He composed the setting of verses from Psalm 47 in 1973 for a four-part choir and organ, and also made a version with orchestra.
[3] According to the sheet music published by Oxford University Press at OUP.com, Rutter set the text in one movement, marked Bright and rhythmic.
[4][5] Beginning in common time, the accompaniment has an ostinato-syncopated rhythm in the bass,[5] grouping the eighth notes in a measure 3 + 3 + 2.
A first climax is reached with the words "He is the great King",[5] where the choir is divided in five parts, marked fortissimo.
[6] On a 2015 recording by the choir of Ely Cathedral, conducted by Paul Trepte,[6] it was connected liturgically to the Feast of Christ the King, concluding the collection.
At that time, John Quinn wrote a review of Rutter's intelligent approach to handling the texts, and specifically about O clap your hands: "When I first heard it, many years ago, I didn't much like [it]; the bouncy jollity of the opening in particular seemed a bit relentless to me.