The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. Psalms 97:1-12.-Yahweh's coming with consuming judgments on the idolatrous world-powers. Such was Assyria, that threatened Judah. Yahweh's vengeance on His enemies (Psalms 97:1-3); the trembling produced by the sight of His glory on the earth, the skies, and all people (Psalms 97:4-6); how angels, and how Judah shall receive Him at His coming to confound the idols (Psalms 97:7-9); how the saints who love Him ought to hate evil and rejoice in His holiness, through which gladness is in store for them (Psalms 97:10-12). The psalm leans upon David's Psalms 18:1-50; Psalms 30:1-12; Psalms 33:1-22; Psalms 34:1-22; Psalms 37:1-40. As it is made up of quotations from the older Scriptures, so its grand subject, Messiah, shall combine, at His coming again as the Sun of righteousness, all the scattered rays of sacred prophecy, psalmody, and history.
The Lord reigneth - the same abrupt proclamation of Yahweh's anticipated assumption of the Kingdom appears throughout this series of psalms (Psalms 93:1; Psalms 96:10). The abruptness marks that it will take the earth by surprise. His saints break out into joyous thanksgiving for it (Isaiah 25:9: cf. Revelation 11:17).
Let the earth rejoice - (Psalms 96:11) let the multitude of isles be glad thereof - (cf Psalms 72:10; and the probably contemporary prophet, Isaiah 42:10; Isaiah 42:12; Isaiah 60:9.) The "isles" include all maritime regions. The earth and isles which are to rejoice at the Lord's coming are distinct from the God-opposed 'enemies' (Psalms 97:3), who are to be 'burnt up' by the "fire" that "goeth before him." They are the pagan nations of the whale earth who have taken no part with Antichrist, and who shall be converted by the word of the Lord going forth with power from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:1-4). The blessing awaiting the people of Abraham is not merely for themselves, but that through them "all families of the earth may be blessed" (Genesis 12:2-3).