1 A Psalm of David himself. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has performed wonders. His right hand has accomplished salvation for him, with his holy arm.
Tertullian · AD 220 For if the earth has to suffer either joy or injury, it is simply on people's account, that they may suffer the joy or the sorrow through the events that happen to their dwelling place, whereby they will rather have to pay the penalty that, simply on their account, even the earth must suffer.
Jerome · AD 420 "The Lord has reigned, let the earth rejoice." Let the earth rejoice: let it have one king, which before was held by many. "Let the many islands be glad." It is said in a certain prophet: "Speak to the inhabitants of this island," that is, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. You see, then, that Jerusalem is called an island.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 ..."The Lord is King, let the earth be glad: yea, let the multitude of the isles be joyous" [Psalm 97:1]. It is so indeed, because the word of God hath been preached not in the continent alone, but also in those isles which lie in mid sea: even these are full of Christians, full of the servants of God. For the sea doth not retard Him who made it.
2 The Lord has made known his salvation. He has revealed his justice in the sight of the nations.
Jerome · AD 420 "Justice and judgment are the correction of his throne." When it says "correction," it is shown that before it was crooked. "Justice and judgment are the correction of his throne." Before the Lord came in the flesh, there was inequality, because God was known only in Judea.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Clouds and darkness are round about Him: righteousness and judgment are the direction of His seat" [Psalm 97:2]....The Lord Himself saith: "For judgment I am come into this world; that they which see not might see, and that they which see might be made blind." [John 9:39] They who seem unto themselves to see, who think themselves wise, who think healing not needful for them, t…
3 He has remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Tertullian · AD 220 If, however, those whom God has accepted and the believers shall attain salvation, it is necessary that those whom God has rejected and the unbelieving should incur the opposite issue, even the loss of salvation. Now here is a judgment, and those who hold it out before us belong to the Creator.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "There shall go a fire before Him, and burn up His enemies on every side" [Psalm 97:3]. We remember having read in the Gospel, He shall say, "Depart into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." [Matthew 25:41] I do not think it is said of that fire. Why do I not? Because he speaketh of some fire, which shall go before Him, before He cometh to judgment.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Fire will precede the face of the Judge, by which the face of the earth will be burned up, so that the figure of this world will perish by the conflagration of worldly fires, just as the flood came about by the inundation of waters.
4 Sing joyfully to God, all the earth. Sing and exult, and sing psalms.
Jerome · AD 420 "His lightnings gave light to the world." This is what is said in Jeremiah: "The Lord who made the world in his wisdom, who brought clouds from the end of the earth, made lightnings into rain." "His lightnings gave light to the world." The philosophers who are accustomed to dispute about the natures of things say that, unless clouds coming against each other are dashed together…
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "His lightnings gave shine unto the world" [Psalm 97:4]. This is great joy. Do we not see? Is it not clear? His lightnings have shined unto the whole world: His enemies have been set on fire, and burnt. All that gainsaid has been burnt, and "His lightnings have given shine unto the world." How have they shone? That the world might at length believe. Whence were the lightnings?
5 Sing psalms to the Lord with stringed instruments, with strings and the voice of a psalmist,
Jerome · AD 420 "The mountains flowed like wax before his face." By "mountains" he means the lofty powers. Those who before were raised up to heaven through pride, at the coming of the Lord were humbled; and those who were hardened by too great a boasting of vanity, afterward were softened by the heat of divine wisdom.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord" [Psalm 97:5]. Who are the hills? The proud. Every high thing raising itself against God, at the deeds of Christ and of the Christians, trembled, yielded, and when I say, what has been already said, "melted," a better word cannot be found.
6 with subtle wind instruments and the voice of woodwinds. Make a joyful noise before the Lord our king.
Jerome · AD 420 "The heavens announced his justice, and all peoples saw his glory." In these two little verses two things are signified: the heavens announce the justice of the Lord, and all peoples see his glory. For unless someone has become heaven, he cannot announce the justice of the Lord.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "The heavens have declared His righteousness: and all the people have seen His glory" [Psalm 97:6]. What heavens have declared? "The heavens declare the glory of God." Who are the heavens? Those who have become His seat; for as God sits in the heavens, so does He sit in the Apostles, so does He sit in the preachers of the Gospel. Even thou, if you will, shall be a heaven.
7 Let the sea be moved and all its fullness, the whole world and all who dwell in it.
Jerome · AD 420 "Let all be confounded who worship graven images." If the prophet is blessed, being blessed he never knew how to curse; and therefore in that which he says, "Let them be confounded," it is not against them, but for them: for he prays that they may be confounded in their error, and be converted to the true and only God, the Creator.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Confounded be all they that worship carved images" [Psalm 97:7]. Hath not this come to pass? Have they not been confounded? Are they not daily confounded? For carved images are images wrought by the hand. Why are all who worship carved images confounded? Because all people have seen His glory.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Why did the Lord place the figment of the human mind among idolatry, since a figment is nothing in reality? An idol is nothing; rather, it is referred to that which exists in estimation. Concerning idolatry with respect to the figment of the human mind, it is said in the Psalm: Let all be confounded who adore graven things, and who glory in their idols.
8 The rivers will clap their hands, the mountains will exult together,
Jerome · AD 420 But you will say, "I am a girl delicately reared, and I cannot labor with my hands. Suppose that I live to old age and then fall sick, who will take pity on me?" Hear Jesus speaking to the apostles: "Take no thought what you shall eat; nor yet for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Sion heard of it, and rejoiced" [Psalm 97:8]. What did Sion hear? That all His Angels worship Him....For the Church was not as yet among the Gentiles; in Judæa the Jews had some of them believed, and the very Jews who believed thought that they only belonged to Christ: the Apostles were sent to the Gentiles, Cornelius was preached to; Cornelius believed, was baptized, and they…
9 before the presence of the Lord. For he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the whole world with justice, and the peoples with fairness.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 See if this be not the reason for the joy of the daughters of Judah. "For Thou, Lord, art most high over all the earth" [Psalm 97:9]. Not in Judaea alone, but over Jerusalem; not over Sion only, but over all the earth.