Read Psalm 47 at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraph divisions for this psalm:
1 Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
2 For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth.
3 He will subdue the peoples under us, And the nations under our feet.
4 He will choose our inheritance for us, The excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah
5 God has gone up with a shout, The Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding.
8 God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.
9a The princes of the people have gathered together, The people of the God of Abraham. {n}
9b For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted. {p}
And the chiastic structure:
1a) Psa 47:1-2, Clap your hands all you people, the Lord Most High is the great King;
1b) Psa 47:3-4, He will subdue the nations + He will choose Jacob’s inheritance for us;
central axis) Psa 47:5-7, Sing praises to God, the King of all the earth!
2b) Psa 47:8-9a, God reigns over the nations + the people of the God of Abraham;
2a) Psa 47:9b, He is greatly exalted.
Sphelo says
Impressive structure. However, the translation used to by the commentator seems to be in the future tense while the Psalm suggests that God is praised for what He has done, not what He WILL do. This is picked up on verse 3-4
christine says
Thank you for visiting and for your kind comments Sphelo. I, the commentator, use the NKJV for my normal Bible study. The Hebrew Bible in English renders the Psalm thus, all the verbs being in the present tense:
1 For the Leader; a Psalm for the sons of Korah.
2 O clap your hands, all ye peoples; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
3 For the LORD is most high, awful; a great King over all the earth.
4 He subdueth peoples under us, and nations under our feet.
5 He chooseth our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob whom He loveth. Selah
6 God is gone up amidst shouting, the LORD amidst the sound of the horn.
7 Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises unto our King, sing praises.
8 For God is the King of all the earth; sing ye praises in a skilful song.
9 God reigneth over the nations; God sitteth upon His holy throne.
10 The princes of the peoples are gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham; {N}
for unto God belong the shields of the earth; He is greatly exalted. {P}
http://www.mechon-mamre.org/e/et/et2647.htm