Deeper Commentary
Psa 97:1
Yahweh reigns! Let the earth rejoice! Let the multitude of
islands be glad!-
This begins with an appeal to the islands of the Gentiles to 'rejoice'
and 'be glad', but the same two Hebrew words are used in Ps. 97:8 about
how Zion- those in the very temple mount- likewise rejoice and are glad.
The very "ends of the earth" who saw God's salvation of His people are
invited to praise Him for it (Ps. 98:3,4)- the invitation to join in
praise was effectively an invitation to join in worship, and thereby to
become part of God's covenant people. The earth / eretz promised
to Abraham was to rejoice along with the islands- the Gentiles. The Psalm
appears to be an appeal to the exiles to rejoice at the prospect of
restoration, which would include blessing upon the Gentile world.
Finally, the whole earth shall rejoice in Zion, "the joy of the whole
earth"- but the rejected will not: “When the whole earth rejoices, I shall
make you desolate” (Ez. 35:14). But God reigns right now- and that is to
be a source of joy even now, in a world apparently under the rulership of
the flesh.
Psa 97:2
Clouds and darkness are around Him, righteousness and justice are
the foundation of His throne-
The language of theophany, as seen at the Red Sea and Sinai. The
restored throne of David would be based upon justice and righteousness,
whereas the throne of David had become characterized by injustice and
unrighteousness before it was overthrown. There was envisaged a dramatic
theophany which would be associated with the fall of Babylon and the
restoration of God's exiled people. The cherubim which Ezekiel had seen
departing from Zion would return. But this isn't what happened; Judah in
exile didn't really repent, and those relatively few who did return were
clearly motivated by the hope of personal benefit rather than the glory of
God. Babylon didn't dramatically fall as envisaged in the prophets, there
was no theophany; so much potential was wasted. But these things are
rescheduled and reapplied to the final restoration of God's people at the
last day.
Psa 97:3
A fire goes before Him and burns up His adversaries on every side-
As noted on :3, this was part of the potential scenario envisaged;
but it was precluded by the exiles refusing to repent, and not actually
wanting a restoration of the type prophesied. Most of them remained in
Babylon when they had the chance to return. The fire going before the
exiles is the same phrase used of how the pillar of fire went before
Israel in leading them out of Egypt and to the promised land (Ex. 13:21;
Num. 14:14). But the exiles preferred to remain in exile.
Isaiah had prophesied a road being opened before them from Babylon
to Zion, and here we have the detail that a fire would have gone before
them and burnt up their enemies along the way. But so much potential was
wasted. Nehemiah was even given a Persian escort along the way, and Ezra
travelled it in fear of the adversaries. The latter day fulfilment will be
in Ez. 38:22: “And I shall plead against him with pestilence and with
blood, and rain bringing floods and great hailstones, fire and brimstone”.
Psa 97:4
His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees, and trembles-
Lightning, fire (:3), clouds and darkness (:2) are all the language
of theophany, of the type seen by Ezekiel when the cherubim departed from
Zion. This kind of theophany could have been seen again had the exiles
truly wanted to participate in God's potential program.
This also continues the allusion to what happened at the Red Sea, although
the historical record doesn't much mention the thunder, lightning and
theophany which was experienced, according to this and other later
descriptions of what happened (e.g. Ps. 77:17,18; 97:4). The clouds
pouring out water also recalls the flood; as if the judgment upon Egypt
would likewise be seen upon Babylon. But Babylon fell only very slowly,
and not in the dramatic, miraculous way envisaged in the prophecies of the
fall of Babylon. This was again because the Divine potential wasn't
realized because the exiles didn't repent and most actually chose to
remain in Babylon. The final fulfilment will be in the great
earthquake of Zech. 14.
Psa 97:5
The mountains melt like wax at the presence of Yahweh, at the
presence of the Lord of the whole earth-
This again continues the allusion to the exodus, which could have
been repeated in essence at the restoration from Babylon. The mountains of
opposing nations, not least Babylon, could have been burnt up; just as the
Canaanite opposition to the redeemed Israel was potentially melted (Josh.
2:11). This is why the restoration prophecies of later Isaiah are full of
allusion to the exodus and Red Sea deliverance. "The Lord of the whole
earth" / land promised to Abraham is a phrase associated with the exodus
and possession of Canaan (Josh. 3:11,13). "The mountains" are the
apparently permanent nations of the wicked: "As wax melts before the fire,
so let the wicked perish at the presence of God" (Ps. 68:2). This will be
at the condemnation of the last day, when their apparently hard exterior
just melts into nothing as they gnash their teeth in condemnation: "The
wicked will see it, and be grieved. He shall gnash with his teeth, and
melt away. The desire of the wicked will perish" (Ps. 112:10).
Psa 97:6
The heavens declare His righteousness; all the peoples have seen
His glory-
The vision was of all the peoples in the eretz or land
promised to Abraham seeing the restored shekinah glory in Zion, associated
with the theophany envisaged in :2-4. The appeal was to be global and not just to Israel because David
perceived that actually the truth of God is proclaimed by "the whole
earth" and "heavens" (Ps. 97:5,6). Of course, the call is for the Gentile
idolaters to "come" to Yahweh's sanctuary, and not for God's people to
leave Yahweh and go to them. And they were to "bring an offering", to make
a commitment to the God they were being invited to come close to (Ps.
96:8). See on Ps. 96:7. Finally this will come true at the Lord's
return, when every eye shall see Him, including those who pierced Him. For
they shall be resurrected to see His glory, and then die the second death
(Rev. 1:7).
Psa 97:7
Let all them be shamed who serve engraved images, who boast in
their idols-
“And the idols will completely pass away" (Is. 2:18). This is
one window onto the Kingdom- that their followers will experience the
shame of rejection (Dan. 12:2), and no idol will exist.
Yahweh's greatness above all other gods was what led David to appeal to "all you gods" [perhaps put by metonymy for the idol worshipping peoples] to come and worship before Yahweh (Ps. 97:7). See on Ps. 96:7. But Ezekiel demonstrates that idolatry was rife amongst the exiles. They would be shamed in condemnation.
Worship Him, all you gods!-
The gentile idols are not specifically stated to be non-existent. But
the huge power of Yahweh was such that they were revealed as having no
effective power compared to Him, and were therefore declared non-existent
in any functional sense. And this is why the language of demons is used in
the New Testament; but the Lord's miracles were of such magnitude that
they were declared to thereby have no effective existence in practice.
Psa 97:8
Zion heard and was glad. The daughters of Judah rejoiced, because
of Your judgments, Yahweh-
The daughter of Zion / Judah is a phrase used of the exiles. They
were to rejoice in the prospect of what was possible for them. But instead
most of them preferred to remain in Babylon, and persecuted the prophets
like Ezekiel who told them this good news. This is the same reference for
Zech. 9:9, which exhorts the exiled daughter of Zion to "rejoice" (s.w.
"be glad") because her Messianic king was coming to restore her. This was
sadly precluded at the time by the exiles' impenitence, and the failure of
the potential Messianic figures such as Zerubbabel.
Psa 97:9
For You, Yahweh, are most high above all the earth. You are exalted
far above all gods-
The gentile idols are not specifically stated to be non-existent. But
the huge power of Yahweh was such that they were revealed as having no
effective power compared to Him, and were therefore declared non-existent
in any functional sense- see on :7. The exiles were intended to rejoice at
the fall of Babylon because her idols would be brought down before Yahweh;
but instead the exiles continued to worship those idols.
Psa 97:10
You who love Yahweh, hate evil. He preserves the souls of His
saints. He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked-
This may have originated in David's thoughts about Saul, then reapplied to
David's need for salvation from Absalom and Ahithophel, but, it becomes
the intended appeal of the exiles for deliverance from Babylon, then
Haman, and indeed from all their captors. "The hand of the wicked /
unrighteous" is the term used for the Babylonians in Ez. 7:21.
Psa 97:11
Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in
heart-
David is seeing himself and the righteous as Job,
and he here continues that connection, seeing that Job is described likewise
as "upright in heart" (Job 1:8; 2:3). David sees this as characteristic of
all God's people (s.w. Ps. 11:2; 19:8; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11).
He sees the wicked as those who are not upright (Ps. 14:3; 51:1,3). But
these words which David writes about the wicked are then reinterpreted as
applying to all men, God's people included (Rom. 3:12). Like Job, David had
to be taught that actually he was failing to see the seriousness of sin;
righteousness and acceptability with God is imputed to men by grace through
faith, because actually there are none who are upright in heart, apart from
God's representative son.
Psa 97:12
Be glad in Yahweh, you righteous people! Give thanks to His holy
Name-
The rejoicing of the daughter of Zion, the exiles, required that they be
righteous through repentance; in order that the envisaged restoration
could happen in their days. They would then be counted righteous, and be
able to praise God for that grace.
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