Psalms 97:1-7

1 The Lord hath reigned, the earth make full out joy; many isles be glad. (The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice; let the many isles be glad.)

2 Cloud and darkness in his compass; rightfulness and doom is [the] amending of his seat. (Clouds and darkness surround him; righteousness and justice be the foundation of his throne.)

3 Fire shall go before him; and shall enflame, either set afire, his enemies in compass. (Fire shall go before him; and shall set his enemies aflame, all around him.)

4 His lightnings shined to the world; the earth saw, and was moved (the earth saw it, and trembled).

5 Hills as wax floated down from the face of the Lord; all earth from the face of the Lord. (The hills flowed down like wax before the Lord; before the Lord of all the earth.)

6 Heavens told his rightfulness; and all peoples saw his glory. (The heavens told out his righteousness; and all the peoples saw his glory.)

7 All they that worship graven things, or images, be shamed, and they that have glory in their simulacra; all ye angels of the Lord, worship him. (All those who worship carved images, be put to shame, and they who have glory in their idols; and all ye gods, worship him.)

Psalms 97:1-7 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.''