Matthew Henry Commentary Psalms 47:1-4

"Oh clap your hands, all ye peoples; Shout unto God with the voice of triumph. For Jehovah Most High is terrible; He is a great King over all the earth. He subdueth peoples under us, And nations under our feet. He chooseth our inheritance for us, The glory of Jacob whom he loved. Selah" — Psalms 47:1-4 (ASV)

The God with whom we have to do is a God of awful majesty. The universal and absolute sovereignty of a holy God would be too terrible for us even to think of, were it not exercised by His Son from a mercy-seat; but now it is only terrible to the workers of iniquity. While His people express confidence and joy, and encourage each other in serving Him, let sinners submit to His authority and accept His salvation.

Jesus Christ will subdue the Gentiles; He will bring them as sheep into the fold, not for slaughter, but for preservation. He will subdue their affections and make them a willing people in the day of His power. This also speaks of His giving them rest and settlement.

Apply this spiritually; the Lord Himself has undertaken to be the inheritance of His people. This shows the faith and submission of the saints. This is the language of every gracious soul: "The Lord shall choose my inheritance for me; He knows what is good for me better than I do."