Psalms 47:3 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

He shall subdue the people under us Though this may be applied to the victories which God gave the Hebrews over the neighbouring people, yet the expressions are too magnificent to signify that only. To subdue the nations, seems to indicate something more than bringing a few neighbouring countries under the Hebrew government. And God certainly never intended to bring, nor, in fact, did he bring, the nations of the earth under the yoke of the Jewish people; who were far from being fit to have the rest of the world subjected to them. And therefore it is reasonable to conclude, that the bringing the nations of the earth to the knowledge and worship of Jehovah, and under subjection to the gospel, whereby, instead of being slaves, they were made free from the bondage of sin and death, was the great subject signified by these magnificent expressions. The Hebrew, ידבר עמים תחתינו, is literally, He shall speak the people under us, that is, shall conquer, and make them subject to us by his word, the rod of his strength, to be sent forth out of Zion, (Psalms 110:2,) whereby the people were to be made willing in the day of his power; by the law, the gospel law, or word of the Lord, which was to go forth from Jerusalem, Isaiah 2:3. In consequence of our Lord's ascension, his all-subduing word went forth, and, under its influence and direction, the convinced and converted nations renounced their idols and their lusts, and bowed their willing necks to the yoke of Jesus, and became his holy and happy subjects. “This,” says Dr. Horne, “is that great conquest foreshowed by the victories of Joshua, David, and all the faithful heroes of old time, and foretold in language borrowed from their histories.” And the nations under our feet The Gentile converts were in some sort brought under the Jews, because they were subjected to Christ and to his apostles, and to the primitive church, who were Jews. Or, rather, the psalmist speaks this in the name of the whole church, made up of Jews and Gentiles, unto which all particular believers were to submit themselves in and for the Lord.