Psalms 97:2-12

2 Clouds and thick darkness surround him. His rule is built on what is right and fair.

3 The LORD sends fire ahead of him. It burns up his enemies all around him.

4 His lightning lights up the world. The earth sees it and trembles.

5 The mountains melt like wax when the LORD is near. He is the Lord of the whole earth.

6 The heavens announce that what he does is right. All people everywhere see his glory.

7 All who worship statues of gods or brag about them are put to shame. All you gods, worship the Lord!

8 Zion hears about it and is filled with joy. Lord, the villages of Judah are glad because of how you judge.

9 Lord, you are the Most High God. You rule over the whole earth. You are honored much more than all gods.

10 Let those who love the LORD hate evil. He guards the lives of those who are faithful to him. He saves them from the power of sinful people.

11 The light of his favor shines on those who do what is right. Joy comes to those whose hearts are honest.

12 You who are godly, be glad because of what the LORD has done. Praise him, because his name is holy.

Psalms 97:2-12 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.''