The Book of Psalms

Psalm 97

Psalm XCVII · Vol. II, pp. 1050–1052

1 The majesty of God's kingdom. 8 The church rejoiceth at God's judgments against idolaters. 10 An exhortation to godliness and joy in the Lord.

Margin referencesNotes ↓

1 The LORD^a reigneth;¹ let ^bthe earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles² be glad thereof.

a Ps.93.1; 96.10; 99.1.

1 See note on Ps.93.1. 'A prophecy of the dominion of Christ over all nations.'—Ostervald.

b Ps.2.11; 96.1. Is.24.15,16; 42.10-12; 49.13. Re.10.1.

2 Heb. many or great isles, Is.41.1; 42.4,10,12; 49.1; 51.5; 60.9; 66.19. Zep.2.11. Mal.1.11. Ps.72.10.

2 Clouds^c and darkness are round about him: ^drighteousness and judgment are the ³habitation of his throne.

c 1 Ki.8.12. 2 Sa.22.12. Re.10.1. Ps.65.6; 77.19.

d See Ps.89.1,14; 45.6.

3 Or, establishment.

3 A^e fire⁴ goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.

e Da.7.10. He.12.29. De.32.22. Ps.21.9-12; 50.3. Mal.4.1. Mat.22.7. Re.6.17; viii. ix. xvi. xx.; 21.8.

4 The Spirit of prophecy, before whom is all time, here describes, as past events that are yet to come. See 2 Pe.3.7-11. Re.18.18.—C.

4 His^g lightnings enlightened the world; the earth saw, and trembled.

g Ps.77.18; 104.32; 144.5,6.

5 The^h hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the ⁱLORD of the whole earth.

h Ju.5.5. Mi.1.4. Na.1.5. Hab.3.4-6.

i Ps.24.1. Is.66.1; 54.5. Da.7.14.

6 The^j heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.

j Ps.19.1; 50.6; 98.3. Is.45.8. Nu.14.21. Mat.25.31.

7 Confounded^k be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye ⁵gods.⁶

k Ex.20.4. Le.26.1. De.5.8. Re.14.9,10.

A.M. cir. 2959. B.C. cir. 1045.

5 Angels, He.1.6.

6 More literally: 'Let all those that serve graven images, that make boast of their idols, be ashamed.—Worship him all ye elohim.' Elohim is one of the names given in Scripture to God. It signifies power; and the same word was applied to all those who exercised, or were supposed to possess power, such as angels, magistrates, princes, and false deities. That the word is intended in this place to signify 'angels' is proved by the quotation of the apostle in He.1.6.—P.

**PRISON, NAPLES. [Psalms, xcvi:10.]** "Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth; the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved; he shall judge the people righteously." Perhaps there is no city on earth that furnishes a better point for the study of the judgments of God upon cities, nations, and individuals, than Naples. In no other city that has ever existed, have men gone further in defiance of the laws of God and man, and in no other city have they suffered more. Here, in the time of Rome's power and glory, her wealthy people reveled in vices too horrible to mention. And here the judgments of heaven have fallen with a fury and an emphasis almost without parallel. This region, so amply favored as one might be led to suppose it dropped from heaven, as the poet says, has done more to insult heaven than almost any other spot. But Naples has been judged, and here the Lord reigns, either to build those who obey or to destroy those who violate His law.

Vol. II, p. 1052

8 Zion^l heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O LORD.

l Ps.48.11; 64.9; 58.10; 52.6. Re.11.17; 12.12; 18.20; 19.1-7.

9 Forⁿ thou, LORD, art high above all the earth; thou art exalted far above all gods.⁷

n Phi.2.9-11. Ep.1.21. Ps.95.3; 96.4.

7 'Thou art exalted far above all angels.'—P.

10 Ye that love the LORD, ^ohate evil: ^phe preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.

o Pr.3.7. Ps.34.14. Am.5.15. Ro.12.9.

p Ps.16.1; 17.7,8; 25.20; 59.1. 2 Co.1.10. Is.46.4. Da.3.28.

11 Light^q is sown⁸ for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.

q Es.8.16. Ps.112.4; 18.28. Mi.7.8,9. 1 Jn.3.2. Col.3.4.

8 Light is sown—diffused, like seed radiating from the hand of the sower.—C.

12 Rejoice^r in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance⁹ of his holiness.

r Ps.32.11; 33.1. Phi.4.4.

9 Or, to the memorial, Ps.30.4; 89.35. Ex.15.11. Hab.1.12,13.

Notes

Ver. 2. Clouds and darkness are the emblems of both his government of providence and plan of redemption, which are yet veiled from our eyes—in some parts by clouds, through which we see obscurely; and in others by darkness, through which we cannot see at all. C.

Ver. 7. Confounded. This is not any angry imprecation, but a humble prayer that God would confound the counsels of idolaters against truth and godliness, as he confounded the counsel of Ahithophel against David—that he would confound their combinations to do evil in the world, as he confounded the tongues of the Babel conspirators, and scattered them abroad upon the face of the whole earth. C.

Reflections.—However mysterious and unsearchable God's providences be, they are always just and equal. A great shaking of the nations, by the Roman and other conquests, ushered in the gospel kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. A great destruction of obstinate Jews and heathens, and overturning of idolatry in the world, attended the erection and spread of it. And a great overturning of antichristians, Mahometans, and all their false worship, shall yet take place in its most glorious period. No exalted potentates, no mighty nations, nor fixed customs of wickedness, shall be able to withstand his conquering influence. Let saints then rejoice in his dignity of person, office, and state; in his gracious preservation and deliverance of his people; in the comforts and glory which he has prepared for them; and in his righteous judgments upon their implacable foes. And let their delight in his holiness inflame their love to himself and their hatred of sin.