Psalm 47:1-9 Sing Praises

This is a psalm of joyful praise! There is no sadness or pleading in this psalm. “Sing praises to God, sing praises!” (verse 6a).

I just had an image of an hourglass come to mind when thinking about how David addressed this psalm. In the beginning of the psalm David references that God is Lord of ALL the earth. “For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared, a great King over ALL the earth” (verse 2 emphasis added). David then goes on to speak specifically of Israel, God’s chosen people. “He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom He loves” (verse 4). Finally, David opens it up again to all the earth. “For God is the King of ALL the earth; sing praises with a psalm!” (verse 7). Hourglass shape- wide, narrow, wide.

But NOT hourglass function. In an hourglass, the function of the narrow neck is to allow only a few grains of sand through at a time. This constriction slows the falling sand to a predictable pace. All the sand will eventually make it through, it just takes time for it to happen.

God’s plan is ‘hourglass shaped’ too. God’s original plan is for ALL to be united with Him. He held His arms open as man began to inhabit the earth. We don’t know exactly how people came to Him in the early days but we do know that some of them were closer to Him than others. Even before man became so sinful that God sent a great flood, there was a man named Enoch who walked with Him so closely that one day, he walked right into God’s presence forever.

As time continued on, God narrowed His focus onto one man; Abram. God set him apart as the beginning of His chosen people. That narrowing grew but it still encompassed only the ‘family’ of Abraham. For A Time.

Then God sent His Son Jesus as part of that family. Once he ‘passed through the neck’ He became the neck. Jesus also opened the ‘neck’ up to ALL who would come. No longer was it a requirement to be of the bloodline of Abraham. Now everyone who chose to be of the Spiritual bloodline of Jesus pass through into the new family of God. Those who refuse that avenue are left stranded at the top of the ‘hourglass’.

God DID NOT break open the hourglass and let the sand pour through however it wanted. God replaced the physical bloodline with a spiritual one. There are still requirements but ALL men have the opportunity to meet this requirement. And because of this opening to ALL people, I can praise Him! I can know Him as my Lord and Savior. I am His child!

I will add my voice to David’s. ALL people, shout unto God with the voice of praise! Shout with joy at the works of His hands. Sing praises to the Lord for He is worthy of ALL praise. I sing praises to Your name O Lord!

Have you ever watched an hourglass empty? Did you notice that some of the sand requires a gentle tap or shake to turn loose of the side of the glass and move to the neck? Some stick fast and simply refuse to join with its counterparts in the bottom of the hourglass. They are ‘left behind’ in the process. Don’t hang out on the glass. It is a VERY sad place to be.

Father God, thank You for opening the way for me to be with You. Thank You for sending Jesus. Thank You for showing me the ONLY path to You. Thank You for letting me join in Your family and to sing praises to You with my whole heart.

Thank You Holy Spirit for speaking to me today. You always bring something interesting and challenging to me from the word. I look forward to seeing what You have in store next!