Psalms 97

1. Appreciation: To glorify God is to set God highest in our thoughts, to have a venerable esteem of him (Psalm 92:8): You, Lord, are most high forevermore. (Psalm 97:9): You are exalted far above all gods. There is in God all that may draw forth both wonder and delight; he is […

Resp. Such as walk in close communion with God, have more than others. 1. Initial joy, joy in Semine, in the seed (Psalm 97:11): light (a metaphor for joy) is sown for the righteous, grace in the heart is a seed of joy. Though a Christian wants the sun, he has a day-star in his…

(Deuteronomy 16:22) Neither shall you set up any image which the Lord your God hates. (Psalm 97:7) Confounded be all who serve graven images. Do we think to please God by doing that which is contrary to his mind, and which he has expressly forbidden?

My soul faints for God; such as care not for ordinances, but say, when will the Sabbath be over? plainly discover want of love to God. 2. He who loves God, does not love sin (Psalm 97:10). You that love the Lord, hate evil.

Use 4. Terror to the enemies of the church. If God be King, he will set his [reconstructed: utmost] strength against them who are the enemies of his kingdom (Psalm 97:3). A fire goes before him, and burns up his enemies round about.

Shall not the judge of all the earth do right? God's will is Regula & Mensura, it is the rule of justice; the wills of men are corrupt, therefore unfit to give law; but God's will is a holy, unerring will, which may cause submission (Psalm 97:2). God may cross us, but he cannot…

You may well endure over-cloudings here, and sometimes that all sight should be taken away, for in the world to come there will be not one cloud to all eternity. Light is your portion, but now is the seed time and light is sown (Psalm 97:11 — 'Light is sown for the righteous').…

For, as the holy Prophet saith, The vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the last it shall speak and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; it shall surely come, and shall not stay, Habakkuk 2:3. To this end David also most divinely saith, Psalm 97:11, Light is sown for t…

Of which kingdom mention is made in the end of this prayer. And in Psalm 97:1: The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice. Again, it is taken more specially, and then it signifies the administration of Christ the head of the church, in which he frames men by his word and Spirit to t…

The Lord cleared Daniel's cause. Psalm 97:11, Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. The light and joy of the saints are often under the clods of the earth.

Their consciences can tell them sad stories of secret sins, which none but the God of Heaven and themselves know of, indeed because they see not God, they think God sees not them; like the silly bird, because she thrusts her head into a bush, thinks she is hid from the fowler, t…

We here must rejoice in trembling (Psalm 2:11). Joy is sown for them that are upright in heart (Psalm 97:12). Cry] in our earthly joys, we must be moderate and sparing: we must not eat too much honey lest we surfeit.

Therefore as often as mention is made of the like smoke, let us know it is as a bridle by which we ought to be kept in awe, that we should not be too curious in searching into the counsels of God. Secondly, this smoke was to strike a fear into them, as we see when David describi…

The fear of the Lord is to hate Evil. And accordingly the Saints are called upon to give Evidence of their Sincerity by this, Psalm 97. 10. Ye that fear the Lord hate Evil.

Thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest Vengeance of their Inventions. Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his holy Hill; for the Lord our God is HOLY. So when they praise God for his Mercy and Faithfulness; Psalm 97. 11. 12. Light is sown for the Righteou…

There is none holy as the Lord; for there is none besides you, neither is there any rock like our God! (1 Samuel 2:2) And this is recommended and enjoined to his holy ones as the special matter of their joy and praise: Rejoice in the Lord you righteous, and give thanks at the re…

And that even then he is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works (Psalm 145:17). And when clouds and darkness are round about him, righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his Throne (Psalm 97:2). And when his judgments are a great deep, his righteousness is…

Believing we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. All true pleasures and delights are seminally grace (Psalm 97:11), they are sown for them in these divine and heavenly graces, which are glory in the b…

And lastly, by the many commands, whereby joy in the ways of the Lord is made the duty of the saints. Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, for praise is fitting for the upright (Psalm 97:12). Rejoice, and again I say rejoice (Philippians 4:4).

Answ. Psalm 97:1 The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; it is well for us that the Lord reigns, or else his people could never stand before the rage of the world, and Devil; one or two wolves, were able to devour a flock of sheep, what then would many wolves do amongst sheep, i…

For we must go further, namely, confess that we are guilty of eternal death. Therefore we ought to be roused at the smallest blows, and fear lest a harder hand of His rise against us: and at these light blows of ours, think as if a day were appointed against us before God, whose…

And again (Deuteronomy 32:4), he is the rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are judgment and truth, and without iniquity; just and right is he. These are undeniable truths revealed in the Word of God, and must satisfy us, whatever sense says to the contrary: the causes a…

Now such as these are blessed in a fourfold respect. First, They are blessed, in Semine, in the seed: They go forth bearing precious seed, and shall doubtless rejoice in a plentiful harvest: So the Psalmist tells us, (Psalm 97:11) Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness fo…

He who was the Son of God's love was without the sense of God's love. Second, the mourner has a seed of comfort (Psalm 97:11): Light is sown for the righteous. Light is a metaphor for comfort, and it is sown.

Q. 1. If multitudes and people externally covenanted with God, though not internally, whom the Lord calls his people and chosen by him (Deuteronomy 7:6, Deuteronomy 10:15), be the rightly constituted and visible church, as Mr. Thomas Hooker grants, then kingdoms must be his visi…

But when we commit sin, God withdraws his love. When David had sinned, he felt nothing but displeasure from God, (Psalm 97:2). Clouds and darkness are round about him.

Let us speak well of God. If we have never so much affliction, yet not one drop of injustice, Psalm 97:2. Clouds and darkness are round about him, righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his Throne.

When the dumb creatures melt as wax and vanish away at his presence when he is angry, as the huge mountains and rocks do, frail man must never look to stand. If the roaring of a lion makes men afraid and the voice of thunder is terrible, oh, how exceedingly should all be astonis…

Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in your name. Psalm 97:1. The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of the isles be glad thereof.

O how can I do this against so good, so gracious a God?' (Psalm 97:10): 'You that love the Lord hate evil.' He will cry out in the hour of temptation, 'Is this your kindness to your friend?', 'Do you thus repay the Lord for all his kindnesses?'

By no means restrain the issue of sin, but if your heart be once pierced, let it then forever bleed. So far as terrors may hinder the peace of your consciences, labor to heal that; but you that love the Lord hate evil (Psalm 97:10). Be sure you forever keep the heart open to any…