Psalms 97:1-8

1 Jehovah hath reigned, The earth is joyful, many isles rejoice.

2 Cloud and darkness [are] round about Him, Righteousness and judgment the basis of His throne.

3 Fire before Him goeth, And burneth round about His adversaries.

4 Lightened have His lightnings the world, The earth hath seen, and is pained.

5 Hills, like wax, melted before Jehovah, Before the Lord of all the earth.

6 The heavens declared His righteousness, And all the peoples have seen His honour.

7 Ashamed are all servants of a graven image, Those boasting themselves in idols, Bow yourselves to him, all ye gods.

8 Zion hath heard and rejoiceth, And daughters of Judah are joyful, Because of Thy judgments, O Jehovah.

Psalms 97:1-8 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.''