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Commentary by Clyde M. Miller Questions by John C. Sewell

Our Lord Is Supreme

Psalm 97:1-12

Landmark Publications,Inc., 1045 Maynor Street, Nashville, TN 37216, U.S.A., John C. Sewell, Ph.D., Editor.


Our Lord Is Supreme

Commentary

By

Clyde M. Miller Text: Psalm 97:1-12 1. The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. 2. Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. 3. Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side. 4. His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles. 5. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth. 6. The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory. 7. All who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols worship him, all you gods! 8. Zion hears and rejoices and the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments, O LORD. 9. For you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. 10. Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. 11. Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. 12. Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name. NIV Introduction: I. To the responsive rejoicing emphasized in Pss. 96-98, Ps. 97 adds the dimension of terror awaiting the wicked in the day of judgment (Ps. 97:3,7).



A. Psalm 97: 3, 7, Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side. All who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols worship him, all you gods! NIV

The Presence of God

Psalm 97: 1-5, The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side. His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth. NIV I. The exodus typology involving a theophany (appearance of God) is employed as a symbol of the divine presence in Israel (cf. Ex. 13:21-22; 19:16-18; Ps. 18:7-15; Isa. 6:1-4; Ezek. 1; Nah. 1:5).

A. Exodus 13:21,22. By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. NIV

B. Exodus 19:16-18, On the morning of the third day there was

thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, NIV

C. Psalm 18:7-15, The earth trembled and quaked, and the

foundations of the mountains shook; they trembled because he was angry. Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it. He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet. He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind. He made darkness his covering, his canopy around



him— the dark rain clouds of the sky. Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightning. The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded. He shot his arrows and scattered the enemies, great bolts of lightning and routed them. The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of breath from your nostrils. NIV

D. Isaiah 6:1-4, In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. NIV E. Ezekiel 1:1-28, In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month on

the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin- the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. There the hand of the LORD was upon him. I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was that of a man, but each of them had four faces and four wings. Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze. Under their wings on their four sides they had the hands of a man. All four of them had faces and wings, and their wings touched one another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved. Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a man, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle. Such were their faces. Their wings



were spread out upward; each had two wings, one touching the wing of another creature on either side, and two wings covering its body. Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went. The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning. As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like chrysolite, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not turn about as the creatures went. Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around. When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked like an expanse, sparkling like ice, and awesome. Under the expanse their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings. Then there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance



around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking. NIV

F. Nahum 1:5, The mountains quake before him and the hills

meltaway. The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live in it. NIV

II. The actual theophany at the time of the exodus is employed figuratively by the psalmist. Commentary: Psalm 97:1, The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. NIV I. For “the Lord reigns”, see Ps. 93:1 for concerning enthronement psalms.

A. Psalm 93:1, The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. NIV

II. “Earth”, Aarets, sometimes means the land of Israel (cf. Deut. 5:16), but the synonymous phrase, “the distant shores”, shows that here it means the world at large.

A. Deuteronomy 5:16, "Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you. NIV

III. “Coastlands” (RSV) could also be translated “islands”, and the Hebrew word is often used of places remote from Israel (cf. Isa. 24:14-16; 40:15-17; 41:5; 42:4,10).

A. Isaiah 24-14-16, They raise their voices, they shout for joy; from the west they acclaim the LORD's majesty. Therefore in the east give glory to the LORD; exalt the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea. From the ends of the earth we hear singing: "Glory to the Righteous One." But I said, "I



waste away, I waste away! Woe to me! The treacherous betray! With treachery the treacherous betray!" NIV

B. Isaiah 40:15-17, Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust. Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals enough for burnt offerings. Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing. NIV

C. Isaiah 41:5, The islands have seen it and fear; the ends of the earth tremble. They approach and come forward; NIV

D. Isaiah 42:4, 10, he will not falter or be discouraged till he

establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope." Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them. NIV

Psalm 97:2, Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. NIV I. Concerning God's “righteousness and justice” exercised in His judgments, see Pss. 33:4-5; 45:6-7; 72:1.

A. Psalm 33:4,5 For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. NIV

B. Psalm 45:6,7, Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever a

scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy. NIV

C. Psalm 72:1, Endow the king with your justice, O God, the

royal son with your righteousness. NIV Psalm 97:3, Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side. NIV



I. “Fire” is frequently used by the prophets to symbolize God's judgments (cf. Amos 1:1-2:5; 4:11; 7:4; Joel 1:19-20; 2:3; Obad. 1:18; Nah. 1:6; Zeph. 3:8; Isa. 30:27; 66:15-16; Jer. 5:14; 23:29; Ezek. 21:32).

A. Amos 1:1-15, The words of Amos, one of the shepherd of Tekoa—what he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel. He said: "The LORD roars from Zion and thunders from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds dry up, and the top of Carmel withers." This is what the LORD says: "For three sins of Damascus, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath . Because she threshed Gilead with sledges having iron teeth, I will send fire upon the house of Hazael that will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad. I will break down the gate of Damascus; I will destroy the king who is in the Valley of Aven and the one who holds the scepter in Beth Eden. The people of Aram will go into exile to Kir," says the LORD. This is what the LORD says: "For three sins of Gaza, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath . Because she took captive whole communities and sold them to Edom, I will send fire upon the walls of Gaza that will consume her fortresses. I will destroy the king of Ashdod and the one who holds the scepter in Ashkelon.I will turn my hand against Ekron, till the last of the Philistines is dead," says the Sovereign LORD. This is what the LORD says: "For three sins of Tyre, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath . Because she sold whole communities of captives to Edom, disregarding a treaty of brotherhood, I will send fire upon the walls of Tyre that will consume her fortresses." This is what the LORD says: "For three sins of Edom, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath . Because he pursued his brother with a sword, stifling all compassion, because his anger raged continually and his fury flamed unchecked, I will send fire upon Teman that will consume the fortresses of Bozrah." This is what the LORD says: "For three sins of Ammon, even for four, I will not turn back {my wrath}. Because he ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to extend his borders, I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah that will consume her fortresses amid war cries on the day of battle, amid violent winds on a stormy day. Her king will go into exile, he and his officials together," says the LORD. NIV



B. Amos 2:1-5, This is what the LORD says: "For three sins of Moab, even for four, I will not turn back {my wrath}. Because he burned, as if to lime, the bones of Edom's king, I will send fire upon Moab that will consume the fortresses of Kerioth. Moab will go down in great tumult amid war cries and the blast of the trumpet. I will destroy her ruler and kill all her officials with him," says the LORD. This is what the LORD says: "For three sins of Judah, even for four, I will not turn back {my wrath}. Because they have rejected the law of the LORD and have not kept his decrees, because they have been led astray by false gods, the gods their ancestors followed, I will send fire upon Judah that will consume the fortresses of Jerusalem." NIV

C. Amos 4:11,"I overthrew some of you as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. You were like a burning stick snatched from the fire, yet you have not returned to me," declares the LORD. NIV D. Amos 7:4, This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: The Sovereign LORD was calling for judgment by fire; it dried up the great deep and devoured the land. NIV

E. Joel 1:19-20, To you, O LORD, I call, for fire has devoured the open pastures and flames have burned up all the trees of the field. Even the wild animals pant for you; the streams of water have dried up and fire has devoured the open pastures. NIV F. Joel 2:3, Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste— nothing escapes them. NIV

G. Obadiah 1:18, The house of Jacob will be a fire and the house of Joseph a flame; the house of Esau will be stubble, and they will set it on fire and consume it. There will be no survivors from the house of Esau." The LORD has spoken. NIV

H. Naham 1:6, Who can withstand his indignation? Who can endure his fierce anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; the rocks are shattered before him. NIV



I. Zephaniah 3:8, “Therefore wait for me," declares the LORD, "for the day I will stand up to testify. I have decided to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms and to pour out my wrath on them— all my fierce anger. The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger. NIV

J. Isaiah 30:27, See, the Name of the LORD comes from afar, withburning anger and dense clouds of smoke; his lips are full of wrath, and his tongue is a consuming fire. NIV K. Isaiah 66: 15-16, See, the LORD is coming with fire, and his chariots are like a whirlwind; he will bring down his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For with fire and with his sword the LORD will execute judgment upon all men, and many will be those slain by the LORD. NIV

L. Jeremiah 5:14, Therefore this is what the LORD God Almighty says: "Because the people have spoken these words, I will make my words in your mouth a fire and these people the wood it consumes. NIV

M. Jeremiah 23:29, "Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD,"and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces? NIV

N. Ezekiel 21:32, You will be fuel for the fire, your blood will be shed in your land, you will be remembered no more; for I the LORD have spoken.' "NIV

II. The psalmist employs the term in the same sense.

Psalm 97:4-5, His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth. NIV

I. The figurative language used here describes God's power to humble mighty men and nations in the face of His judgment (cf. Mic. 1:4; Nah. 1:5; Isa. 64:1-2).



A. Micah 1:4, The mountains melt beneath him and the valleys split apart, like wax before the fire, like water rushing down a slope. NIV B. Nahum 1:5, The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live in it. NIV

C. Isaiah 64:1-2, Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the Mountains would tremble before you! As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you!

The Exaltation of God

Psalm 97:6-9, The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory. All who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols—worship him, all you gods! Zion hears and rejoices and the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments, O LORD. For you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. NIV

Psalm. 97:6, The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory. NIV

I. “His glory”, is the proclamation of His “righteousness”.

A. “Glory” indicates the visible manifestation and “righteousness” indicates the moral aspect of God's holiness (cf. Isa. 5:16).

1. Isaiah 5:16, But the LORD Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy God will show himself holy by his righteousness. NIV

Psalm 97:7, All who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols—worship him, all you gods! NIV

I. “Images”, “idols”, and “gods” are interchangeable here.



A. For the word “idols”, see the comments on 96:5.

1. Psalm 96:5, The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.

2. God often demonstrated His reality and power in contrast to impotent idols (cf. 1 Kings 18:17-40).

a. 1 Kings 18:17-40, When he saw Elijah, he said to him, "Is that you, you troubler of Israel?" "I have not made trouble for Israel," Elijah replied. "But you and your father's family have. You have abandoned the LORD's commands and have followed the Baals. Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table." So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." But the people said nothing. Then Elijah said to them, "I am the only one of the LORD's prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. Get two bulls for us. Let them choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire—he is God." Then all the people said, "What you say is good." Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire." So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. "O Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no



response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made. At noon Elijah began to taunt them. "Shout louder!" he said. "Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened." So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention. Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come here to me." They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which was in ruins. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, "Your name shall be Israel." With the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, "Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood." "Do it again," he said, and they did it again. "Do it a third time," he ordered, and they did it the third time. The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench. At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again." Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The LORD -he is God! The LORD -he is



God!" Then Elijah commanded them, "Seize the prophets of Baal. Don't let anyone get away!" They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there. NIV

3. “All gods bow down before him” (RSV) is accommodative language used to declare the supremacy of God.

a. (It is not clear whether Heb. 1:6d quotes Ps. 97:

(LXX) or Deut. 32:43 (LXX), where the Greek has the additional line, “And let all the angels of God worship him”.

i. Hebrews 1:6, And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him." NIV

ii. Psalm 97:7, All who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols—worship him, all you gods! NIV

iii. Deuteronomy 32:43, Rejoice, O nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants; he will take vengeance on his enemies and make atonement for his land and people. NIV

Psalm 97:8, Zion hears and rejoices and the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments, O LORD. NIV

I. “Villages of” is a metonymy for “the people of” (cf. Jer. 46:24; 49:3; Ps. 9:14; 137:8; Isa. 62:11; Jer. 6:2; Zeph. 3:14; Matt. 21:5; Luke 23:28).

A. Jeremiah 46:24, The Daughter of Egypt will be put to shame, handed over to the people of the north." NIV

B. Jeremiah 49:3,"Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is destroyed! Cry out, O inhabitants of Rabbah! Put on sackcloth and mourn; rush here



and there inside the walls, for Molech will go into exile, together with his priests and officials. NIV

C. Psalm 9:14, that I may declare your praises in the gates of the Daughter of Zion and there rejoice in your salvation. NIV

D. Psalm 137:8, O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, happy is he who repays you for what you have done to us- NIV E. Isaiah 62:11, The LORD has made proclamation to the ends of the earth: "Say to the Daughter of Zion, 'See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.'" NIV

F. Jeremiah 6:2, I will destroy the Daughter of Zion, so beautiful and delicate. NIV G. Zephanrah 3:14, Sing, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem! NIV

H. Matthew 21:5,"Say to the Daughter of Zion, 'See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'" NIV I. Luke 23:28, Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. NIV

Psalm 97:9, For you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. NIV I. “The Most high”, Aelyon, is synonymous with “exalted”, and is not here employed as a proper name for God (cf. NEB, and KJV, against NASB).

The Lord Grants Deliverance Psalm 97:10-12, Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in



heart. Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name. NIV

Psalm 97:10, Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. NIV

I. The note in the RSV (cf. KJV, NASB) renders the Hebrew of the first line.

A. The slight emendation in the RSV (cf. NEB) matches the form of the two succeeding verbs. B. However, exhortation and declaration are often mixed in the psalms (cf. Ps. 97:11-12).

1. Psalm 97:11-12, Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name. NIV

C. Hating evil is the natural antithesis of loving the good (cf. Prov. 8:13; Rom. 12:9).

1. Proverbs 8:13, To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. NIV

2. Romans 12:9, Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave

room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. NIV

Psalm 97:11, Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. NIV I. “Light”, as a metaphor of divine blessing, may refer specifically to life (Ps. 36:9), prosperity (Job 29:3), enlightenment (Ps. 119:105,130), or deliverance (Ps. 43:2-4).

A. Psalm 36:9, For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. NIV



B. Job 29:3, when his lamp shone upon my head and by his light I walked through darkness!. NIV C. Psalm 119:105,130, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. NIV

D. Psalm 43:2-4, You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God. NIV

II. “Righteous” and “upright” are synonyms.

Psalm 97:12, Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name. NIV

I. The “righteous” should “rejoice” in the greatness and goodness of God and praise His righteous judgments.

Application I. The fine distinctions between God’s blessings on the righteous and his fiery judgments against the wicked should lead every God fearer to a sense of personal responsibility in serving God in sincerity and holiness. II. It should cause the wicked to contemplate his fate and to repent and serve God faithfully.



Questions

Psalm 97:1-12

(Questions based on NIV text.)

1. “The _________________ ______________ let the ______________ be ____________________; let the ___________________ _______________ _________________.” 2. “____________ and ____________ ______________ ______________ him; ______________ and ______________ are the ______________ of his ______________. ______________ goes before him and ______________ his ____________ on ____________ ______________. His ____________ ______________ up the _______________; the ___________________ ____________ and ______________. The ______________ ____________ like ________________ before the ______________, before the _________________ of all the ________________. The ____________ _________________ his ___________________, and ______________ the __________________ see his __________________.” 3. “All who ______________ ______________ are put to ______________, those who ______________ in ______________ - ______________ him, all you ______________!” 4. “____________________________ and ______________ and the ______________ of ______________ are ______________ because of our ______________, O ______________. For you, O ______________, are the ______________ ______________ over all the ______________; you are ______________ far above ______________ ______________.” 5. “Let those who ______________ the ______________ ______________ ______________, for he ______________ the ______________ of his ______________ ______________ and ______________ them from the ______________ of the _________________. ______________ is ______________ upon the ________________ and ______________ on the ______________ in __________________. ______________ in the ______________, you who are ______________, and ______________ his ______________ ______________.”



6. What does Psalm 97 add to the responsive rejoicing emphasized in Psalm 96-98? ______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 7. Give biblical examples of the exodus typology involving a divine theophany being employed as a symbol for the divine presence in Israel. ___ _____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. Define metonymy, emendation; typology, theophany, earth, distant shores, coastlands and islands as referenced in Psalm 97. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. How were God’s righteousness and justice exercised in his judgments. Give examples: ________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 10. Give biblical examples of “fire” being used to symbolize God’s judgement. ____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________



_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 11. Give biblical examples of God’s power being used to humble mighty men and nations. _______________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 12. “_______________” indicates the _______________ _______________ and “_______________” indicates the _______________ ______________ of _______________’s _______________. 13. “_______________”, “_______________”, and “_______________” are interchangeable as used in Psalm 97:7. 14. What does 1 Kings 18:17-40 say regarding God’s demonstrating the reality and power in contrast to impotent idols? ______________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 15. Explain and give details of references to “villages of” being a metonymy for “the people of”. _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 16. For what is “light” used as a metaphor in Scripture? ________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________



_____________________________________________________________ 17. The “________________” should “________________” in the ________________ and ________________ of ________________ and ________________ His ________________ ________________. 18. ______________ ________________ is the natural ________________ of ________________ the ________________. Support this fact by other Scriptural references. 19. The ______________ _______________ between ________________’s ________________ on the ________________ and his ________________ ______________ against the _______________ should ________________ every ________________ ________________ to a ________________ of ___________________ ________________ in ________________ ___________________ in ________________ and ________________. 20. It should cause the ________________ to _________________ his ________________ and to ________________ and ________________ ________________ ________________.


our lord is supreme psalm 97:1-12 - bible study...

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