The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.
Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.
A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.
His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.
The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.
Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.
Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O Lord.
For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.
Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: 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.
Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
Psalms 97 is a powerful declaration of God's sovereign rule over all the earth. It belongs to a collection of "enthronement" psalms (Psalms 24, 27, 93, and 95-99) that celebrate the Lord's dominion and anticipate a time when His reign will be fully realized. While other psalms in this group express general praise, Psalm 97 offers a vivid, almost prophetic glimpse into the Lord's return and the establishment of His kingdom. This psalm emphasizes God's judgment and justice, offering both a warning to the wicked and encouragement to the righteous. Let's delve into the meaning of this majestic psalm.
God's Unstoppable Power (97:1-5)
The psalm opens with a resounding affirmation: "The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice" (Psalms 97:1). This isn't merely a statement of fact, but a call to universal celebration. God's rule extends to all peoples, not just a select few. All people should rejoice over the reality of God’s kingdom rule. The psalmist then paints a dramatic picture of God's presence, using imagery familiar from other Old Testament passages. He is surrounded by "clouds and thick darkness" (Psalms 97:2), reminiscent of God's appearances in Exodus 20:21 and Exodus 40:34. "Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side" (Psalms 97:3), echoing Leviticus 9:24. "His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles" (Psalms 97:4), a scene reminiscent of Exodus 20:18. Even the mountains, symbols of strength and stability, "melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth" (Psalms 97:5). This powerful imagery conveys the unstoppable and awe-inspiring nature of God's power and judgment. Consider, then, what destruction awaits those who oppose him.
The Shame of Idols and the Joy of the Righteous (97:6-9)
As the Lord establishes His rule, "the heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all peoples see his glory" (Psalms 97:6). There will be no hiding it, nor will there be any hiding from it. Everyone will recognize His supremacy, as prophesied in Isaiah 45:22–23 and Philippians 2:1–11. Consequently, "all who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols" (Psalms 97:7). The idols, in which people placed their trust, are exposed as worthless. The psalmist even taunts the idols themselves, commanding them to "worship him, all you gods!" (Psalms 97:7).
In contrast to the shame of idolaters, "Zion hears and rejoices, and the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments, LORD" (Psalms 97:8). Zion, referring to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:7), and Judah, representing the surrounding region (Psalm 78:68), symbolize God's people who find joy in His righteous rule. This is because "you, LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods" (Psalms 97:9). God’s coming judgments give us confidence that the true God is exalted above all the gods.
Loving Good, Hating Evil (97:10-12)
The psalm concludes with a call to action and a promise of blessing. "Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked" (Psalms 97:10). To hate evil is to love goodness, which is defined by God's holy nature (Proverbs 8:13). In light of God’s sovereign rule and judgment of the wicked, those who love him must hate evil and obey him. God will position them to experience his delivering power on their behalf as he rescues them from the power of the wicked. "Light shines on the righteous, and joy on the upright in heart" (Psalms 97:11). Such knowledge causes light to dawn in the heart of the righteous so that they can see things from God’s perspective. Therefore, "rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name" (Psalms 97:12). Seeing the Lord worshipped and praised worldwide will give His people joy and inspire them to even more praise.
Psalms 97 offers a powerful vision of God's reign, a reign characterized by justice, righteousness, and the ultimate triumph of good over evil. It calls us to examine our allegiances, to reject false idols, and to embrace the joy and security that come from loving the Lord and hating evil. As we look forward to the full realization of God's kingdom, let us rejoice in His present rule and praise His holy name.
The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.
Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.
A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.
His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.
The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.
Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.
Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O Lord.
For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.
Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: 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.
Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
Psalms 97 is a powerful declaration of God's sovereign rule over all the earth. It belongs to a collection of "enthronement" psalms (Psalms 24, 27, 93, and 95-99) that celebrate the Lord's dominion and anticipate a time when His reign will be fully realized. While other psalms in this group express general praise, Psalm 97 offers a vivid, almost prophetic glimpse into the Lord's return and the establishment of His kingdom. This psalm emphasizes God's judgment and justice, offering both a warning to the wicked and encouragement to the righteous. Let's delve into the meaning of this majestic psalm.
God's Unstoppable Power (97:1-5)
The psalm opens with a resounding affirmation: "The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice" (Psalms 97:1). This isn't merely a statement of fact, but a call to universal celebration. God's rule extends to all peoples, not just a select few. All people should rejoice over the reality of God’s kingdom rule. The psalmist then paints a dramatic picture of God's presence, using imagery familiar from other Old Testament passages. He is surrounded by "clouds and thick darkness" (Psalms 97:2), reminiscent of God's appearances in Exodus 20:21 and Exodus 40:34. "Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side" (Psalms 97:3), echoing Leviticus 9:24. "His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles" (Psalms 97:4), a scene reminiscent of Exodus 20:18. Even the mountains, symbols of strength and stability, "melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth" (Psalms 97:5). This powerful imagery conveys the unstoppable and awe-inspiring nature of God's power and judgment. Consider, then, what destruction awaits those who oppose him.
The Shame of Idols and the Joy of the Righteous (97:6-9)
As the Lord establishes His rule, "the heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all peoples see his glory" (Psalms 97:6). There will be no hiding it, nor will there be any hiding from it. Everyone will recognize His supremacy, as prophesied in Isaiah 45:22–23 and Philippians 2:1–11. Consequently, "all who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols" (Psalms 97:7). The idols, in which people placed their trust, are exposed as worthless. The psalmist even taunts the idols themselves, commanding them to "worship him, all you gods!" (Psalms 97:7).
In contrast to the shame of idolaters, "Zion hears and rejoices, and the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments, LORD" (Psalms 97:8). Zion, referring to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:7), and Judah, representing the surrounding region (Psalm 78:68), symbolize God's people who find joy in His righteous rule. This is because "you, LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods" (Psalms 97:9). God’s coming judgments give us confidence that the true God is exalted above all the gods.
Loving Good, Hating Evil (97:10-12)
The psalm concludes with a call to action and a promise of blessing. "Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked" (Psalms 97:10). To hate evil is to love goodness, which is defined by God's holy nature (Proverbs 8:13). In light of God’s sovereign rule and judgment of the wicked, those who love him must hate evil and obey him. God will position them to experience his delivering power on their behalf as he rescues them from the power of the wicked. "Light shines on the righteous, and joy on the upright in heart" (Psalms 97:11). Such knowledge causes light to dawn in the heart of the righteous so that they can see things from God’s perspective. Therefore, "rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name" (Psalms 97:12). Seeing the Lord worshipped and praised worldwide will give His people joy and inspire them to even more praise.
Psalms 97 offers a powerful vision of God's reign, a reign characterized by justice, righteousness, and the ultimate triumph of good over evil. It calls us to examine our allegiances, to reject false idols, and to embrace the joy and security that come from loving the Lord and hating evil. As we look forward to the full realization of God's kingdom, let us rejoice in His present rule and praise His holy name.