Psalm Chapter 97

 

  • Psalm 97:1 The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.

Right now it seems the earth is not rejoicing. There is trouble everywhere. There is unrest in the Middle East. There is people in the United States plotting to overthrow the present elected president even going so far as the frame him for something he didn't do during his first term 2016 and after the 2020 election. I've never seen people so corrupt as in those years. 2020 also had massive voter fraud. In spite of all the craziness, Trump was voted in again and elected president in 2025. 

Yet we know the above verse refers to the coming kingdom of Jesus when at last there will be peace. This day will not come until the actual physical, actual return of the same Jesus Christ that was crucified over 2000 years ago. If any comes before Him and claims to be the Christ, it will be a false Christ and not the real one. The real Jesus is the only one who will bring in lasting peace to the earth. There may be periods of peace off and on but the real everlasting peace will be only when Jesus the Son of God, reigns.

  • Psalm 97:2 Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.
  • 3 A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.

We do not have to ever perish. God has made a plan of salvation to all who would believe on His Son, Jesus. There is no reason for any to perish. Yet those that reject His plan for mankind will perish and rise no more.

Enemies are those that fight against God's people and refuse to believe in Jesus for salvation. The reason it is so serious to reject Jesus, is because He paid a very high price to save all of mankind from sin. To reject Him is to remain in sin. Sin is what separates us from God and causes us to be cursed by the law which condemns sin. Jesus was sent to save us from sin. If we reject Jesus we remain in sin.

There is no other way to be saved from the wrath to come. If there had been another way, Jesus would not have had to die for our sins. I heard someone say once that one could be saved if they lived every day of their lives without sinning against the law given to Moses from God, but who could do that except maybe an innocent baby who has not reached the age of accountability?

Enemies of the gospel are those that try to prevent God's people from spreading the gospel. The gospel saves and those that hinder the gospel are going against God's will to save mankind from sin. Enemies of God are also those that try to hurt the innocent. God will surely bring judgment upon those that hurt innocent people who have done nothing to deserve the violence and death evil men do to them.

  • Psalm 97:4 His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.
  • 5 The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

This is described fully in the book of Revelation when judgment comes and the earth is changed. Sin is removed and enemies of the gospel are destroyed.

  • Psalm 97:6 The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.

God's righteousness is a land of peace without sin. We cannot get rid of sin ourselves. That is why God sent Jesus Christ. He is our savior from sin. To reject Him is very serious indeed.

  • Psalm 97:7 Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.

All idols have a spirit around them but it is a false spirit. It is a spirit that represents Satan. Satan will deceive and hinder human life from believing in the one who can save them from sin. We all need to worship God but Satan will try to find us a false way so that we cannot find the real way.

Idolatry is one of those false ways. Secular humanism and atheism is another way to keep mankind from finding God. Judaism believes in God but is still waiting for the Messiah who has already came to die for their sins. They will find this Messiah at His Second Coming but as of now they think the Messiah has not yet come.

Why? They were looking for a conquering hero of power and not for one who had to remove sin. We can't have the conquering Christ without repenting of sin first. We have to take care of the sin problem before we can enter the reign of Jesus Christ and the future kingdom of God that will at last bring in everlasting peace. This is what so many do not get. We think we are all going to enter the kingdom of God according to whether we are good or bad.

No. We cannot get rid of sins by our own good works. God sent us the way. That way was a supreme sacrifice for sins. Someone had to pay for sins. The law of God condemns sin and someone has to pay for all sin. This someone had to be perfect and sinless. He could not be a person who had any sin for then He would have had to die for His own sin and His death would not be able to be counted for the rest of us. The only one fulfilling this sinless life and perfect sacrifice was Jesus Christ.

When we exercise faith in Jesus by turning from sin and receiving Him, we are then cleansed from sin and given the Holy Spirit who lives within each one of us enabling us to over come the desire to sin and we can then live for God. We will inherit eternal life in the process and we no longer need to fear death. God does not want any of us to perish and be sent to hell. This is why Jesus was sent to us. 

  • Psalm 97:8 Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O LORD.
  • 9 For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.
  • 10 Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.

The wicked cannot harm the soul of one who believes in God with all His heart. Once we come to Christ and are delivered from sin, we are safe. We will then hate sin and want to always be free from its power. 

  • Psalm 97:11 Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.
  • 12 Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

The salvation God brings to us through Jesus Christ is worth praising and being thankful for. There is something to rejoice about. Why do you think people can praise and worship when everything is falling apart around them? It is because they have hope. That hope is in the coming of Jesus the Second time to remove sin and set up a kingdom that will last forever. We can be part of this rejoicing crowd. 

There will be times of mourning over the lost and grieving over the sin around us but The Holy Spirit will keep joy in our hearts when we remember God and think of His holiness.  DC

Psalm 98

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