Psalm 97:6

The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) All the people.—Rather, all the peoples. At length the world at large is convinced, by visible manifestations, of what Israel had recognised through the veil of darkness and cloud,—the eternal righteousness of which all the splendours of the storm have been a witness. (See Note, Psalm 89:6.)

Benson Commentary

Psalm 97:6. The heavens declare his righteousness — It is as conspicuous and illustrious as the heavens themselves. Or the angels, yea, God himself gives testimony from heaven to the righteousness of Christ. And all the people see his glory — Both Jews and Gentiles shall partake of the glorious fruits and benefits of his coming. Dr. Horne, however, interprets this verse differently, thus: “The heavens, by the manifestation of vengeance from thence, reveal, declare, and proclaim the righteous judgments of Messiah; and all the people upon earth are witnesses of the glory of his victory over every thing that opposeth itself to the establishment of his kingdom.”

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

97:1-7 Though many have been made happy in Christ, still there is room. And all have reason to rejoice in Christ's government. There is a depth in his counsels, which we must not pretend to fathom; but still righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. Christ's government, though it might be matter of joy to all, will yet be matter of terror to some; but it is their own fault that it is so. The most resolute and daring opposition will be baffled at the presence of the Lord. And the Lord Jesus will ere long come, and put an end to idol worship of every kind.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The heavens declare his righteousness - See the notes at Psalm 50:6. Compare the notes at Psalm 19:1.

And all the people see his glory - As manifested in the heavens, and in the power which he puts forth on the earth. That is, (they have the opportunity of seeing it; it is made manifest in all his works. They see what in fact is a manifestation of his glory, to wit, his great and wondrous works. It is not affirmed that they "appreciate" all this, or that they see this to be a manifestation of his glory - which would not be true - but that they see what is in fact a revelation of his greatness, his wisdom, and his power.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

6. heavens—or, their inhabitants (Ps 50:6), as opposed to "nations" in the latter clause (compare Isa 40:5; 66:18).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The heavens; either,

1. The thunders, and lightnings, and tempests sent from heaven to plead his righteous cause against his enemies. Or,

2. The angels, yea, God himself from heaven, who gave manifest testimony to the righteousness of the Messias.

All the people see his glory; both Jews and Gentiles shall see and feel the glorious effects of his coming.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

The heavens declare his righteousness,.... His justice in punishing his enemies; the lightning and the thunder in the heavens, the tokens of his wrath, and instruments of it; his wrath itself, which is revealed from heaven, Romans 1:18, or the inhabitants of heaven, as Aben Ezra; the angels of heaven; so the Targum, "the angels on high (or of heaven, as in the king's Bible) declare his righteousness"; see Revelation 16:5, it is true of the ministers of the Gospel, who are Christ's angels or messengers, men of heavenly gifts and grace, whose work it is to declare the justifying righteousness of Christ, which is revealed in the Gospel from faith to faith, and which is therefore called the word of righteousness, and the ministration of it, Romans 1:17,

and all the people see his glory; the glory of his justice in the destruction of his enemies; the glory of his power and grace in the salvation of his chosen; the glory of God in the face of Christ; the glory of Christ himself, as the only begotten of the Father; the glory of his person, office, grace, and righteousness, in the glass of the Gospel; the glory and honour he is now crowned with in heaven; and all the people, even all the chosen, redeemed, and called people, shall behold his glory to all eternity: it seems chiefly to respect the revelation of his glory, and his people's view of it at his first coming; see Isaiah 60:5.

Geneva Study Bible

The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

6. The heavens have declared his righteousness,

And all the peoples have seen his glory.

His faithfulness to His people and His sovereign justice in the punishment of evil have been openly and visibly manifested in the sight of all the world (Psalm 98:3). Cp. Psalm 50:6; Isaiah 35:2; Isaiah 40:5; Isaiah 52:10; Isaiah 66:18.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 6. - The heavens declare his righteousness (comp. Psalm 50:6; Matthew 24:29, 30). By signs in the heavens it is proclaimed that the Lord has come to judgment. And all the people see (rather, have seen) his glory; literally, all the peoples; i.e. all the nations of the earth (comp. ver. 1). Psalm 97:6

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Again we have nothing but echoes of the older literature: Psalm 97:4 equals Psalm 77:19; Psalm 97:4, cf. Psalm 77:17; Psalm 97:5, cf. Micah 1:4; Psalm 97:5, cf. Micah 4:13; Psalm 97:6 equals Psalm 50:6; Psalm 97:6, cf. Isaiah 35:2; Isaiah 40:5; Isaiah 52:10; Isaiah 66:18. The poet goes on to describe that which is future with historical certainty. That which Psalm 77:19 says of the manifestation of God in the earlier times he transfers to the revelation of God in the last time. The earth sees it, and begins to tremble in consequence of it. The reading ותּחל, according to Hitzig (cf. Ew. ֗232, b) traditional, is, however, only an error of pointing that has been propagated; the correct reading is the reading of Heidenheim and Baer, restored according to MSS, ותּחל (cf. 1 Samuel 31:3), like ותּבן, ותּקם, ותּרם, and ותּשׂם. The figure of the wax is found even in Psalm 68:3; and Jahve is also called "Lord of the whole earth" in Zechariah 4:14; Zechariah 6:5. The proclamation of the heavens is an expression of joy, Psalm 96:11. They proclaim the judicial strictness with which Jahve, in accordance with His promises, carries out His plan of salvation, the realization of which has reached its goal in the fact that all men see the glory of God.