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Daily Devotion: Psalm 47:5-8

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Psalm 47:5-8    "God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.  (6)  Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.  (7)  For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.  (8)  God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness."

"God is gone up."  What a beautiful prophecy concerning our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Before I address the second part of the verse, let us think about the departure (ascension) of our Lord.  What had to happen before Jesus could ascend back into heaven? Let me answer that: the work had to be finished before He went back home.  He could not have gone home if He had not finished that which He came to do.  "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21) I never get tired of this passage in connection with the finished work of our Lord. Jesus came to this earth for one purpose. Now out of that purpose, we have the blessings of everyday kingdom living through the life of Jesus Christ. But there was one work in particular that He came to accomplish: the salvation of His people.  

Now either He actually accomplished it, or his body was stolen from the tomb and the biggest scam of all history has taken place.  Let me assure you, Jesus Christ is alive and well and doing just fine. As verse 8 tells us, He is sitting upon the throne of His holiness and reigning over all. How do I know that? Well that grand old hymn states it best. "You ask me how I know He lives - He lives within my heart." He finished that work. He stated it on the cross in John 19:30, "...He said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."  Jesus accomplished the redemption of His people through the shedding of His blood. He secured our hope (blessed assurance) of this salvation by raising from the dead after three days and nights, just like He said. Yes, my redemption and yours is secured. We are in the blessed hands of our Lord and nothing nor anyone can pluck us from His hands. We belong to Jesus!

Now, let me address the entire verse 5. "God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet." When I first saw this verse, my heart leaped for joy. Let us go ahead about a thousand years to the time of Christ's ascension.  "And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.  (51)  And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.  (52)  And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy." (Luke 24:50-52) Luke continues and expounds on this event when he begins writing the book of Acts. We pick up this same scene in Acts chapter 1:9, "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight."  You might be asking, "How does Psalm 47:5 connect with Acts chapter 1. Let's look at Acts 1:11 concerning Christ (God in flesh) going up. The two men in white said to the disciples, "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven". 

"He shall come in like manner as ye have seen him go (up) into heaven." According to Psalm 47:5, how did He go up? "God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.". How will He come back? "He shall come back in like manner."  Now let's finalize this by going to 1 Thessalonians 4:16  "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven WITH A SHOUT (emphasis mine), with the voice of the archangel, and WITH THE TRUMP OF GOD: (emphasis mine) and the dead in Christ shall rise first."

Now why is this so important?  The Word of God is very exact and very specific concerning the work of our Lord from creation unto the very end of time. Our Lord is the God of order and everything He does, and everything He allows, is within that purpose and order of God. Rest in that thought. Find peace and comfort. What were the final words Paul wrote concerning the event of the Lord's return for His people? "Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:18) We can find comfort in knowing God is precise in all He does. So now, fits verse 6 of our text, "Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises."

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