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Psalm 47 · a question people ask

"The princes of the peoples are gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham" (47:9). Does the psalm mean the nations' princes join God's people?

In the text

The verse sets the two phrases side by side and says no more. In the WEB a comma stands between gathered together and the people of the God of Abraham; in the Hebrew text no word stands between them: are gathered together is one word, ne'esafu, and the next word is am, people. Peoples is ammim, the same word in the plural and the word of 47:1's "all you nations" (tap peoples). The psalm doesn't say how the princes came to be gathered, or whether they are counted with the psalm's us (47:3-4). This is the only verse in the WEB's Psalms that says "the God of Abraham", and the Psalms name Abraham only here and in Psalm 105 (Psalm 105:6, 105:9, 105:42). The LORD's promise to Abram included "All the families of the earth will be blessed through you" (Genesis 12:3); Psalm 47 doesn't quote it or point to it. These notes set the verses side by side and go no further than the psalm.

The verses

“For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. Oh clap your hands, all you nations. Shout to God with the voice of triumph!”
Psalm 47:1 · World English Bible
“The princes of the peoples are gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God. He is greatly exalted!”
Psalm 47:9 · World English Bible
“you offspring of Abraham, his servant, you children of Jacob, his chosen ones.”
Psalm 105:6 · World English Bible
“the covenant which he made with Abraham, his oath to Isaac,”
Psalm 105:9 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Psalm 47

Psalm 47: King of all the earth

In Hebrew, the nations of "Oh clap your hands, all you nations" (47:1) and the last verse's peoples and people are one word: the psalm calls the peoples to clap, and ends with their princes "gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham" (47:9). And "gone up" (47:5) and "greatly exalted" (47:9) are one Hebrew verb.

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions