Shout to God with cries of joy. Psalm 47:1
After an astounding thirty rounds of radiation treatments, Darla was finally pronounced cancer-free. As part of hospital tradition, she was eager to ring the “cancer-free bell” that marked the end of her treatment and celebrated her clean bill of health. Darla was so enthusiastic and vigorous in her celebratory ringing that the rope actually detached from the bell! Peals of joyous laughter ensued.
Darla’s story brings a smile to my face and gives me a sense of what the psalmist might have envisioned when he invited the Israelites to celebrate God’s work in their lives. The writer encouraged them to “clap [their] hands,” “shout to God,” and “sing praises” because God had routed their enemies and chosen the Israelites as His beloved people (Psalm 47:1, 6).
God doesn’t always grant us victory over our struggles in this life, whether health-related or financial or relational. He’s worthy of our worship and praise in even those circumstances because we can trust that He’s still “seated on his holy throne” (v. 8). When He does bring us to a place of healing—at least in a way we recognize in this earthly life—it’s cause for great celebration. We may not have a physical bell to ring, but we can joyfully celebrate His goodness to us with the same kind of exuberance Darla showed.
Read: Psalm 47 (NIV)
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 Clap your hands,y all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.z
2 For the Lord Most Higha is awesome,b
the great Kingc over all the earth.
3 He subduedd nations under us,
peoples under our feet.
4 He chose our inheritancee for us,
the pride of Jacob,f whom he loved.b
5 God has ascendedg amid shouts of joy,h
the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.i
6 Sing praisesj to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the King of all the earth;k
sing to him a psalml of praise.
8 God reignsm over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.n
9 The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kingsc of the earth belong to God;o
he is greatly exalted.p
INSIGHT
- How do you show your gratitude to God?
- What good work has He done in your life recently that merits celebration?
Out of the 150 psalms recorded in the Bible, eleven are attributed to the “sons of Korah.” So, who were they? It appears they descended from Korah (which means “little bald head”), a Levite who joined three others (Dathan, Abiram, and On) in leading a rebellion against Moses’ leadership in Numbers 16:1–40. The consequences of that revolt saw Korah and his followers literally swallowed up by the earth (vv. 31–32). The Lexham Bible Dictionary suggests that “the manner of Korah’s demise likely influenced their (the sons of Korah) approach to composing psalms, which include many references to Sheol [the abode of the dead].” In addition to composing psalms, 1 Chronicles 9:19 says that the sons of Korah were also responsible for protecting the entrance to the tabernacle—Israel’s first “house” of worship and the center of their national life until the temple was constructed.
PRAYER
Thank You, God, for Your many gifts to me. I shout my praises to You and clap my hands in celebration of Your work in my life. In Jesus name, I pray and believe. Amen!!
Read: Psalm 47 (NIV) | Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 27-29; Titus 3
