1 The Lord is King, the earth may be glad thereof: yea, the multitude of the isles may be glad thereof.
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 exult. Let the whole earth, and all the world, which had before been subjected to demons and idols, rejoice now that the Lord reigns. The Lord has reigned. The Lord the Creator who made you, he himself has reigned. O you who before were subjected under the lord the devil, now you are subjected under the Lord the Creator.
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 Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgement are the habitation of his seat.
Jerome · AD 420 "Cloud and darkness are round about him." No one doubts that this is of the Lord Savior, round about whom was cloud and darkness — the flesh which he deigned to assume; although he is said to have appeared, in the Gospel of John. "And he appeared to us." He appeared indeed to the apostles, but from the Jews he was concealed.
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 There shall go a fire before him: and burn up his enemies on every side.
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 His lightnings gave shine unto the world: the earth saw it, and was afraid.
Jerome · AD 420 His lightnings have shone upon the world. The philosophers say that lightnings are generated from the collision of clouds. For unless the sound is first heard, the lightnings are not seen. This is said also of the flint-stone: that unless they are struck together, the fire in the middle does not come forth.
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 The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord: at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
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 The heavens have declared his righteousness: and all the people have seen his glory.
Jerome · AD 420 The heavens have announced his justice. These are the heavens of which it is said also in the eighteenth psalm, "The heavens declare the glory of God." The heavens announce his justice: the earth does not announce it.
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 Confounded be all they that worship carved images, and that delight in vain gods: worship him, all ye gods.
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 Sion heard of it, and rejoiced: and the daughters of Judah were glad, because of thy judgements, O Lord.
Jerome · AD 420 "The daughters of Judea rejoiced because of your judgments, O Lord." What does this sense intend, "The daughters of Judea rejoiced," and not "the sons"? Let us understand first what "Judea" is interpreted to mean: and when we have known the interpretation, let us see what are the daughters of the interpretation.
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 For thou, Lord, art higher than all that are in the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.
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.
10 O ye that love the Lord, see that ye hate the thing which is evil: the Lord preserveth the souls of his saints; he shall deliver them from the hand of the ungodly.
Jerome · AD 420 "The Lord guards the souls of his saints." A most beautiful order: he who loves good and hates evil, what does he deserve from the Lord, except that he be guarded by him? "He will free them from the hand of the sinner." Here a question arises: If the Lord guards the souls of his saints, and frees them from the hand of the sinner, how are the martyrs crushed in persecution?
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Let us love, let us love freely: for we love God, than whom we find nothing better. Let us love Him for Himself, and ourselves in Him, yet for His sake. For he truly loves a friend, who loves God in the friend, either because He is in him, or that He may be in him. This is true love: if we love ourselves for another reason, we hate rather than love.
11 There is sprung up a light for the righteous: and joyful gladness for such as are true-hearted.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 But perhaps you will say, I lose this light. "There is sprung up a light for the righteous" [Psalm 97:11]. What light do you fear you may lose? Do you fear you may be in darkness? Fear not you may lose light; nay, fear lest while you are guarding against the loss of this light, you may lose that true light.
12 Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous: and give thanks for a remembrance of his holiness.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Be glad, you righteous" [Psalm 97:12]. Perhaps already the faithful hearing the word, "Be glad," are thinking of banquets, preparing cups, waiting for the season of roses; because it is said, "Be glad, you righteous!" See what follows, "Be glad in the Lord." You are waiting for the season of spring, that you may be glad: you have the Lord for joyful gladness, the Lord is alway…