Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

Psalm 97. This is a hymn celebrating God's kingship over all his creation (see note on Psalm 93), particularly focusing on how God's universal rule assures the faithful of his final victory over evil and idolatry. This victory involves God's protection of his faithful ones from evildoers (97:10), the vindication of Zion as God's chosen place for revealing himself (vv. 8-9), and the Gentiles ultimately coming to know the true God (vv. 6-7). Such assurance does not come from observing the course of events in the world, as God's universal kingship is often invisible; it is an affirmation of biblical faith that produces profound joy in those who embrace it (vv. 11-12). The psalm has a number of echoes of the Pentateuch, especially Exodus: e.g., Ps. 97:1 ("the Lord reigns") and Ex. 15:18; Ps. 97:2-5 and Ex. 19:9, 16, 18 (God's appearance at Sinai); Ps. 97:6 and Ex. 16:7 ("see his glory") and Num. 14:21 (all the earth shall be filled with the Lord's glory); and Ps. 97:9 and Ex. 15:11 (the Lord far above all other gods). The reference to Zion hearing and being glad in Ps. 97:8 indicates that the psalm arose from some great deliverance of the city, although the particular deliverance in view is not clear.

97:1-5 The Glorious Presence of the Lord. In words that echo the appearance of God's glory on Sinai (Ex. 19:16-18; cf. Deut. 4:11; 5:22), the psalm describes the magnificence of God's presence. The clouds and thick darkness (Ps. 97:2) convey the mystery of God's unapproachable majesty, while righteousness and justice as the foundation of his throne show that the mysterious majesty is not that of an arbitrary despot but of one who can be trusted. The expressions burns up his adversaries all around (v. 3), the earth sees and trembles (v. 4), and melt like wax (v. 5; cf. 68:2; Mic. 1:4) direct the singers' attention to how the universal kingship of God means that he is completely able to clear away all opposition. Although the psalms can certainly describe God's coming judgment on those who disbelieve him (whether in Israel or among the nations), that is not the focus here: this psalm looks forward to the Gentiles coming to know the magnificent Creator and Ruler of all; and thus, let the earth (and its inhabitants) rejoice (Ps. 97:1).