidden mercy, feel His presence. For He, who ascended to heaven before your eyes, has promised you, saying: “I am with you always even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28: 20). And faithfully, the apostle addresses us, saying: The Lord is near; do not worry about anything” (Philippians 4: 5). Christ dwells in heavens; Heavens may be far away; But He who dwells there is close by. https://coptic-treasures.com/ If the Lord Christ ascended to heaven to make it very close to us, the church will do nothing more than continuous praise, being the throne on which her Groom the King sits; Hence the psalmist repeats the word “sing” four times in a single verse. “Sing praises to the Lord, sing praises! Sing praises to our king, sing praises!” (6) He did not say “Sing to God”, nor “Sing to the king”, but said: “… to our God”, and “… to our King”; For God is the God of the whole world, and the King on the whole earth. Yet no one can sing to Him unless he feels that He is his own God and king. He repeated the word “sing” four times, for the psalmist calls the church at the four corners of the world: East, West, North, and South, to be only preoccupied with singing praise to Him; to be prepared to become a chariot for Him to sit in. He seeks from us to glorify and worship Him with the spirit and with understanding (! Corinthians 14: 15) ` “For God is the King of all the earth, Sing praises with understanding” (7) + He teaches and counsels us to sing with understanding, and not to seek the sound to the ear, but the light to the heart. https://coptic-treasures.com/ (St. Augustine) + Let us raise our voices with songs and praises in the church, to provoke our adversary the devil to leave in confusion once he hears the holy voice. If our praise is not by action, it has to be by thought and words; for the devil usually crawls toward the silent, or toward those who utter lowly vain words, and keeps away from those whom he sees mentally or vocally preoccupied with praising God. (Father Caesarius, bishop of Arle) 3- THE GLORY OF GOD THE KING: (8 – 9) After proclaiming the overall reign of God, who opens the door of faith before all peoples; and the commitment of the church to sing praises to Him with understanding, the psalmist ends his psalm talking about the glory of the King, proclaimed by the Gentiles receiving faith, and the blessings the believers get: “God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne; The princes of the people have gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham; For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted” (8, 9) The glory of God appears in the following: 1- God reigns over all nations, realizing His promises to Abraham: “By your offspring all the nations of the earth shall gain blessing” (Genesis 22: 18) The blessings we get in the new covenant were in God’s plans that He revealed to His friend Abraham; hence the psalmist says: “The shields (Rulers) of the earth gathered together, (with) the people of the God of Abraham” (9). https://coptic-treasures.com/ + The psalmist mentioned Abraham, on account of that God has promised him that By your offspring shall all nations of the earth gain blessing” (Genesis 22: 18). Once the nations forsook the gods of their fathers, they gathered together joining Abraham, and became one nation. (Father Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) 2- God is glorified, sitting on His holy throne (8); namely, on the congregation of believers. + The throne of God is the righteous for the sake of whose purity, God dwells in them (Father Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) + The soul obeys God who dwells in her; and she commands the body members like the foot, the hand, the eye, and the ear, etc.as her servants, by which she ministers to God dwelling in her. (St. Augustine) 3- Reigning on man, God grants him strength and glory, to be counted as one of the (shields) of God, For “The shields” of God are greatly exalted in the earth”.(9). + Who are the (shields) of God, other than the apostles and all believers. They are “shields”, namely (strong), on account of that they confronted the whole world, prevailed, and were never defeated. (St. John Chrysostom) https://coptic-treasures.com/ God is glorified in His church, which He turns into a spiritual army with banners; Out of the weak, He sets “shields”; and “out of the eater came something to eat (Judges 14: 14).. ------------------------ AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 47 REIGN, AND BE GLORIFIED, O LORD + According to Your true promise to our father Abraham, You opened the doors of Your house before us; You blessed us in You, and reigned in our hearts. + Reign, O Lord on all the nations; Control my whole life; Sanctify all my possibilities to Your account; Out of my soul, make a throne for Yourself. + I give You thanks, for You received me as Your inheritance; Grant me to be, Yourself, my inheritance; + Teach me how to praise You by my mouth, as well as by my hands; How to testify to You by the joy of my heart, and the practice of practical love. + Lift my heart up to Your heavens, to which You ascended; Grant me, not to blow my trumpet here to gain a temporal glory; But to wait for the day of Your ultimate coming; To rejoice when I hear the sound of the trumpets of Your angels. https://coptic-treasures.com/ + I give You thanks, O King of the whole earth; For You have reigned in my life; To make me one of Your “shields”; To pour Your glory upon me; Glorify, O Holy One, in me.
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