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Psalms 97

World English Bible

WEB

1Yahweh reigns! Let the earth rejoice! Let the multitude of islands be glad! 2Clouds and darkness are around him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. 3A fire goes before him, and burns up his adversaries on every side. 4His lightning lights up the world. The earth sees, and trembles. 5The mountains melt like wax at the presence of Yahweh, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. 6The heavens declare his righteousness. All the peoples have seen his glory. 7Let all them be shamed who serve engraved images, who boast in their idols. Worship him, all you gods! 8Zion heard and was glad. The daughters of Judah rejoiced because of your judgments, Yahweh. 9For you, Yahweh, are most high above all the earth. You are exalted far above all gods. 10You who love Yahweh, hate evil! He preserves the souls of his saints. He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked. 11Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. 12Be glad in Yahweh, you righteous people! Give thanks to his holy Name.

World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org

Overview

Psalm 97 is a powerful declaration of the sovereignty and majesty of God, celebrating His reign over all creation. The psalm opens with the proclamation that the Lord reigns, calling for the earth to rejoice and the multitude of isles to be glad. This emphasizes God's universal authority, as His kingship extends beyond Israel to all nations and peoples. The imagery of clouds and darkness surrounding Him signifies His holiness and the awe-inspiring nature of His presence, while fire and lightning serve as manifestations of His power and judgment. The psalmist invites all creation to recognize the glory of the Lord, as even the heavens declare His righteousness and the people see His glory (Psalm97 #GodsSovereignty).
The psalm continues by contrasting the worship of idols with the worship of the true God. It highlights that those who trust in idols will be put to shame, while those who love the Lord are called to hate evil. This serves as a reminder of the importance of fidelity to God and the consequences of turning away from Him. The psalm concludes with a promise of joy and deliverance for the righteous, affirming that the Lord preserves the lives of His faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. The final exhortation to rejoice in the Lord and give thanks to His holy name encapsulates the essence of worship, encouraging believers to celebrate God's goodness and faithfulness in their lives.

Study

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Referenced by

  1. Esther 8:16v11Esther 8:16 describes the joy and gladness of the Jews, which parallels the joy and light for the righteous mentioned in Psalm 97:11, emphasizing the theme of divine favor and deliverance.
  2. Nahum 1:5v5Nahum 1:5 describes the mountains quaking before God, similar to Psalm 97:5 where the mountains melt like wax before the Lord, highlighting God's supreme power over creation.

Topics in this chapter

Related chapters

  • Psalms 93Nature in ArtSovereignty of GodGod's Reign
  • Psalms 99God ReignsGod's ReignDivine Kingship
  • Exodus 19TheophanyCall to WorshipMajesty of God
  • Psalms 89Divine MajestyChristian EthicsMajesty of God
  • Micah 1Sovereignty of GodMountainsMajesty of God
  • Habakkuk 3Supremacy of ChristTheophanyRejoicing
  • Hebrews 12Consuming FireKingdom of GodKingdom of God
  • Isaiah 52God's ReignKingdom of GodPower
  • Nahum 1MountainsMajesty of GodGod's Character
  • Psalms 96God's ReignRejoiceCall to Worship
  • Job 36RomanticismCloudsNature in Art
  • Isaiah 44False GodsYahwehPower

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