Psalm 97 (96):4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This psalm is recognized as ‘The Psalm of David, when his land was restored.’ To truly grasp its essence, we must wholeheartedly surrender ourselves to Christ, remaining steadfast upon the foundation, as stated in Ephesians 2:20, so that our minds do not falter. In Christ, what once swayed unsteadily shall find solid ground; let what once faltered in doubt now rest secure in Him. Regardless of any uncertainty we might hold, encountering the Scriptures ought to anchor us in Christ; upon receiving His revelation, we can affirm our understanding. Until one comprehends Christ’s significance, they should not consider themselves to have truly grasped Him. For Christ represents the culmination of the law, bringing righteousness to every believer, as proclaimed in Romans 10:4. What can we glean from the words ‘When his land was restored’?

The restoration of the earth signifies the resurrection of the body; His resurrection fulfills all that is celebrated in this psalm. Let us engage with this joyful psalm, celebrating earth’s revival. May our Lord inspire us with a hope and joy befitting such a profound act. May He refine our speech to reflect the joy that resides within us, guiding our words to your ears, your hearts, and ultimately to your actions.

“The Lord reigns; let the earth be glad; let the multitude of islands rejoice.” Psalm 95:1. This holds true, for the Word of God has been proclaimed not just on the mainland, but also across islands amidst the sea, now populated with Christians and God’s servants. The Creator is not hindered by the sea; where ships can dock, surely the Word of God can be heard. These islands can symbolize all congregations, as they are surrounded by the tumult of temptations. Just as an island may endure the pounding of waves without being destroyed, so too have the churches spread throughout the world faced persecution from those who oppose them; and at last, the storms calm.

“Clouds and darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.” Psalm 95:2. The Lord himself states, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” John 9:39. Those who fancy themselves wise or in need of no salvation remain shrouded in blindness, while those unable to see, recognizing their need for redemption, may gain understanding. Thus, clouds and darkness envelop Him for those who do not know Him; however, for the humble and confessing, righteousness and justice guide His seat of authority. To those who believe in Him, He has established His throne, as Wisdom resides within them; for the Son of God embodies the very Wisdom of God. Another scriptural passage firmly supports this interpretation: “The soul of the righteous is His dwelling place of Wisdom.”

Those who believe in Him are made righteous through faith; justified, they form His throne, where He reigns, rendering judgment and governance through them. “A fire goes before Him and consumes His adversaries on every side.” Psalm 95:3. We recall the Gospel, where He proclaims, “Depart into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” Matthew 25:41. I do not speak of that fire here, for it pertains to the flames that will burn following His judgment. Rather, this fire that preempts His coming serves as a temporal punishment for the unbelieving and ungodly, while also indicating salvation for the redeemed.

The Lord declares, “I came to send fire upon the earth”—a fire akin to a sword. As seen in Matthew 10:34, He came to bring division, fire to purify; both serve a salvific purpose, for His Word's sharpness separates us from sinful habits for our salvation. The sword divides believers from unbelieving family, for none among us comes from ancestors entwined with the unholy beliefs against God. We are transformed from who we once were. Likewise, in the fire He ignites upon the earth, believers are kindled with love; hence, on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles, they were surrounded by what appeared to be divided tongues of fire. Acts 2:3. Empowered by this fire, they ventured forth to ignite the world in Christ’s name, striking against those who turn away from the true God in favor of false idols.

“His lightnings illuminate the world.” Psalm 95:4. This is indeed joyous news—is it not evident? His lightning has brightened the entire cosmos, consuming His foes. What was denied has been incinerated, with His lightning revealing the truth. How do these lightnings flash? The clouds through which they manifest represent His truth-bearers. At a glance, clouds may appear dark and nebulous, masking what is within. When lightning bursts forth from such clouds, it illuminates; what you have disregarded has now become a formidable presence. Consequently, our Lord Jesus sent forth His Apostles as His clouds; while they appeared as ordinary men, they carried within them the power to enlighten.

Look at Peter, a fisherman who prayed and raised the dead. Acts 9:40. His earthly body was but a cloud, while the miracle radiated like lightning. In their divine deeds and profound speeches, they ignited the world; those who witnessed the remarkable were seized by awe, causing the earth to tremble. Will not the entire Christian community ultimately exclaim “Amen”? Will they not be reverberated with the power and light that emanated from these clouds?

“The hills melted like wax before the Lord.” Psalm 96:5. Who do the hills represent? The proud. Every lofty element that arises in opposition to God trembles, succumbing to Christ's works. The hills have melted like wax before Him; where has the authority and arrogance of the unbeliever gone? The Lord has become a flame to them, causing their might to dissolve. All heights are being leveled; they dare not blaspheme Christ today; despite their disbelief, they do not oppose Him, for the prideful are rendered humble. The Lord of all the earth reigns—not just over the Jews, but even over the Gentiles, affirming that He is indeed God of both.

“The heavens declare His righteousness, and all peoples see His glory.” Psalm 96:6. What do the heavens proclaim? “The heavens declare the glory of God.” Those who have become His throne reflect this truth; as God resides in the heavens, so does He dwell with His Apostles and heralds of the Gospel. Anyone among you has the opportunity to ascend to this heavenly status. Want to be exalted? Purify your heart of earthly desires. If your heart is free of worldly lust, and you genuinely lift it to Him, you become heaven.

As the Apostle teaches, if you have been raised with Christ, then set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:1-2. You have begun to engage with the celestial, rather than merely earthly; in this regard, you are becoming heavenly. You maintain flesh, yet your heart resides in heaven; for your citizenship is in heaven. Philippians 3:20. Being such, you also bear witness to Christ, as every believer does—thus the entire church declares His glory, while heaven echoes His righteousness. The faithful strive to bring those who have yet to believe into the fold, motivated by love; they exemplify heaven’s righteousness.

Through them, God demonstrates His power and miracles in the world, urging people lovingly toward Him. How many have drawn their friends to worldly entertainments? Is it not because of their admiration? Do you not love Christ? For He who overcame the world presents spectacles that no one can confront with disapproval. Everyone's favorite show may falter, but in Christ, there is no shame or defeat. Encourage, guide, and draw to Him without fear—He does not dishearten anyone who comes to Him; petition that He enlightens those you bring before Him.

“All who worship carved images will be put to shame.” Psalm 95:7. Has this not come to pass? Are they not in turmoil? Every day they confuse truth with their own creations. Carved images comprise those formed by human hands. Why do all who worship these idols befall confusion? Because all have witnessed His glory. The nations now declare the magnificence of Christ, leading those who idolize lifeless stones to shame. These stones never possessed life; we have discovered a living Stone that transcends worldly idols; He has eternally existed alongside the Father. Even though He died, He rose again and lives forevermore, conquering death, which no longer holds sway over Him. Romans 6:9. His glory has been recognized by all nations; they abandon their idol temples to seek refuge in churches.

Do they continue to pursue carved images? Have they not resolved to forsake their idols? They who once reveled in their stone images now find themselves bereft of them. What do they proclaim of their images? One might argue, “I worship not this stone, nor any image stripped of meaning…I worship the unseen deity governing what I see.” Many seem capable of rationalization, disputing that they honor images rather than the spirits behind them. The Apostle clarifies this notion: “What the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons—because we know that an idol is not real.” We understand that whatever the Gentiles give unto them logically is ultimately dedication towards devils, which is a far graver situation.

For if they merely honored idols, it would neither assist nor harm them. Yet, if one is devoted to demons, they subject themselves to a more treacherous master. Yet observe how the holy are akin to angels. When you encounter a saint serving the Lord, should you wish to esteem them like God, they will dissuade you; they will not claim the honor that is due to God, instead embracing their position as servants under God. This was evident in the actions of the Apostle Paul and Barnabas, who, while proclaiming God’s word in Lycaonia and performing miracles, faced an audience that idolized them, mistaking Barnabas for Jupiter and Paul for Mercury.

They were greatly displeased; it was not a disdain for being compared to deities but a fear of the reverence shown towards mere men. Their words reveal this, striking a chord that validates our interpretation. Acts 14:14-15. When good men deter those wishing to worship them as gods and direct them to honor only the one God, they follow the example of the holy angels. Those angels exalt the glory of the one whom they love, seeking to guide others to behold Him. As soldiers of His glory, they seek not their own exaltation but only that of their Captain. Those like the devil and his angels seek and grasp divine honor for themselves while filling the pagan temples and encouraging idol offerings.

Is it not preferable to reverence holy angels rather than demons? Those who say they do not worship devils claim to admire the angels, recognizing as you designate them the powerful ministers of the Almighty. I hope you would admire them, for they would guide you to known righteousness and away from falsehood. When John was shown visions by an angel in the Book of Revelation, he fell at the feet of the angel in fright. Yet the angel proclaimed, “Do not do that! I am merely a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets.” Revelation 19:10.

So, what of us? Should anyone claim, “I fear the angel will be displeased were I not to worship him,” it must be noted that true righteousness embodies a love of God, and thus angels decry the worship that diverts from Him. As demons rage with anger at their lack of worship, so too shall angels be angered if worshipped instead of God. We must not let our hearts tremble; if the demons seethe at our rejection, what can their king, the devil himself, do against you? Should he hold any power, we would not endure. Daily, Christians speak against him, and the harvest of Christ expands despite his fury.

His brilliance has brightened the cosmos. He proclaims that His sacred apostles and evangelists are ‘lightning’ and, like light, they have shed illumination upon the celestial realms.

The wise observe that lightning emerges from the clash of clouds. If the thunder does not precede it, the lightning remains hidden. The same principle applies to flint stones; unless they strike together, they cannot create a spark. This understanding is what we have gathered from our insights and shared with those still maturing in their faith. Hence, we discussed the essence of creation to reveal something spiritual within it. A solitary stone, known as flint, cannot ignite sparks by itself; however, when it collides with another stone, it can produce fire. Let the works of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Elijah, Peter, Paul, and the apostles serve as my clouds. When these clouds unite, they generate fire that illuminates the entire earth.

The flash of lightning brightened His creation. Fire has a dual purpose: it can both scorch and shine light. The Saints will rejoice in light, while those entrenched in wickedness will face the flames. The Lord compared His return to a flash of lightning, stating, ‘As the lightning comes out of the east and shines even unto the west, so shall be the coming of the Son of man’ (Matthew 24:27). He observed, and the earth trembled. For who can stand before such a fearsome judgement?

His brilliance illuminated the entirety of creation. The flashes of Christ refer to the Apostles, who, as companions of Christ, radiated in the world and became its beacon, which is why the Lord declares to them, “You are the light of the world.” This sentiment aligns with the words of David: “coals were kindled by Him” (Ps. 17:9). As stated by St. Cyril, the term lightning signifies the words of divine proclamation, shining throughout the earth. Theodoret explains that the reference to fire and lightning, or light and flame, illustrates the dual nature of fire, which not only burns but also illuminates. For the righteous, light is bestowed while the lawless are destined for burning.

When we refer to lightning, we mean the beams of light that do not wait for a future era, but already shine upon the universe. It is important to distinguish between these lights. One is the fire of God, which illuminates; the other is not of His fire and merely precedes Him—this one burns because it was created for that purpose. Thus, the apostles are signified by lightning, for as partakers of the true light, they are rightly called light themselves, which is why the Lord declared to them, ‘Ye are the light of the world’ (Matthew 5:14). 'The earth saw and trembled.' It is beneficial for that which is unstable to be shaken, so it can become stronger and more secure; just as builders, when they encounter crumbling walls, will dismantle them in order to restore them to a better state.

The psalm attributed to David, pertaining to the establishment of his land, is not formally titled in the Hebrew text. In this psalm, along with the preceding one, the Prophet highlights God's grandeur, prophesies the reign of Christ, and declares that through the proclamation of the Gospel, the worship of false gods will be eliminated, allowing the Church, illuminated by the Gospel's light, to achieve victory. Therefore, this psalm should not be interpreted as its title suggests, given that it lacks a corresponding inscription in Hebrew, but rather should be understood according to its substance. It is plausible that David composed it to celebrate the restoration of his kingship, which had been challenged by Absalom.

This Psalm was authored by David through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, expressing adoration and gratitude to God, who reclaimed his land from opposing forces, heralding a return to his sovereignty. It prophetically announces the transformation of humanity's dominion into the kingdom of grace under God the Father, who rescued us from the grip of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of God. The earth—representing human nature—rejoices because Christ the Lord, in His sinless humanity, sits at the right hand of God the Father. The inhabitants of the Church of Christ, like islanders amidst the tumult of worldly affairs, find solace in the presence of Christ, whose flesh is in close communion with the Divine, embodying the unfathomable Word of God.