Psalms 97:4-12

4 His 1lightnings lit up the world; The earth saw and 2trembled.
5 The mountains 3melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, At the presence of the 4Lord of the whole earth.
6 The 5heavens declare His righteousness, And 6all the peoples have seen His glory.
7 Let all those be ashamed who serve 7graven images, Who boast themselves of 8idols; 9Worship Him, all you gods.
8 Zion heard this and 10was glad, And the daughters of Judah have rejoiced Because of Your judgments, O LORD.
9 For You are the LORD 11Most High over all the earth; You are exalted far 12above all gods.
10 13Hate evil, you who love the LORD, Who 14preserves the souls of His godly ones; He 15delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 16Light is sown like seed for the righteous And 17gladness for the upright in heart.
12 Be 18glad in the LORD, you righteous ones, And 19give thanks to His holy name.

Psalms 97:4-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 97

This psalm is ascribed to David by the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions. It is of the same argument, and upon the same subject, as the preceding, the coming and kingdom of Christ; and that it respects his first coming into the world, when angels were called upon to worship him, appears from Ps 97:7 compared with Heb 1:6 though it is expressed in such language as seems to agree with his second coming; and, perhaps, both are included, with various things between the one and the other; or it respects the kingdom of Christ, from his first to his second coming; to which agrees the inscription of the Syriac version, which is

``a Psalm of David, in which he prophesies concerning the coming of the Messiah, and again he intimates in it his last appearance.''

Cross References 19

  • 1. Exodus 19:16; Psalms 77:18
  • 2. Psalms 96:9; Psalms 104:32
  • 3. Psalms 46:6; Amos 9:5; Micah 1:4; Nahum 1:5
  • 4. Joshua 3:11
  • 5. Psalms 19:1; Psalms 50:6
  • 6. Psalms 98:2; Isaiah 6:3; Isaiah 40:5; Isaiah 66:18
  • 7. Psalms 78:58; Isaiah 42:17; Isaiah 44:9, 11; Jeremiah 10:14
  • 8. Psalms 106:36; Jeremiah 50:2; Habakkuk 2:18
  • 9. Hebrews 1:6
  • 10. Psalms 48:11; Zephaniah 3:14
  • 11. Psalms 83:18
  • 12. Exodus 18:11; Psalms 95:3; Psalms 96:4; Psalms 135:5
  • 13. Psalms 34:14; Proverbs 8:13; Amos 5:15; Romans 12:9
  • 14. Psalms 31:23; Psalms 145:20; Proverbs 2:8
  • 15. Psalms 37:40; Jeremiah 15:21; Daniel 3:28
  • 16. Job 22:28; Psalms 112:4; Proverbs 4:18
  • 17. Psalms 64:10
  • 18. Psalms 32:11
  • 19. Psalms 30:4

Footnotes 5

  • [a]. Or "All the gods have worshiped Him"
  • [b]. Or "supernatural powers"
  • [c]. Or possibly "hears and is glad"
  • [d]. Or "supernatural powers"
  • [e]. Lit "for the memory of His holiness"
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