Psa 97-99 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Ps 97:1-12: Ps 97 God is greatly exalted over the gods and over all the earth. Awe-inspiring phenomena accompany his coming. Even the created order is visibly affected and the wicked perish, but the people of Zion love his coming and rejoice. 97:1 The farthest coastlands represent the most remote parts of the world.

Summary for Ps 97:1-12: Ps 97 ^a God is greatly exalted over the gods and over all the earth. Awe-inspiring phenomena accompany his coming. Even the created order is visibly affected and the wicked perish, but the people of Zion love his coming and rejoice. 97:1 ^b The farthest coastlands represent the most remote parts of the world.
Summary for Ps 97:2-4: 97:2-4 ^c Dark clouds ... Fire ... lightning: This language shows that the Lord is coming in judgment.
Summary for Ps 97:5-7: 97:5-7 ^d The created order stirs at the coming of its King. He alone deserves worship.
97:6 ^e As the Lord enters the world, the testimony of his righteousness resounds from above (50:6 ^f).

• Every nation will view the open display of the Lord’s glory (see 8:1 ^g; 19:1-4a ^h; 24:7 ⁱ; Isa 40:5 ^j).
97:7 ^k At the Lord’s coming, when every god must bow to him, those who worship other gods will face their own folly (see 95:3-5 ^l).
Summary for Ps 97:8-12: 97:8-12 ^m Jerusalem rejoices at the news of the Lord’s coming, for he brings justice and rescues the upright of heart.
97:11 ⁿ The godly people of integrity (see Prov 2:7 ^o, 21 ^p; 3:32 ^q; 11:6 ^r, 11 ^s; 14:2 ^t), whose hearts are right, maintain a relationship with the Lord and with others (Pss 94:15 ^u; 125:4 ^v). The wicked plan the downfall of the godly (11:2 ^w), but the Lord rescues them (11:1 ^x; 36:10 ^y). Then the sorrows of the godly turn to joy and praise (32:11 ^z; 64:10 ^aa; 111:1 ^ab; 119:7 ^ac).

‏ Psalms 98

Summary for Ps 98:1-9: Ps 98 ^ad This psalm celebrates the Lord’s kingship. The Lord is Israel’s true King, its champion and savior. His people sing a new song celebrating his victorious power and faithfulness to them. The Lord displays his righteous rule to all the nations throughout the earth, which will culminate in a worldwide kingdom of justice (98:2 ^ae, 9 ^af). Consequently, all the earth must worship and rejoice together because the Lord is coming (98:4-6 ^ag).
Summary for Ps 98:2-3: 98:2-3 ^ah The Lord makes known his righteousness and faithfulness (see also Isa 52:10 ^ai).
Summary for Ps 98:4-6: 98:4-6 ^aj The psalmist invites the whole earth to worship the King (see 96:1 ^ak).
98:6 ^al The Temple musicians used trumpets to call people together for meetings (cp. 81:3 ^am).
Summary for Ps 98:7-9: 98:7-9 ^an The created order is personified as rejoicing at the coming of the righteous Judge (see 93:3-4 ^ao; 96:11-13 ^ap).

‏ Psalms 99

Summary for Ps 99:1-9: Ps 99 ^aq The psalmist calls the nations to worship the Lord, the king of the earth who rules from Zion.
Summary for Ps 99:1-5: 99:1-5 ^ar The Lord is the holy and righteous King (Isa 6:1-5 ^as). Mount Zion, the location of the Lord’s Temple, metaphorically stands as the highest point on earth (Ps 113:4 ^at; Isa 2:2 ^au; 6:1 ^av). From this summit, the Great King (Ps 47:2 ^aw) can see, rule over, and receive praise from all nations and peoples. 99:1 ^ax It is fitting to tremble and quake in response to the Lord’s holiness (see 96:9 ^ay).

• The throne between the cherubim refers to the cover of the Ark of the Covenant (Exod 25:17-22 ^az).
99:4 ^ba The qualities of the Lord’s rule include strength, justice, love, fairness, and righteousness (see 93:4 ^bb; 97:2 ^bc, 6-7 ^bd, 12 ^be; 98:2-3 ^bf, 9 ^bg; 138:6 ^bh).
Summary for Ps 99:6-8: 99:6-8 ^bi God showed favor by responding to his people in the past, while holding sinners accountable. 99:6 ^bj Moses and Samuel were great models and leaders who had prayed on behalf of the Lord’s people (Exod 32:31-32 ^bk; 1 Sam 12:23 ^bl).
99:7 ^bm The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron from the pillar of cloud (Exod 33:9 ^bn; Num 12:5-6 ^bo), and for a time, the people responded to the revelation.