Psalms 97:1-6

1 The LORD reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!

2 Clouds and thick darkness are round about him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

3 Fire goes before him, and burns up his adversaries round about.

4 His lightnings lighten the world; the earth sees and trembles.

5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.

6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness; and all the peoples behold his glory.

Psalms 97:1-6 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.''