O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
Psalms 47:1-9.-Call to the nations to join Israel in thanksgiving for deliverance Psalms 47:1-9.-The victory (Psalms 47:1-4); the kingdom of God established over the earth, beginning with the people of the God of Abraham (Psalms 47:5-9). The occasion was Jehoshaphat's bloodless victory over Moab, Ammon, Edom, and the Arabians, who combined to drive Judah out of their "inheritance" (Psalms 47:4; 2 Chronicles 20:11; Psalms 83:3-12). The Title ascribes the psalm to "the sons of Korah," just as, in 2 Chronicles 20:19, the Korahites are in front of the Jews' army "to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high." So Psalms 47:5 corresponds to 2 Chronicles 20:26. Perhaps this Psalms 47:1-9 was sung in the valley of Berechah (i:e., blessing); Psalms 48:1-14 in the temple-service on their return. As Jehoshaphat was "in the forefront" of the returning people (2 Chronicles 20:27), so "Yahweh with the sound of a trumpet went up" to His earthly temple (Psalms 47:5). So "the fear of God was on all the kingdoms" (cf. Psalms 47:8-9, with 2 Chronicles 20:28-29).
O clap your hands, all ye people - for joy. Hebrew, 'peoples' (Isaiah 55:12).
Shout unto God with the voice of triumph. The heart's exultation toward Yahweh (H3068) is to be expressed with the hands and the voice.