The Meaning of Psalms 47:2 Explained

Psalms 47:2

KJV: For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.

YLT: For Jehovah Most High is fearful, A great king over all the earth.

Darby: For Jehovah, the Most High, is terrible, a great king over all the earth.

ASV: For Jehovah Most High is terrible; He is a great King over all the earth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For the LORD  most high  [is] terrible;  [he is] a great  King  over all the earth. 

What does Psalms 47:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 47:1-9 - "king Over All The Earth"
This psalm may have been sung in the valley of Berachah, where Jehoshaphat celebrated his victory over the Moabites. See 2 Chronicles 20:1-37. When some great deliverance has been granted, we should break out in blessing and praise. Notice Psalms 47:3-4! They are rightly placed side by side; because God will not subdue our enemies under us, unless we have allowed Him to choose our life-plan. Live on that plan and you are unconquerable.
In the second division, Psalms 47:5-9, Jehovah is depicted as returning from the war to his dwelling-place in the height of Zion. This seems to anticipate the Ascension, when Jesus became the enthroned King of men. They fail to recognize Him now, but some day the princes of the people shall be gathered together, and the kingdoms of the world shall have become the one kingdom of the Christ, Revelation 15:4. The shields of the earth, Psalms 47:9, are its princes and leaders. See Hosea 4:18, r.v., margin. The kings of wealth, science, art, literature, and power will one day bring their glory and honor into the gates of the New Jerusalem, Revelation 1:5; Revelation 21:24. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 47

1  The nations are exhorted cheerfully to entertain the kingdom of Christ

What do the individual words in Psalms 47:2 mean?

For Yahweh Most High [is] awesome [He is] a King great over all the earth
כִּֽי־ יְהוָ֣ה עֶלְי֣וֹן נוֹרָ֑א מֶ֥לֶךְ גָּ֝דוֹל עַל־ כָּל־ הָאָֽרֶץ

יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עֶלְי֣וֹן  Most  High 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עֶלְיׄון 
Sense: high, upper.
נוֹרָ֑א  [is]  awesome 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
מֶ֥לֶךְ  [He  is]  a  King 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
גָּ֝דוֹל  great 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
עַל־  over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הָאָֽרֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.