Psalms 97:7

7. Confounded Put to shame, or confusion. The word denotes that confusion or perplexity of mind which results from a misplaced confidence, or the consequences of a wicked course now at length arrested and brought to judgment.

Idols See on Psalms 96:5, where the same word occurs, but nowhere else in the Psalms.

Worship him, all ye gods “Gods,” here, is, in Hebrew, Eloheem, the name of the one living and true God, which generally occurs in the plural form. It is sometimes, as here, applied to kings and magistrates, on account of their office as representatives of God, (see note on Psalms 8:5,) and the psalmist calls on such to abandon their “idols” and worship Him who is “over all, God blessed for ever.” In Hebrews 1:6, (where see note,) the apostle quotes from the Septuagint, and applies to Christ, “And let all the angels of God worship him,” which is generally admitted to refer to these words of the psalmist. The Septuagint of Deuteronomy 32:43 has the same words: “Rejoice, ye heavens, with him, and let all the angels of God worship him.” But these words are not in the Hebrew, and it is inadmissible to suppose the apostle would quote an interpolation of a version to support a fundamental doctrine. He refers obviously to Psalms 97:7, and it is the clearest instance in Scripture of the translation of eloheem by angels. Professor Stuart supposes there was “a usus loquendi among the Jews” which allowed it, though not clearly brought out in the Scriptures, which appears probable. This quotation of the apostle determines our psalm to be Messianic in a high degree, and ranks it with Psalms 2, 110