Scripture Daily

Context No. 1071 of 4322 · Psalms

Context · Reflection

Psalms 97:1-12: in context

1The LORD reigns! Let the earth rejoice! Let the multitude of islands be glad! 2Clouds and darkness are around him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. 3A fire goes before him, and burns up his adversaries on every side. 4His lightning lights up the world. The earth sees, and trembles. 5The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. 6The heavens declare his righteousness. All the peoples have seen his glory. 7Let all them be shamed who serve engraved images, who boast in their idols. Worship him, all you gods! 8Zion heard and was glad. The daughters of Judah rejoiced because of your judgments, LORD. 9For you, LORD, are most high above all the earth. You are exalted far above all gods. 10You who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the souls of his saints. He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked. 11Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. 12Be glad in the LORD, you righteous people! Give thanks to his holy Name.

The LORD reigns, the psalm begins; let the earth rejoice and the coastlands be glad. But the picture of his reign is not all sunlit. Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him, lightning lights the world, mountains melt like wax. Idolaters are put to shame. And then a turn toward the people who love him: Zion hears and is glad, the LORD is exalted above all gods, he preserves the lives of his faithful ones, and light is sown for the righteous, gladness for the upright in heart.

Two images balance each other. First, clouds and thick darkness surround him. Even as the psalm declares the LORD reigns, it admits that his reign is often wrapped in mystery, that we cannot always see clearly what he is doing, that darkness and cloud can surround the throne. But the very next line steadies it: righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. We may not see through the cloud, but we know what the throne is built on, so the hiddenness is not chaos; it is rule we cannot yet trace, grounded in perfect justice. Second, near the end, a beautiful, patient image: light is sown for the righteous. Light is pictured not as instantly flooding down but as sown, planted like seed, so that gladness for the upright is coming up gradually, growing toward a harvest not yet fully arrived. For a believer in a dark season, both images comfort: the throne you cannot see through is founded on righteousness, and the light you are waiting for has already been sown and is on its way up. Reign in the cloud, and light in the ground, waiting to break.

When God's reign feels hidden in cloud, can I trust that his throne rests on righteousness, and that light has already been sown for me and is growing toward harvest?

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