In theme, Psalm 47 follows right on from the previous psalm. Where Psalm 46 ended with God coming in the person of Jesus Christ to establish His authority and peace throughout the earth, Psalm 47 speaks of not only the subduing of the nations (verse 3) but also of the enthronement of God (again, Jesus Christ) as the Great King over the entire earth. While God is already the King of all creation, this psalm focuses on His future intervention to assume direct rule over the kingdoms of mankind (compare Revelation 11:15).

"This psalm belongs to a group of hymns to the Great King found elsewhere clustered in Psalms 92-100. Here it serves to link Psalms 46 and 48, identifying the God who reigns in Zion as 'the great king over all the earth' (v. 2; see v. 7; 48:2...)" (Zondervan, note on Psalm 47).

The clapping of hands and shout in verse 1 is to applaud Christ's victory as well as His coronation and enthronement (as when Joash was crowned king of Judah in 2 Kings 11:12). God having "gone up" (Hebrew 'alah) in Psalm 47:5 speaks in context of His ascending the throne—where we afterward find Him seated (verse 8). The words "greatly exalted" at the end of verse 9 are also translated from the word 'alah. Furthermore, in verse 5 we again see the shout of verse 1 as well as the sound of a trumpet or ram's horn. Such a trumpet blast was part of Solomon's coronation (see 1 Kings 1:32-39). It seems likely that trumpets and applause were regular features in the crowning of Davidic kings—as it will be in the enthronement of the ultimate King in David's lineage, Jesus Christ. In later Jewish worship, Psalm 47 became associated with the Feast of Trumpets—symbolic of the future time described here.

In verse 7, where the NKJV has "understanding," the Hebrew word is actually maskil, a term seen in the titles of other psalms (most recently other Korahite psalms, 42-45) that may designate an instructional psalm or, as the NKJV usually translates this, contemplation.

Verse 9 tells us that in His reign over the whole world, "the shields of the earth [will] belong to God." Nations will no longer strive to thwart God's power. They will lay down their armaments and take up implements of peace (Isaiah 2:4). It should be noted, however, that the Greek Septuagint translators instead of "shields" understood this as "kings"—perhaps because kings served as the protectors of their people (compare Psalm 89:18). In any case, all will submit to God's rule.