(9) The shields of the earth—i.e., the princes just mentioned, as in Hosea 4:18; so LXX. and Vulg. (“strong ones”), which, however, they make the subject of the verb—“have been mightily exalted.”

Psalm 47:9. The princes of the people — The heads of the tribes; even the people of the God of Abraham — With all the people that worship him, who promised to give this country unto Abraham; are gathered together — Are assembled at their solemn feasts, without any fear of invasion from their foreign neighbours; for the shields of the earth belong unto God — For God (to attend whose service they have left their own houses unguarded) hath undertaken their protection; and he is infinitely superior to all other gods, who pretend to be the defenders of the earth. So Bishop Patrick. But almost all the ancient versions and more modern translators render the former clause of this verse, The princes of the nations are incorporated with the God of Abraham: similar to which is the version of our Liturgy; The princes of the people are joined to the people of the God of Abraham. “In this prophetical sense,” says Dr. Dodd, “which seems most proper, the princes of the people mean the heathen princes, who were to be converted to Christianity, and to join themselves to the people of the God of Abraham; that is, to the Jewish converts under the dominion of Christ. The shields mean the sovereignty of the whole earth: for God takes to him the shields of the earth; all the princes of it under his own immediate government. King and shield are synonymous, Psalm 84:9.”

47:5-9 Praise is a duty in which we ought to be frequent and abundant. But here is a needful rule; Sing ye praises with understanding. As those that understand why and for what reasons they praise God, and what is the meaning of the service. It is not an acceptable service, if it is not a reasonable service. We are never to forget the end of Messiah's exaltation, so continually do the prophets dwell upon the conversion of the nations to the gospel of Christ. Why do we vainly fancy that we belong to him, unless the Spirit reign in our hearts by faith? Lord, is it not thy glory and delight to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins, now that thou art exalted as a Prince and a Saviour? Set up thy kingdom in our hearts. Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. And so sweetly constrain all the powers and faculties of the souls of thy redeemed, into holy love, fear, and delight in thee, that praise with the understanding may rise from every heart, both here and for ever, to Thee, our God.The princes of the people are gathered together - The marginal reading is, "The voluntary of the people are gathered unto the people of the God of Abraham." The word rendered "princes" - נדיב nâdı̂yb - means properly, voluntary, ready, prompt; then, generous, liberal; then, those of noble birth, princes, nobles. It is evidently used here in this latter sense. The word "people" here may mean either the people of Israel, or the people of other lands; but in this place it seems evidently to denote the latter. The words "are gathered together" may refer either to a voluntary or an involuntary assembling; meaning either that they came in chains as prisoners of war, subdued by the arms of the people of God, and thus rendering an involuntary tribute to their power and their religion; or that they came in a voluntary manner, and submitted themselves, acknowledging the God of Israel to be the true God. It seems to me that the connection requires that we should understand this in the former sense, as referring to the subjugation of the enemies of of the people of God, and to their being led along as captives, assembled thus from distant parts of the world as proof that the God of Israel reigned.

Even the people of the God of Abraham - The word "even" is not in the original. The meaning is, "to" the people of the God of Abraham; that is, they come and mingle with the people of the God of Abraham; or, they come as captives in war "to" that people, and confess in this manner that their God is the true God. The image is that of the assemblage of great numbers of foriegn princes and nobles as furnishing either a voluntary or involuntary acknowledgment of the fact that the God of Abraham was the true God, and that the people of Israel were his people.

For the shields of the earth belong unto God - Are of right his. This would seem to have been suggested by the marching in triumph of subdued and vanquished princes and warriors, their shields or weapons of war being borne along in the procession, demonstrating that Jehovah was King among the nations. It was seen in such a march that all those weapons of war "belonged" to him, or that he had a right to dispose of them, and to use them as he pleased.

He is greatly exalted - That is, one who can thus subdue nations, and lead along captive princes and warriors, "must" be a Being greatly exalted; a Being that has dominion over the nations of the earth. This completes the imagery in the psalm, and gives occasion for the shouts and the joys of triumph. God had shown that he was a great King over the earth. Princes and armies were subdued to his will. They were led along as captives, and were gathered together to the people of God, as if to acknowledge their own inferiority; and in this solemn manner the nations thus subdued owned Yahweh to be the true God. In a higher sense this will be true when all the earth shall be subdued by the power of truth, and when kings, and princes, and people everywhere shall come and acknowledge God, reigning through the Messiah, to be the King of all nations. Compare Isaiah 60.

9. princes—who represent peoples. For—

even—supply, "as," or, "to"—that is, they all become united under covenant with Abraham's God.

shields—as in Ho 4:18, "rulers" [Margin].

9 The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted.

"The princes of the people are gathered together." The prophetic eye of the Psalmist sees the willing subjects of the great King assembled to celebrate his glory. Not only the poor and the men of low estate are there, but nobles bow their willing necks to his sway. "All kings shall bow down before him." No people shall be unrepresented; their great men shall be good men, their royal ones regenerate ones. How august will be the parliament where the Lord Jesus shall open the court, and princes shall rise up to do him honour! "Even the people of the God of Abraham." That same God, who was known only to here and there a patriarch like the father of the faithful, shall be adored by a seed as many as the stars of heaven. The covenant promise shall be fulfilled, "In thee and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." Shiloh shall come, and "to him shall the gathering of the people be." Babel's dispersion shall be obliterated by the gathering arm of the Great Shepherd King.

"For the shields of the earth belong unto God." The insignia of pomp, the emblems of rank, the weapons of war, all must pay loyal homage to the King of all. Right honourables must honour Jesus, and majesties must own him to be far more majestic. Those who are earth's protectors, the shields of the commonwealth, derive their might from him, and are his. All principalities and powers must be subject unto Jehovah and his Christ, for "He is greatly exalted." In nature, in power, in character, in glory, there is none to compare with him. Oh, glorious vision of a coming era! Make haste, ye wheels of time! Meanwhile, ye saints, "Be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

The princes of the people; either,

1. The heads of the tribes of Israel, who were gathered together to the tabernacle or temple upon solemn feasts. Or rather,

2. The princes (or the voluntary or willing ones, as this word is rendered, Psalm 110:3) of the Gentiles, who are here known by the name of the people, Psalm 47:1,3, who were divided in their principles, and interests, and religions, but are now united and gathered together unto Christ, laying their sceptres at his feet, and jointly owning and promoting his worship and service. So he speaks of the conversion of the Gentiles; although he mentions only their princes, because their conversion might seem to be most difficult in sundry respects, and therefore that being affirmed, the conversion of their people with or after them might very reasonably be supposed.

The people of the God of Abraham; so he explains the former clause, and shows what people he spoke of; and it is observable, he doth not say the people of Abraham, lest this should be appropriated to the Israelites; but

the people of the God of Abraham, i.e. which worship the God of Abraham, whether they be Jews or Gentiles. So this is a prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles; which also is intimated by the name here used, which is not his old and first name, Abram, but his new name, Abraham, given to him to signify that he should be the father of many nations, Genesis 17:5. Or these words with the former may be, and are by divers learned interpreters, rendered thus: The princes of the people (i.e. of the Gentiles) are (i.e. shall be, as is usual in prophetic style) gathered unto which particle is sometimes understood, as Psalm 5:8 Jeremiah 26:10 Hosea 2:14 the people of the God of Abraham, i.e. unto the Jews, and so both Jews and Gentiles shall be united in one religion; and so God shall reign over the heathen, and be King of all the earth, as is here said, Psalm 47:7,8, and all people shall clap their hands for joy, as it is Psalm 47:1.

The shields of the earth; either,

1. The protection of the people of all the earth. Or rather,

2. Their princes or rulers, who are fitly called shields, Hosea 4:18, because by their office they are or should be the common parents and protectors of all their people, to defend them from all oppressions and injuries. These, saith he, are the Lord’s, i.e. at his disposal, or subject to his dominion, both as to their hearts and kingdoms. And so this is here conveniently added, as the reason of that great and improbable event, foretold in the foregoing words, that the princes of the people (which of all others were the most lofty, and wilful, and incorrigible) should join and subject themselves to the Lord, and to his church.

He is greatly exalted; by this means God shall be greatly glorified, and appear to be far above all the princes of the world, and above all other gods.

The princes of the people are gathered together,.... Not against Christ, as at his first coming, but to him, and to his church and people; even the great men of the earth, the kings and princes of it, as they will in the latter day; see Isaiah 49:23; or this may mean the saints in general, who are all of them the princes of people, and are set among princes, yea, are kings priests unto God; some render it, "the willing" or "voluntary ones of his people" (g); the same word is here used as in Psalm 110:3; where it is rendered "willing", and designs such who are made willing to be saved by Christ, submit to his righteousness, and be subject to his word and ordinances;

even the people of the God of Abraham; whom the God of Abraham has chosen for his people, taken into covenant, given to his Son, and who are redeemed by his blood, and effectually called by his grace; and who, though Gentiles, belong to the same covenant and the same covenant God as Abraham did, and have the blessing of Abraham upon them; and are indeed his spiritual seed, being Christ's. The Targum is, "the people that believe in the God of Abraham". The words may be rendered in connection with the former clause, "gathered together unto the people of the God of Abraham" (h); and so denote the association of the Gentiles converted with the believing Jews, as was at the first times of the Gospel, and will be at the latter day, 1 Corinthians 12:13;

for the shields of the earth belong unto God; that is, the rulers of the earth, as the word is rendered in Hosea 4:18; who are as a shield and a protection to their subjects; these are set up and put down by the Lord at his pleasure; and their hearts are in his hands, and he can convert them when he pleases, and gather them to his Son, and into his churches; or, as Jarchi interprets it,

"he has power in his hands to protect as with a shield all that trust in him;''

safety is of the Lord; the protection of the world and of the church is from him who is King over all the earth;

he is greatly exalted; that is, Christ, who has all power in heaven and in earth; he is highly exalted at the right hand of God, angels, authorities, and powers, being subject to him.

(g) "voluntarii populorum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius. (h) So Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Gejerus.

The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he {f} is greatly exalted.

(f) He praises God's highness, for that he joins the great princes of the world (whom he calls shields) to the fellowship of his Church.