Wisdom & Poetry · Old Testament
Psalms 97
Psalm 97: the Lord reigns in clouds and fire, and Zion hears and is glad
General context
The psalm declares that the Lord reigneth and calls the earth to rejoice and the multitude of isles to be glad. Clouds and darkness are round about him, righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne, a fire goes before him and burns up his enemies, his lightnings enlighten the world, and the earth sees and trembles; the hills melt like wax at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. The heavens declare his righteousness and all the people see his glory. Those who serve graven images and boast of idols are to be confounded, and all gods are told to worship him. Zion heard and was glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of the Lord's judgments, for he is high above all the earth and exalted far above all gods. Those who love the Lord are told to hate evil; he preserves the souls of his saints and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart, and the righteous are told to rejoice in the Lord and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
Cited passages: Psalms 97:1, Psalms 97:2, Psalms 97:3, Psalms 97:4, Psalms 97:5, Psalms 97:6, Psalms 97:7, Psalms 97:8, Psalms 97:9, Psalms 97:10, Psalms 97:11, Psalms 97:12
Psalms 97 (KJV)
1The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.
2Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.
3A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.
4His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.
5The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
6The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.
7Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.
8Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O Lord.
9For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.
10Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.
11Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.
12Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
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Historical context
This source prints no superscription; the psalm opens with The Lord reigneth. No speaker is named. Verses 1 to 7 speak of the Lord in the third person; verses 8 and 9 turn to address him, thy judgments, O Lord, thou art exalted; verses 10 to 12 address ye that love the Lord and ye righteous. The only places named are Zion and Judah, whose daughters rejoice, and the isles, which are not identified. The enemies burned by fire are unnamed, and the judgments that Zion heard are not described. Verse 7 both condemns those who serve graven images and commands all ye gods to worship him; the text does not explain the gods further. The tenses shift: the lightnings enlightened and the hills melted are past, while the fire goeth and he preserveth are present. There is no Selah.
Cited passages: Psalms 97:8, Psalms 97:9, Psalms 97:10, Psalms 97:1, Psalms 97:3, Psalms 97:7, Psalms 97:4, Psalms 97:5
Literary context
The psalm moves from a storm to a lamp. The opening verses gather clouds, darkness, fire, lightning and melting hills around a throne whose foundation is righteousness and judgment, and the earth's response is to see and tremble. From verse 8 the response is gladness, first Zion's and Judah's, then the righteous. Light appears twice with different force: lightnings that make the earth tremble, and light sown like seed for the righteous. Rejoice frames the poem, commanded to the earth in verse 1 and to the righteous in verse 12. Verse 10 pairs love and hate in one line, love the Lord, hate evil, and verse 7 sets two opposite commands side by side, confounded be and worship him. The psalm ends with thanks at a remembrance, so the last act is memory rather than sight.
Cited passages: Psalms 97:2, Psalms 97:4, Psalms 97:11, Psalms 97:1, Psalms 97:12, Psalms 97:10, Psalms 97:7
Key moments
- The Lord reigneth (Psalms 97:1). The earth and the isles are called to rejoice that the Lord reigns.
- Fire before him (Psalms 97:3). A fire goes before the Lord and burns up his enemies.
- Hills melt like wax (Psalms 97:5). The hills melt at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
- Worship him, all ye gods (Psalms 97:7). Idol-servers are to be confounded and all gods told to worship him.
- Zion heard and was glad (Psalms 97:8). Zion and the daughters of Judah rejoice because of the Lord's judgments.
- Light sown for the righteous (Psalms 97:11). Light and gladness are sown for the righteous and upright in heart.
For reflection
The earth trembles at the same presence that makes Zion glad. What in the psalm decides whether the Lord's coming is felt as fire or as light sown for the righteous?
