Psalms 97

Psalms 97:1

Psalm 97: Light Is Sown for the Righteous!97:1 As the Psalm opens, the LORD, Jesus Christ, has taken His throne. The crowning day has come. And there is worldwide rejoicing. The distant isles and coastlands have never known such gladness. 97:2 The King’s arrival is described in symbolical terms that inspire the deepest reverential awe. First of all, He is swathed in clouds and darknessa reminder that our Lord is often mysteriously hidden from the eyes of men and majestically inscrutable as to His ways. How little we know of Him! Then righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. His is the ideal governmenta beneficent monarchywhere there are no miscarriages of justice, no perversions of the truth. 97:3-5 Great sheets of fire sweep before Him, consuming those who do not know God and who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus (2Th_1:8). The lightnings of His judgments illuminate the countryside. People look on in terror. This is the time when “every mountain and hill shall be brought low” (Isa_40:4), in other words, when everything that lifts itself against the knowledge of God shall be humbled. 97:6a The heavens declare His righteousness. As He comes in the clouds of heaven (Rev_1:7) with all His blood-bought saints (1Th_3:13), the world sees that He was righteous after all in restoring Israel as He promised. Also, as Gaebelein explains: The many sons He brings with Him to glory make known His righteousness, that great work of righteousness on Calvary’s cross by which the redeemed were saved and are now glorified. 97:6b And all the peoples see His glory. The King there in His beauty Without a veil is seen. It were a well-spent journey Though seven deaths lay between. The Lamb with His fair army Doth on Mount Zion stand; And glory, glory dwelleth In Immanuel’s land. Anne Ross Cousin97:7 What will idolaters think then? They will be completely nonplussed, realizing that they had been worshiping empty nothings. “Worship Him, all you gods” in the Septuagint reads, “Let all God’s angels worship him,” and it is quoted that way in Heb_1:6. The Hebrew word here (Elohim) usually means God but it may also refer to angels, judges, rulers, or even to heathen gods or deities. 97:8, 9 The city of Zion hears the news of the King’s victories against rebels and idolaters, and is glad. The hamlets of Judah join in the jubilation. “Glad news for Sion, rejoicing for Judah’s townships, when thy judgments, Lord, are made known” (Knox). At last the LORD is seen to be what He always wasmost high above all the earth, and exalted far above all other potentates, real or manufactured. 97:10 You who love the LORD, hate evil. The two are moral correlatives love for Jehovah and hatred of all that is contrary to Him. Those who pass this test are special objects of His preserving care. 97:11 Light is sown like seed for the righteous, that is, the coming of Christ means the diffusion of light for the man who does what is right and joy unspeakable for all those whose hearts are honest and sincere. 97:12 So the happy summons rings out to all God’s righteous people to join in the rejoicing and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness (NKJV margin). This is a surprise ending for the Psalm. We would have expected it to say “Give thanks at the remembrance of His loveor mercyor graceor glory.” But no, it is His holiness. Once His holiness excluded us from His presence. But now, through the redemption accomplished by the Lord Jesus, His holiness is on our side instead of being against us, and we can rejoice when we remember it.