Psalm 47 - A Psalm of Enthronement (Orientation)

by Pastor Paul Dugan

Try entering into praise with this three-part rhythm:

Part 1

Become present to the presence of God:

Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on your altar and watch for fire to descend. (Psalm 5:3 The Message).

Pause in silence before God. Practice breathing slowly and deeply. As you inhale, invite the Holy Spirit to fill every part of your being- your body, mind, imagination, affections and emotions. As you exhale, release any burdens you are carrying into this time of prayer. Repeat this breathing prayer until you have brought your whole self -‘as is’ -before the presence of God.

Part 2

Slowly read Psalm 47 out loud: (for audio versions click here)

Psalm 47:1 (NIV) Clap your hands, all you nations;
    shout to God with cries of joy.

2 For the Lord Most High is awesome,
    the great King over all the earth.
3 He subdued nations under us,
    peoples under our feet.
4 He chose our inheritance for us,
    the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.

5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
    the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
    sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the King of all the earth;
    sing to him a psalm of praise.

8 God reigns over the nations;
    God is seated on his holy throne.
9 The nobles of the nations assemble
    as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God;
    he is greatly exalted.

Part 3

Use your own words to pray Psalm 47 back to God:

Begin by personalizing the pronouns in the psalm, turning the words about God into a prayer directly to God. For example, v. 2 (‘ For the Lord Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth’) becomes ‘For YOU, Lord Most High are awesome, the great King over all the earth.’ Pray your way through the psalm in this way.

Then gather these thoughts into your own psalm of praise and thanksgiving: 

“Lord God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit- I praise you, for you are…

“I praise you for what you have done. Specifically, I thank you for…

The psalms were originally written as lyrics, as prayers set to music. Throughout the history of Israel and the church, the people of God have sung the psalms. Song invites us to internalize the Word of God with the whole self- body, mind, imagination, emotions and affections. Take time to listen to a version of Psalm 47 set to music. Try taking the psalm song with you into your day.

From the album Worship in the Word (2022) by Shane and Shane. shaneandshane.com