Psalm 97

Psalms 97:1-3

The Lord reigneth opens the psalm on the same word that closed the announcement of 96:10, and the response widens past Israel again, the earth rejoice, the multitude of isles be glad, the coastlands furthest from Jerusalem drawn into the same gladness. What follows is theophany language, the language of Sinai and of the storm: clouds and darkness round about him, righteousness and judgment the habitation of his throne, a fire that goes before him and burns up his enemies. The older writers read the darkness itself as part of the message, that this king's ways are not always plain to the creatures he governs even while his throne rests on righteousness and judgment.

Psalms 97:4-6

His lightnings enlightened the world, the earth saw and trembled keeps the storm scene moving, and the hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord names the mountains themselves, the most permanent things a Hebrew reader knew, as unable to stand before him. The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory turns from the storm's terror to its meaning, the display is a message rather than mere weather. Delitzsch notes the shift from what is seen, lightnings, trembling earth, to what is declared, righteousness, glory, sight becoming testimony.

Psalms 97:7-9

Confounded be all they that serve graven images turns the theophany into a verdict on idolatry, the same target as 96:5, and worship him, all ye gods commands even the beings the nations call gods to bow to this one. Several of the older commentators, reading the psalm messianically, set this line beside the worship due the Son in passages such as Hebrews 1:6, though that is their Christological reading of the psalm and not a New Testament citation of this verse by name. Zion heard, and was glad brings the announcement home to the one city that already knew whose reign this was, rejoicing because of thy judgments, O Lord.

Psalms 97:10-12

The psalm turns from the cosmic scene to the ordinary worshiper's life: ye that love the Lord, hate evil ties love for God directly to a moral posture rather than leaving it a feeling, and the promise answers in kind, he preserveth the souls of his saints, he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart pictures light as seed, planted now and certain to come up in its season even where the present hour is dark. Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous closes the psalm where the group began, at 96 and again here, joy as the fitting response to a king who reigns in righteousness.