Text -- Psalms 97:3-12 (NET)

97:3 Fire goes before him; on every side it burns up his enemies. 97:4 His lightning bolts light up the world; the earth sees and trembles. 97:5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of the whole earth. 97:6 The sky declares his justice, and all the nations see his splendor. 97:7 All who worship idols are ashamed, those who boast about worthless idols. All the gods bow down before him. 97:8 Zion hears and rejoices, the towns of Judah are happy, because of your judgments, O Lord. 97:9 For you, O Lord, are the sovereign king over the whole earth; you are elevated high above all gods. 97:10 You who love the Lord, hate evil! He protects the lives of his faithful followers; he delivers them from the power of the wicked. 97:11 The godly bask in the light; the morally upright experience joy. 97:12 You godly ones, rejoice in the Lord! Give thanks to his holy name.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Psa 97:3

¹ tn Heb “all around.”

NET Notes: Psa 97:7

¹ tn The translation assumes that the prefixed verbal form in the first line is an imperfect (“are ashamed”) and that the ambiguous form in the third line is a perfect (“bow down”) because the psalmist appears to be describing the effect of the Lord’s mighty theophany on those who witness it (see vv. 5, 8). Another option is to take the prefixed form in the first line as a jussive (“let all who worship idols be ashamed”) and the ambiguous form in the third line as an imperative (“All you gods, bow down before him!”; cf. NIV).

NET Notes: Psa 97:8

¹ tn Heb “daughters.” The term “daughters” refers to the cities of Judah surrounding Zion (see Ps 48:11 and H. Haag, TDOT 2:336).

NET Notes: Psa 97:9

¹ tn Traditionally “Most High.”

NET Notes: Psa 97:10

¹ tn The participle may be verbal, though it might also be understood as substantival and appositional to “the Lord.” In this case one could translate, “Hate evil, you who love the Lord, the one who protects the lives…and delivers them.”

² tn Heb “hand.”

NET Notes: Psa 97:11

¹ tn Heb “Light is planted for the godly, and for the upright of heart joy.” The translation assumes an emendation of זָרַע (zara’, “planted”) to זָרַח (zara’, “shines”) which collocates more naturally with “light.” “Light” here symbolizes the joy (note the following line) that accompanies deliverance and the outpouring of divine favor.

NET Notes: Psa 97:12

¹ tn Heb “to his holy remembrance.” The Hebrew noun זָכַר (zakhar, “remembrance”) here refers to the name of the Lord as invoked in liturgy and praise. Cf. Pss 6:5; 30:4. The Lord’s “name” is “holy” in the sense that it is a reminder of his uniqueness and greatness.