Psalms 97

The LORD rules as king. Let the earth be glad. Let the many faraway shorelines celebrate.

1The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.

Note"LORD" in small capitals stands in for God's personal name in Hebrew, which the text spells with four consonants (roughly YHWH). Jewish readers traditionally do not pronounce it, saying "the Lord" instead, and English Bibles keep that custom by printing the title in capitals. In verse 5 "the Lord of the whole earth" translates a different Hebrew word meaning master or owner. "Faraway shorelines" translates a word for islands and coastlands, the lands reached by sailing, at the far edge of the world as the writer knew it. The point is distance: even the most remote places.

2Clouds and darkness surround him. Doing right and judging fairly are what his throne rests on.

2Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.

NoteClouds, darkness, fire, lightning and shaking ground (verses 2–5) are a fixed set of images in Hebrew poetry for God arriving in person. The picture is a violent thunderstorm on a mountain, and it is used the same way in Exodus 19 and elsewhere; a reader of the time would recognize the scene rather than picture separate events.

3Fire goes ahead of him and burns up his enemies on every side.

3A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.

4His lightning lights up the world. The earth sees it and shakes.

4His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.

5The hills melt like wax when the LORD comes near, when the Lord of the whole earth comes near.

5The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

6The heavens announce that he does what is right, and all the peoples see how great he is.

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

7Everyone who serves carved images is put to shame, all who brag about their idols. Worship him, all you gods!

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

Note"All you gods" renders a Hebrew word (elohim) that can mean the gods of other nations, or heavenly beings of a lower rank in God's court, or human rulers. The line is genuinely open: it may be a taunt aimed at the idols just mentioned, or a command addressed to lesser powers in heaven. The ancient Greek translation resolved it as "angels." Carved images were physical statues of a god, made of wood, stone or metal and often overlaid with gold; "idol" here is a dismissive Hebrew word suggesting something worthless or unreal.

8Zion heard it and was glad, and the towns of Judah celebrated because of your decisions, LORD.

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

NoteZion was the hill Jerusalem was built on, and the name is used for the city and its people as a whole. The Hebrew literally says "the daughters of Judah." Calling smaller settlements the "daughters" of a region or a chief city was normal usage, the way we might say outlying towns; it does not mean women here. "Your decisions" translates a legal word: the verdicts a judge hands down. The picture is of God settling cases, not of disasters.

9For you, LORD, are far above all the earth. You are lifted up much higher than all gods.

9For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.

10You who love the LORD, hate what is evil. He guards the lives of those who belong to him. He rescues them from the power of wicked people.

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

Note"Saints" in the King James English does not mean canonised holy people. The Hebrew word (hasidim) means those who stay loyal, people bound to God by an agreement and keeping their side of it. The same root describes God's own steady loyalty. "Souls" here means lives or persons, not an immaterial part of a person; and "the hand of the wicked" means their grip or power.

11Light is planted like seed for those who do right, and joy for those whose hearts are honest.

11Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.

Note"Sown" is the farming word for scattering seed: light is planted now and comes up later, so the image carries a delay between the sowing and the harvest. Some Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions read a very similar word meaning "shines" or "dawns" instead, the two differ by one letter, which is why some translations say light shines rather than is sown.

12You who do right, be glad in the LORD, and give thanks to his holy name.

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

NoteThe King James "at the remembrance of his holiness" follows the Hebrew closely: literally "to his holy memorial," where "memorial" means the name by which someone is called to mind. The phrase amounts to "his holy name," which is how most modern translations render it.