Psalms 97

The reign of Jehovah, its nature and blessedness, Psalm 97:1 , Psalm 97:2 . He is fearful to the wicked, Psalm 97:3-6 . Idolaters shall be destroyed, Psalm 97:7 . The blessedness of the righteous, Psalm 97:8-12 .

This Psalm has no title either in the Hebrew or Chaldee; and in fourteen of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS. it is written as a part of the preceding. In the Vulgate it is thus entitled, Psalmus David, quando terra ejus restituta est. "A Psalm of David when his land was restored;" the meaning of which I suppose to be, after he had obtained possession of the kingdom of Israel and Judah, and became king over all the tribes; or perhaps, after he had gained possession of all those countries which were originally granted to the Israelites in the Divine promise. See 1 Chronicles 18:1 , 1 Chronicles 18:2 . The Septuagint is nearly to the same purpose, ὁτι ἡ γη αυτου καθισταται , "when his land was established:" so the Ethiopic and Arabic. The Syriac has, "A Psalm of David, in which he predicts the advent of Christ, (i.e., in the flesh), and through it his last appearing, (i.e., to judgment.") The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews 1 Chronicles 1:6 , quotes a part of the seventh verse of this Psalm, and applies it to Christ. Who the author was is uncertain: it is much in the spirit of David's finest compositions; and yet many learned men suppose it was written to celebrate the Lord's power and goodness in the restoration of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity.