Psalms 97:1-10

1 Jehovah reigneth; Let the earth rejoice; Let the multitude of isles be glad.

2 Clouds and darkness are round about him: Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

3 A fire goeth before him, And burneth up his adversaries round about.

4 His lightnings lightened the world: The earth saw, and trembled.

5 The mountains melted like wax at the presence of Jehovah, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

6 The heavens declare his righteousness, And all the peoples have seen his glory.

7 Let all them be put to shame that serve graven images, That boast themselves of idols: Worship him, all ye gods.

8 Zion heard and was glad, And the daughters of Judah rejoiced, Because of thy judgments, O Jehovah.

9 For thou, Jehovah, art most high above all the earth: Thou art exalted far above all gods.

10 O ye that love Jehovah, hate evil: He preserveth the souls of his saints; He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.

Psalms 97:1-10 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.''