Psalms 97:2

Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. CLOUDS AND DARKNESS ARE ROUND ABOUT HIM - drawn from David's ; which in its turn rests on ; ; . The clouds, darkness and lightnings, the awful accompaniments of Yahweh's manifestation at the giving of the Law on Sinai, are the type and presage of the same accompaniments on a grander and more awful scale at the final consummation of the Law and the Gospel at the Lord's second coming (;...

1-7 Though many have been made happy in Christ, still there is room. And all have reason to rejoice in Christ's government. There is a depth in his counsels, which we must not pretend to fathom; but still righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. Christ's government, though it might be matter of joy to all, will yet be matter of terror to some; but it is their own fault that it is so. The most resolute and daring opposition will be baffled at the presence of the Lord. And the Lord Jesus will ere long come, and put an end to idol worship of every kind....

Verse Psalms 97:2. _CLOUDS AND DARKNESS_ ARE _ROUND ABOUT HIM_] It is granted that this is a subject which cannot be comprehended. And why? Because God is _infinite_; he acts from his own _counsels_, which are _infinite_; in reference to _ends_ which are also _infinite_: therefore, the _reasons_ of his government cannot be comprehended by the feeble, limited powers of man. There must be _clouds and_ _darkness_ - an impenetrable obscurity, round about him; and we can no more comprehend him in what is called _aeternitas a parte ante_ - the eternity that passed before _time_ commenced, than we can in the _aeternitas a parte post_ - the eternity that is to come, when time shall be no more. Yet such a Being cannot but _see_ all things _clearly_, and _do_ all things _well_; therefore the psalmist prope...

CLOUDS AND DARKNESS ARE ROUND ABOUT HIM - This is a description of the majesty of God, derived probably from the manner in which he manifested himself at Mount Sinai. Exodus 19:16. God is often thus represented as encompassed with clouds. Psalms 104:3; Daniel 7:13; Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7. See the notes at Psalms 18:7. The word rendered “clouds” is the common word to denote a cloud; the word translated “darkness” means properly “th

EXPOSITION ANOTHER liturgical psalm on the advent of Christ The psalmist sees him take possession of his throne, but, this time, rather in judgment than in mercy. His accession is described with the usual features of a theophany (Psalms 97:1; comp. Psalms 18:7; Psalms 50:3; Psalms 77:14). The impression made on the inhabitants of the earth, whether idolatrous heathen (Psalms 97:7), or faithful Israelites (Psalms 97:8,...

CLOUDS AND DARKNESS ARE ROUND ABOUT HIM,.... Either as a garment; so Apollinarius paraphrases it, "near is the King clothed with a cloud and tempest;'' and it is usual with the Heathens to represent their deities as surrounded or clothed with a cloud s: here the allusion is to the tabernacle and temple, when reared up and dedicated, Exodus 40:34 1 Kings 8:10 and to other appearances of God, or Christ, in a cloud, Exodus 19:9, it may denote the obscurity of his divine nature at his first coming; he appearing in the form of a servant, and in the likeness of sinful flesh, so that few discerned his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father; as also the darkness and blindness of the Jews concerni

Psalms 97 His Glorious Reign _ 1. Jehovah reigneth (Psalms 97:1)_ 2. In righteousness and with glory (Psalms 97:6) He reigneth! Earth and the multitude of isles will now rejoice, for He whose right it is occupies the throne and all unrighteousness, wickedness and idolatry will be banished. Zion and the daughters of Judah rejoice and all the righteous rejoice. It is the time of singing and of joy. And the heavens will reveal His righteousness, while angels worship Him (Psalms 97:7 and Hebrews 1:6). What glory scenes will then take place upon

XCVII. YAHWEH IN THE STORM. The appearance of Yahweh is described in terms of primitive religion, when He was the God of fire and tempest, earthquake and volcano. These traits are retained, but united with that later and far more perfect religion, which recognised Him as the only God (Psalms 97:5; Psalms 97:7) and as a God of absolute righteousness. PSALMS 97:1. ISLES: really means coastlands. Psalms 97:7. See on Psalms 29:1 where sons of God = gods here....

HABITATION. foundation....

DISCOURSE: 663 GOD’S WAYS DARK, BUT JUST Psalms 97:2. _Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne._ THE reign of Christ is here spoken of, as a ground of joy to the whole world: “The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice: let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.” That Christ is the person to whom the psalm refers, we are assured on infallible authority; for, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, we are told that the injunction, “Worship him, all ye gods!”was given by the Father in reference to him: “When He (the Father) bringeth in the First-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him [Note: Compare ver. 7. with Hebrews 1:6.].” As to the particular advent of our Lord, I conceive that, in the psalm before us, t