Psalms 97:2-12

2 Clouds and darkness surround him; he rules with righteousness and justice.

3 Fire goes in front of him and burns up his enemies around him.

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

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

6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the nations see his glory.

7 Everyone who worships idols is put to shame; all the gods bow down before the Lord.

8 The people of Zion are glad, and the cities of Judah rejoice because of your judgments, O Lord.

9 Lord Almighty, you are ruler of all the earth; you are much greater than all the gods.

10 The Lord loves those who hate evil; he protects the lives of his people; he rescues them from the power of the wicked.

11 Light shines on the righteous, and gladness on the good.

12 All you that are righteous be glad because of what the Lord has done! Remember what the holy God has done, and give thanks to him.

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.''

Footnotes

• [a]. all the gods bow down; [or] bow down, all gods.
• [b]. [Probable text] The Lord loves those who hate evil; [Hebrew] Hate evil, you who love the Lord.