Psalms 97:9

Psa 97:9 For thou, LORD, [art] high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.

Ver. 9. For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth] Declared now to be so with power, as Rom 1:4, and the world convinced of singular sottishness in fancying other divinities.

Thou art exalted above all gods] "Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come," Eph 1:21. Here, then, we have the super-exaltation of Christ’s person; and the apostle manifestly alludeth to it, Eph 4:10 Php 2:9.

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.

This distichic epiphonema (Psa 97:9 = Ps 83:19; Psa 97:9, cf. Psa 47:3, 10) might close the Psalm; there follows still, however, a hortatory strophe (which was perhaps not added till later on).

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

9. (Psa 97:9) For thou, Jehovah, (art) Most High above all the eavth; greatly art thou exalted above all gods. Jehovah's infinite superiority to idols and their worshippers is once more solemnly asserted. With the first clause compare Psa 83:18; with the second, Psa 47:9. It is remarkable that two psalms are here put together in quotation, which there is strong internal reason for supposing to have been occasioned by a victory of Jehoshaphat.

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

Verse 9. For thou, Lord, art high] Thou art infinitely exalted above men and angels.

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

9 For thou, Jehovah, art high above all the earth Having already, in another place, explained these words, I shall not say more at present upon them. Only it is to be noticed, that there is a comparison drawn between God and the angels, and whatever has any claim to eminence. The Psalmist limits all other excellency in such a manner, as to leave no room for questioning that all majesty is comprehended in God only. This was the case more eminently when God manifested himself in his only-begotten Son, who is the express image of himself. Before that period his greatness was less apparent, because he was less known.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(9) For the first clause see Psa_83:18; for the second Psa_47:2-9.

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

9. For thou, Jehovah, art the Most High above all the earth,

Thou art exceedingly exalted above all gods.

From Psa_83:18; Psa_47:2; Psa_47:9 : cp. Psa_95:3.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth,.... Above all the inhabitants of the earth, as the Targum; he is highly exalted above every name, men of the greatest name that is named in the world; he is made higher than the heavens, and the inhabitants of it; and has all power in heaven and earth, as Mediator; and, as a divine Person, he is the most high God, as the word "Elion", here used, signifies; and all this lays a foundation for joy and gladness in the saints; even the dignity of Christ's person, and the exaltation of him in the human nature:

thou art exalted far above all gods: not only the fictitious deities of the Gentiles, or the greatest potentates upon earth, being made higher than the kings of the earth, who are called gods; but also than the angels in heaven; he is set down at the right hand of God, where they are not, and never were, nor shall be; angels, authorities, and powers, being subject to him, Heb 1:13.

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

For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth - See the notes at Psa 83:18.

Thou art exalted far above all gods - See the notes at Psa 95:3.

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

As thou always wert so in truth, so thou hast now proved and declared thyself to be such in the eyes of the whole world, by subduing them under thy feet.

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

Ver. 9. For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth. And therefore do we rejoice to see the idols abolished and to see all mankind bending at thy throne. There is but one God, there cannot be another, and he is and ever must be over all.

Thou art exalted far above all gods. As much as ALL is exalted above nothing, and perfection above folly. Jehovah is not alone high over Judea, but over all the earth, nor is he exalted over men only, but over everything that can be called god: the days are on their way when all men shall discern this truth, and shall render unto the Lord the glory which is due alone to him.

Psalms 97:10*

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

For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth; rather, art the Most High (eliun) above all the earth (see the Revised Version). Thou art exalted far above all gods. (comp. ver. 7, and see also Psa_83:18) No comparison can be made between Jehovah and the heathen gods. He is "exalted" far, far above them.

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

are most high above all

The psalmist speaks as if those who were strong enough to rule were the physically higher than others. AT: "rule over all the people who live on" (See: Metaphor and Metonymy)

You are exalted far

The psalmist speaks as if those who were strong enough to rule were the physically higher than others. AT: "You are high, far" (See: Metaphor)

he takes them out of the hand of the wicked

Here the word "hand" represents power. Yahweh rescuing people from the power of wicked people is spoken of as if he took them out of their hands. AT: "he rescues them from the power of the wicked" (See: Metonymy and Metaphor)

Light is sown for ... and gladness for

These two phrases have similar meanings and are used together for emphasis. AT: "Yahweh sows light for those who do right, and he sows gladness for those with honest hearts" (See: Parallelism and Active or Passive and Ellipsis)

Light is sown for the righteous

The word "sown" is a metaphor for actions with future results. "Light" is a metaphor for good things. AT: "Yahweh plans for good things to happen to the righteous in the future" (See: Metaphor)

the righteous

The adjective "righteous" can be translated as a noun phrase. AT: "righteous people" (See: Nominal Adjectives)

gladness for those with honest hearts

The words "is sown" are understood. The word "sown" is a metaphor for actions with future results. The abstract noun "gladness" can be stated as "happy." AT: "gladness is sown for those with honest hearts" or "Yahweh plans for people with honest hearts to be happy in the future" (See: Ellipsis and Metaphor and Abstract Nouns)

those with honest hearts

The heart is a synecdoche for the whole person. AT: "honest people" (See: Synecdoche)

translationWords

Most High

earth

exalt

love

evil

life

saint

hand

light

plant

heart

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