Psalms 97:1-10

1 The LORD reigns! Let the eretz rejoice. Let the multitude of islands be glad.

2 Clouds and darkness are around him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

3 A fire goes before him, And burns up his adversaries on every side.

4 His lightning lights up the world; The eretz sees, and trembles.

5 The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, At the presence of the Lord of the whole eretz.

6 The heavens declare his righteousness. All the peoples have seen his glory.

7 Let all them be put to shame who serve engraved images, Who boast in their idols. Worship him, all you gods!

8 Tziyon heard and was glad. The daughters of Yehudah rejoiced, Because of your judgments, LORD.

9 For you, LORD, are most high above all the eretz. You are exalted far above all gods.

10 You who love the LORD, hate evil. He preserves the souls of his holy ones. He delivers 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.''