Psalm 97

Psa 97:1

HISTORICAL SETTING: The times of Hezekiah. The psalm refs esp to the great "Theophany" at Jerusalem which brought the destruction of Sennacherib's army (Isa 17:12-14; 29:5,6; 30:30-33; 31:8,9; 37:36). Also, the brief but vigorous onslaught against the "gods" of the heathen (vv 7,9) is an apt rejoinder to the scorn with which the Assyrian enemy derided the nation's trust in the Lord (Isa 36:7,15,18; 37:10-17). Note also: "A fire... burneth up his enemies round about" (that is, round about Jerusalem) (v 3). And v 8 is a straight quotation of Psa 48:11, which is undoubtedly a Hezekiah/Sennacherib psalm. Also, there are marked similarities with Psa 96: eg the tirade against idols (Psa 96:4,5 = Psa 97:7); the praise of the Lord (Psa 96:1,4-9 = Psa 97:1,8,9,12); and the heavens "speaking" (Psa 96:11 = Psa 97:6). In Psa 97:8, the daughters of Zion rejoice because of God's judgments -- naturally, for otherwise what would have happened to them?

LET THE DISTANT SHORES REJOICE: "Coastlands" (RSV). A favorite Isaiah term (Isa 24:15; 40:15; 41:5; 42:4; etc).

Psa 97:2

Clouds suggest the Shekinah Glory of the Almighty. In the OT God consistently manifested Himself to Israel in the cloud and the fire (Exo 13:21,22; 14:19,20,24; 16:10; 19:16-19; 20:18; 24:15-19; 33:18-21 with Exo 34:4-7; 40:34-38; Num 10:34; 12:5,10; 14:9,10,14,21,22; Deu 31:14,15; Psa 104:3; 105:39; 1Co 10:1,2). In such He appeared also to David (Psa 18:6-15); Ezekiel (Eze 1:4; 10:4); Elijah (1Ki 19:11-13); Solomon (1Ki 8:10,11); Job (Job 38:1); and the apostles (Luk 9:34,35). The clouds of glory are associated with the judgments of God (Joe 2:2; Zep 1:15; Eze 30:3; Isa 19:1; 25:5). As Jesus ascended in such clouds (Act 1:9), so he will return in clouds (Act 1:11; Luk 21:27; Mat 26:64; Rev 1:7; 14:14-16; Dan 7:13).

Psa 97:6

Cp, for example, Mat 24:30.

Psa 97:7

Here is the abolition of all false "gods", not just the ancient variety (which "died out" long ago in many countries), but also the profusion of modern "deities" -- materialism, pleasure-seeking, science, communism, socialism, humanism, and the like.

ALL YOU GODS: "Elohim" is used of human rulers in Exo 7:1; 21:6; 22:8,9,28; 23:20,21; 1Sa 2:25; 28:13; Psa 82:1,6; 138:1.

Psa 97:8

THE VILLAGES OF JUDAH: "Daughters of Judah" (AV) (cp Psa 48:11). The smaller cities of Judah are called "daughters" because they are the smaller satellites of the "mother" Jerusalem (this figure of speech is quite common: Psa 87:2-6; Isa 54:1-5; 66:7,8,13; Gal 4:26). Psa 9:14 refs to the "gates" of the "daughter" of Zion -- clearly indicating a town of some sort (cp Isa 10:32; Jos 15:45,47, etc -- where "towns" is literally "daughters").

Psa 97:9

FOR YOU, O LORD, ARE THE MOST HIGH: "Most High" = Elyon. In Psa 89:27 this describes the Messiah, son of David: "My firstborn, higher (Elyon) than the kings of the earth."

YOU ARE EXALTED FAR ABOVE ALL GODS: "Elohim". This is Phi 2:9; Eph 4:10 and esp Eph 1:21.

Psa 97:10

LET THOSE WHO LOVE THE LORD HATE EVIL: "We are often reminded that one of the most straightforward ways to show our love for God is to develop along with Him a hatred for evil. This is very hard to do as we are so inextricably tied up with evil in all our natural ways, but it is presented as being possible -- so it gives us something to strive for" (PC).

Psa 97:11

LIGHT IS SHED: Or "Light is sown" (AV). An unusual phrase. Is this an allusion to the High Priest withdrawing Urim (lights) and Thummim (perfection) from his breastplate, the action being somewhat like that of a man taking seed out of a pouch and sowing it broadcast? In Christ's parable of the Sower, the seed represents the "word of the kingdom" -- which is of course the "light" of truth (Mat 13:19). The end result of its sowing is that, after the "harvest", the fruit of that seed will be the righteous, who "shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father" (Mat 13:43). The RSV has, by a slight change (favored by some texts): "Light dawns" -- this is the dawn of a new morning after the great storm (vv 2-5) has swept away all vestiges of wickedness. "Dawn" also sym resurrection (Psa 110:3; Isa 26:19).