Psalms 97

The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice

he Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice! Let the farthest coastlands be glad.a ²Dark clouds surround him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.b ³Fire spreads ahead of him and burns up all his foes.c

⁴His lightning flashes out across the world. The earth sees and trembles. ⁵The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth.d ⁶The heavens proclaim his righteousness; every nation sees his glory.

⁷Those who worship idols are disgraced— all who brag about their worthless gods— for every god must bow to him. ⁸Jerusalem has heard and rejoiced, and all the towns of Judah are glad because of your justice, O Lord! ⁹For you, O Lord, are supreme over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.e

¹⁰You who love the Lord, hate evil! He protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked.f ¹¹Light shines on the godly, and joy on those whose hearts are right.g ¹²May all who are godly rejoice in the Lord and praise his holy name!h

Commentary

Psalm 97 is a royal psalm celebrating the Lord's reign over all creation and all nations. It opens with a call for the earth to rejoice because YHWH reigns, then describes his coming in a theophany of clouds, fire, and lightning that melts mountains and exposes the shame of idols. T

Read full commentary

Bible Dictionary· Psalms 97(9)

Bow Fire Foundation Jerusalem Light Right Throne Wax Worship

References· Psalms 97

a: v.1 — Psalms 96:10-11, Psalms 99:1, Colossians 1:13, Psalms 98:4-6, Psalms 93:1, Revelation 11:17, Mark 11:10, Isaiah 49:13, Isaiah 24:14-16, Isaiah 51:5
b: v.2 — Psalms 89:14, Exodus 19:9, Proverbs 16:12, Hebrews 1:8-9, Nahum 1:3, Genesis 18:25, Psalms 99:4, Deuteronomy 4:11-12, Psalms 18:11-12, Psalms 45:6-7
c: v.3 — Psalms 50:3, Psalms 18:8, Hebrews 12:29, 2 Thessalonians 1:8, Malachi 4:1, Daniel 7:10, Psalms 21:8-9, Nahum 1:5-6, Deuteronomy 32:22, 2 Peter 3:10-12
d: v.5 — Nahum 1:5, Micah 1:3-4, Isaiah 24:19-20, Isaiah 64:1-2, Habakkuk 3:6, Psalms 47:2, Psalms 46:6, Judges 5:4-5, Joshua 3:11, Psalms 83:18
e: v.9 — His foretold exaltation: Acts 1:11, Ephesians 1:20; Psalms 95:3, Psalms 83:18, Exodus 18:11, Philippians 2:9-11, Jeremiah 10:10, Psalms 135:5, Ephesians 1:21, Psalms 96:4, Jeremiah 10:8, Psalms 115:3-8
f: v.10 — Proverbs 8:13, Romans 12:9, Jeremiah 15:21, Psalms 145:20, Psalms 34:14, Daniel 3:28, 2 Thessalonians 3:2, Amos 5:15, Psalms 31:23, Proverbs 2:8
g: v.11 — James 5:7-11, John 12:46, Proverbs 4:18, Isaiah 60:1-2, Job 22:28, Psalms 126:5-6, Psalms 112:4, Micah 7:9, Revelation 21:23, Esther 8:16
h: v.12 — Psalms 30:4, Philippians 4:4, Psalms 32:11, Hebrews 12:10, Psalms 60:6, Habakkuk 3:17-18, Zephaniah 3:14-17, Habakkuk 1:12-13

Midvash cross references + OpenBible.info data (CC BY 4.0).

Copied!

Guided study

Study this chapter

A guided session — observe, interpret, apply — that ends in your own note.