TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 97

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1Hashem is king! Let the earth exult, the many islands rejoice!

איְהֹוָה מָלָךְ תָּגֵל הָאָרֶץ יִשְׂמְחוּ אִיִּים רַבִּים׃

2Dense clouds are around Him, righteousness and justice are the base of His throne.

בעָנָן וַעֲרָפֶל סְבִיבָיו צֶדֶק וּמִשְׁפָּט מְכוֹן כִּסְאוֹ׃

3Fire is His vanguard, burning His foes on every side.

גאֵשׁ לְפָנָיו תֵּלֵךְ וּתְלַהֵט סָבִיב צָרָיו׃

4His lightnings light up the world; the earth is convulsed at the sight;

דהֵאִירוּ בְרָקָיו תֵּבֵל רָאֲתָה וַתָּחֵל הָאָרֶץ׃

5mountains melt like wax at Hashem's presence, at the presence of the Lord of all the earth.

ha-REEM ka-do-NAG na-MA-su mi-lif-NAY a-do-NAI mi-lif-NAY a-DON kol ha-A-retz

ההָרִים כַּדּוֹנַג נָמַסּוּ מִלִּפְנֵי יְהֹוָה מִלִּפְנֵי אֲדוֹן כָּל־הָאָרֶץ׃

 97:5   Mountains melt like wax

In this psalm, the earth sings praise and rejoices over Hashem’s dominion. The awe-inspired elements defy the laws of nature by proclaiming God throughout the land. Mysterious clouds surround God, blazing fire precedes Him, lightning pounds the earth before Him. As for mountains melting “like wax” before Hashem, the psalmist may have been referring to the remarkable creation of the Golan Heights. The Golan Heights were created by the eruption of volcanic mountains, a geological phenomenon related to the creation of the Syria-African rift. The explosions of these mountains was of almost Godly proportions, as hot molten lava flowed for miles, creating a plateau of basalt and other types of volcanic rock.

6The heavens proclaim His righteousness and all peoples see His glory.

והִגִּידוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם צִדְקוֹ וְרָאוּ כָל־הָעַמִּים כְּבוֹדוֹ׃

7All who worship images, who vaunt their idols, are dismayed; all divine beings bow down to Him.

זיֵבֹשׁוּ כָּל־עֹבְדֵי פֶסֶל הַמִּתְהַלְלִים בָּאֱלִילִים הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ־לוֹ כָּל־אֱלֹהִים׃

8Tzion, hearing it, rejoices, the towns of Yehuda exult, because of Your judgments, Hashem.

חשָׁמְעָה וַתִּשְׂמַח צִיּוֹן וַתָּגֵלְנָה בְּנוֹת יְהוּדָה לְמַעַן מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ יְהֹוָה׃

9For You, Hashem, are supreme over all the earth; You are exalted high above all divine beings.

טכִּי־אַתָּה יְהֹוָה עֶלְיוֹן עַל־כָּל־הָאָרֶץ מְאֹד נַעֲלֵיתָ עַל־כָּל־אֱלֹהִים׃

10O you who love Hashem, hate evil! He guards the lives of His loyal ones, saving them from the hand of the wicked.

יאֹהֲבֵי יְהֹוָה שִׂנְאוּ רָע שֹׁמֵר נַפְשׁוֹת חֲסִידָיו מִיַּד רְשָׁעִים יַצִּילֵם׃

11Light is sown for the righteous, radiance for the upright.

יאאוֹר זָרֻעַ לַצַּדִּיק וּלְיִשְׁרֵי־לֵב שִׂמְחָה׃

12O you righteous, rejoice in Hashem and acclaim His holy name!

יבשִׂמְחוּ צַדִּיקִים בַּיהֹוָה וְהוֹדוּ לְזֵכֶר קָדְשׁוֹ׃