Psalms 97:3

Psa 97:3 A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.

Ver. 3. A fire goeth before him] For even our God is a consuming fire, Heb 12:29 (and not the God of the Jews only), as shall well appear at the last day, 2Th 1:8. {See Trapp on "Psa 97:2"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Psa 97:3-5. A fire goeth before him, &c. — “The judgments of God, and their effects upon the world, are here set forth, under the usual similitude of lightning and fire from heaven, causing the earth to tremble, and the mountains to melt and dissolve away.” And by these terrible appearances in the natural world are especially signified those dreadful judgments of God, which were to be inflicted upon the Jews and others for their contempt and rejection of the Messiah, which was foretold in the Old Testament, and accomplished in the New. His lightnings enlightened the world — This phrase signifies, not so much illumination as terror and judgments, as appears, both from the following words, and from the constant use of the phrase in that sense. The hills melted — The strongest and loftiest parts of the earth, by which he may intend the great potentates of the world, who set themselves against the Messiah; at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth — Whose dominion shall not then be confined in Canaan, as now, in a manner, it is, but shall be enlarged over the whole earth. “The exaltation of Christ to the throne of his kingdom was followed by a dreadful display of that vengeance which broke in pieces the Jewish nation, and brought their civil and religious polity to an utter dissolution. In the history of their destruction the world of the ungodly may view a striking picture of the great and terrible day when the Lord Jesus shall render a recompense to all his enemies. He is then to descend in flaming fire; lightnings shall be his harbingers; the earth shall tremble, and the hills shall literally melt like wax at the presence of Jehovah.” — Horne.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. (Psa 97:3) Fire before him goes, and burns up around (him) his foes. With the first clause compare Psa 50:3; with the last, Isa 42:25. See also Psa 83:14. The future form is used because the verb describes not what the wrath of God is doing or has actually done, but what it will do when provoked by obstinate resistance.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 3. A fire goeth before him] Literally, this and the following verse may refer to the electric fluid, or to manifestations of the Divine displeasure, in which, by means of ethereal fire, God consumed his enemies. But fire is generally represented as an accompaniment of the appearances of the Supreme Being. He appeared on Mount Sinai in the midst of fire, thunder, and lightnings, Ex 19:16-18. Daniel, Da 7:9; Da 7:10, represents the Sovereign Judge as being on a throne which was a fiery flame, and the wheels of his chariot like burning fire; and a fiery stream issuing from it, and coming forth from before him. St. Paul tells us (2Th 1:8) that the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire; and St. Peter, (2Pe 3:7; 2Pe 3:10; 2Pe 3:11,) that when the Lord shall come to judgment the heavens and the earth shall be destroyed by fire, the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, the elements melt with fervent heat, and the earth and its works be burnt up. Here then, will appear, -

"Our God in grandeur, and our world on fire."

Burneth up his enemies round about.] The fire is his pioneer which destroys all the hinderances in his way, and makes him a plain passage.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(3) This is an echo of Psa_1:3. (Comp. also Psa_18:8; Hab_3:4-5.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

A fire goeth before him, Not the fiery law, which went forth from his right hand on Mount Sinai; but rather his Gospel, which, as it enlightens, warms, comforts, and refreshes his people, searches, torments, and destroys his enemies, and is the savour of death unto death to them; see Jer 23:29. Some apply this to the gifts of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, signified by cloven tongues of fire; but then no such effect followed as mentioned in the next clause: it seems best to interpret it of his wrath, which, like fire, was poured out to the uttermost on the Jews, for their disbelief and rejection of him; they would not have him to reign over them; they despised his Gospel, and slew his servants; wherefore he sent the Roman armies to them, who destroyed those murderers, and burnt their city, Mat 22:7, this will be also verified in the second coming of Christ, who will descend in flaming fire, and the earth will be burnt up, and all that is therein, Th2 1:7, some Jewish writers interpret this of the war of Gog and Magog, in Ezekiel, which they suppose still future; as, when it is, fire will be sent and rained upon them, Eze 38:22, but may be better applied to the Gog and Magog in Rev 20:8.

and burneth up his enemies round about; so that none can escape: this was true of the Jewish nation, who were burnt up; so that there was not left root nor branch in it, Mal 4:1, and will be true of the wicked, at the general conflagration of the world, upon Christ's second coming; and of the Gog and Magog army, after the resurrection.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

A fire goeth before him - See Psa 18:13, note; Psa 50:3, note.

And burneth up his enemies round about - Is especially directed against his foes. That is, he manifests himself as a just God, inflicting vengeance on his enemies. He comes to reign, and in his reign all his foes will be destroyed.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

This fire, and lightning, and earthquake, and the sad effects of them, mentioned here, and Psa 97:4,5, signify those dreadful judgments of God which should be inflicted upon the Jews and others for their refusal and contempt of the Messias; which was foretold in the Old Testament, and accomplished in the New Testament.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 3. A fire goeth before him. Like an advance guard clearing the way. So was it at Sinai, so must it be: the very Being of God is power, consuming all opposition; omnipotence is a devouring flame which

burneth up his enemies round about. God is longsuffering, but when he comes forth to judgment he will make short work with the unrighteous, they will be as chaff before the flame. Reading this verse in reference to the coming of Jesus, and the descent of the Spirit, we are reminded of the tongues of fire, and of the power which attended the gospel, so that all opposition was speedily overcome. Even now where the gospel is preached in faith, and in the power of the Spirit, it burns its own way, irresistibly destroying falsehood, superstition, unbelief, sin, indifference, and hardness of heart. In it the Lord reigneth, and because of it let the earth rejoice.

Ver. 3. A fire goeth before him. Like a marshall or advance guard before a royal presence, or as the javelin men who precede a judge. Fire is the sign both of grace and wrath (Ex 3:2 Ps 18:9.) Majesty marches forth in both displays of Deity. C.H.S. from Poli Synopsis.

Ver. 3. A fire goeth before him. That fire which Christ came to send upon the earth, the kindling blaze of the Holy Ghost, which came down in tongues of fire at Pentecost, to burn freely throughout the world, for the destruction of obstinate unbelievers, and the purifying of those who gladly received the Word. And of this the prophet spake, saying, "I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly its the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD." (Eze 39:6.) This divine flame goes still before the face of the Lord in his coming to every faithful soul, as it kindles with longing for him, and burns up all its sins therewith, as he heaps his coals of fire upon its head, to soften and purify it. "It must needs be", teaches a great saint, (S. Bernard.) "that the fervour of holy desire must go before his face to every soul to which he means to come, a flame which will burn up all the mildew of sin, and make ready a place for the Lord. And then the soul knows that the Lord is at hand, when it feels itself kindled with that fire, and it saith with the prophet, `My heart was hot within me; then spake I with my tongue.'"(Ps 39:3). Augustine, and others, quoted by Neale and Littledale.

Ver. 3. A fire goeth before him. There is no less, but rather more wrath attending the despisers of the Gospel, than did attend the giving out of the law. Heb 12:29. David Dickson.

Ver. 3-6. The accompaniments of Christ's gospel advent.

1. The fire of his Spirit.

2. The light of the word.

3. The commotion in the world.

4. The removal of obstacles.

5. The display of the divine glory.

Psalms 97:4*

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

3. A fire goeth before him—To herald his coming. If the word of God is one of mercy to those who love and obey him, it is also one of judgment and terror to those who despise him. The figures are still borrowed from the scenes of Sinai. (See Deu_4:11; compare Isa_66:15-16; Heb_12:29; Rev_4:5.) God is represented in Psa_97:2-6 as the universal ruler, passing through the nations of the earth, visiting judicial judgments on his enemies, and dispensing pardon and peace to his willing and submissive subjects. These rejoice, (Psa_97:1,) those tremble, (Psa_97:4.)

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

A fire goeth before him. So long as there is evil in the world, the "fire" of God"s wrath must necessarily "go before him" at each theophany, to sweep the evil from his path. (see Isa_42:25) It is in this sense that "our God is a consuming fire". (Heb_12:29) And burneth up his enemies round about. (comp. Psa_50:8 Mat_13:30)

Vers. 3-5. The sign of the storm god. (comp. Ex 19 Ex 20 Hab 3 Heb_12:18-21; see also Psa_77:17, Psa_77:18)

There is here an evident reference to an Eastern thunderstorm. Lightning and thunder, among all superstitious peoples, are regarded as special manifestations of the Deity. To us storms are but nature forces, having their intensity, and their comings and goings, according to ordinary nature laws. But poetry can now do, better than superstition, what superstition has done in all ages and in all lands. We inquire what the "storm sign" tells concerning God. The one common feeling in tempest is the sense of the presence of an august and awful force that is uncontrollable by man, but controllable by God. In addition to this it may be said that the storm-witness for God is universal; it is rendered in every land and in every age. Point out that in Jewish history storms are directly associated with the destruction of God"s foes, and the deliverance of God"s people, as in the case of Sisera. See also the revelation of God to Elijah, at Horeb, in the wild storm and the still small voice. The storm voice says concerning God

I HE HAS AUGUST FORCES AT COMMAND. Nature forces are sublime in themselves, but they represent moral and spiritual forces far more sublime.

II HIS FORCES ARE ALTOGETHER OUT OF MAN"S LIMITATION. Tempest makes us feel this. All the combined powers of all humanity could not stop a flash of lightning or silence a peal of thunder. What makes the storm so trying to us is the sense it brings of our utter helplessness. But that lesson man needs to learn in a thousand ways, and over and over again.

III HIS FORCES MAY BE USED IN MISSIONS OF JUDGMENT. The lightning strikes some. The storm may damage much. And though we may not say in a particular case the lightning stroke is a particular judgment on the individual, we do properly get the impression of God"s power to carry out the Divine threatening.

IV HIS FORCES, HOWEVER USED, HELP US FULLY TO REALIZE HIMSELF. There is constant danger of men"s being satisfied with one-sided views of God. Christianity exalts his love; therefore it is needful to qualify our view of God by the nature-teachings and the older revelations. R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Fire goes before him

The psalmist speaks as if fire were a person walking before King Yahweh and telling people that the king was coming. (See: Personification)

consumes his adversaries

"burns up his enemies"

the earth sees and trembles

The writer speaks of the earth as if it were a person who sees what Yahweh does and trembles in fear. AT: "like a person, the earth sees and trembles" (See: Personification)

trembles

shakes with fear

The mountains melt like wax before Yahweh

The writer speaks of the mountains crumbling before Yahweh as if they were wax that was exposed to a fire. AT: "The mountains are unable to stand as Yahweh comes near" or "The mountains crumble in Yahweh's presence" (See: Simile)

translationWords

fire

consume

adversary

world

Yahweh

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

Fire will go before Him in the war of Gog and Magog, for it is written concerning his war (Ezek. 38:22): “And I shall plead against him with pestilence and with blood, and rain bringing floods and great hailstones, fire and brimstone.”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.