Ascension Day

Today is the feast of the Ascension, when Christians throughout the world celebrate the ascension and reign of Jesus Christ prior to his return. The appointed Psalm for the day is Psalm 47, which follows in versified form as set to the proper Genevan tune:

    Clap your hands, all you peoples of the earth,
    shout to God with a song of joyful mirth!
    Hold the Most High our Lord in reverent awe.
    Our great King rules the peoples with his law;
    he has put all the nations in their place;
    he has chosen us, Jacob, in his grace.

    God ascends amid great resounding cries,
    with the blast of the trumpet see him rise!
    Sing to God, all your praises to him sing,
    let your praises be rendered to our King!
    For our God is the Ruler of the earth;
    sing his praise, sing to him with psalms of mirth!

    God reigns over the nations here below,
    from his throne his decrees down to them flow.
    Princes gather from earth's remote extent
    with God's people of Abraham's descent.
    All the shields of the earth to God belong;
    let us highly exalt him with our song!

      Versification and musical arrangement © David T. Koyzis