Psalm 97:4
New International Version
His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles.

New Living Translation
His lightning flashes out across the world. The earth sees and trembles.

English Standard Version
His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles.

Berean Standard Bible
His lightning illuminates the world; the earth sees and trembles.

King James Bible
His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.

New King James Version
His lightnings light the world; The earth sees and trembles.

New American Standard Bible
His lightning lit up the world; The earth saw it and trembled.

NASB 1995
His lightnings lit up the world; The earth saw and trembled.

NASB 1977
His lightnings lit up the world; The earth saw and trembled.

Legacy Standard Bible
His lightnings light up the world; The earth sees and trembles.

Amplified Bible
His lightnings have illuminated the world; The earth has seen and trembled.

Christian Standard Bible
His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles.

American Standard Version
His lightnings lightened the world: The earth saw, and trembled.

Contemporary English Version
and his lightning is so bright that the earth sees it and trembles.

English Revised Version
His lightnings lightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
His flashes of lightning light up the world. The earth sees them and trembles.

Good News Translation
His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees it and trembles.

International Standard Version
His lightning bolts light the world; the earth sees and shakes.

Majority Standard Bible
His lightning illuminates the world; the earth sees and trembles.

NET Bible
His lightning bolts light up the world; the earth sees and trembles.

New Heart English Bible
His lightning lights up the world. The earth sees, and trembles.

Webster's Bible Translation
His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.

World English Bible
His lightning lights up the world. The earth sees, and trembles.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
His lightnings have lightened the world, "" The earth has seen, and is pained.

Young's Literal Translation
Lightened have His lightnings the world, The earth hath seen, and is pained.

Smith's Literal Translation
His lightnings lightened the habitable globe; the earth saw and it Will tremble.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
His lightnings have shone forth to the world: the earth saw and trembled.

Catholic Public Domain Version
His lightnings have enlightened the whole world. The earth saw, and it was shaken.

New American Bible
His lightning illumines the world; the earth sees and trembles.

New Revised Standard Version
His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
His lightnings enlightened the world; the earth saw, and trembled.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
His lightnings lit up the world, the Earth saw and was troubled.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
His lightnings lighted up the world; The earth saw, and trembled.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
His lightnings appeared to the world; the earth saw, and trembled.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Let the Earth Rejoice
3Fire goes before Him and consumes His foes on every side. 4His lightning illuminates the world; the earth sees and trembles. 5The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.…

Cross References
Exodus 19:16-18
On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning. A thick cloud was upon the mountain, and a very loud blast of the ram’s horn went out, so that all the people in the camp trembled. / Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. / Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke, because the LORD had descended on it in fire. And the smoke rose like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently.

Psalm 77:18
Your thunder resounded in the whirlwind; the lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked.

Psalm 18:12-14
From the brightness of His presence His clouds advanced—hailstones and coals of fire. / The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded—hailstones and coals of fire. / He shot His arrows and scattered the foes; He hurled lightning and routed them.

Job 37:3-5
He unleashes His lightning beneath the whole sky and sends it to the ends of the earth. / Then there comes a roaring sound; He thunders with His majestic voice. He does not restrain the lightning when His voice resounds. / God thunders wondrously with His voice; He does great things we cannot comprehend.

Isaiah 30:30
And the LORD will cause His majestic voice to be heard and His mighty arm to be revealed, striking in angry wrath with a flame of consuming fire, and with cloudburst, storm, and hailstones.

Revelation 4:5
From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. Before the throne burned seven torches of fire. These are the seven spirits of God.

Revelation 11:19
Then the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple. And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.

Revelation 16:18
And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake the likes of which had not occurred since men were upon the earth—so mighty was the great quake.

Matthew 24:27
For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Ezekiel 1:13-14
In the midst of the living creatures was the appearance of glowing coals of fire, or of torches. Fire moved back and forth between the living creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. / The creatures were darting back and forth as quickly as flashes of lightning.

Nahum 1:5-6
The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt away; the earth trembles at His presence—the world and all its dwellers. / Who can withstand His indignation? Who can endure His burning anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; even rocks are shattered before Him.

Habakkuk 3:3-4
God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His glory covered the heavens, and His praise filled the earth. / His radiance was like the sunlight; rays flashed from His hand, where His power is hidden.

2 Samuel 22:13-15
From the brightness of His presence coals of fire blazed forth. / The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded. / He shot His arrows and scattered the foes; He hurled lightning and routed them.

Luke 17:24
For just as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so will be the Son of Man in His day.

Hebrews 12:18-21
For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm; / to a trumpet blast or to a voice that made its hearers beg that no further word be spoken. / For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” ...


Treasury of Scripture

His lightning enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.

his

Psalm 77:18
The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.

Psalm 144:5,6
Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke…

Exodus 19:16-18
And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled…

the earth

Psalm 104:32
He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.

Psalm 114:7
Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;

Job 9:6
Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

Jump to Previous
Bright Earth Enlightened Fear Flames Lighted Lightened Lightning Pained Trembled Trembles World
Jump to Next
Bright Earth Enlightened Fear Flames Lighted Lightened Lightning Pained Trembled Trembles World
Psalm 97
1. The majesty of God's kingdom
7. The church rejoices at God's judgments upon idolaters
10. An exhortation to godliness and gladness














His lightning illuminates the world;
This phrase emphasizes God's power and majesty, often symbolized by lightning in the Bible. Lightning is a natural phenomenon that represents God's presence and judgment. In Exodus 19:16, lightning accompanied God's descent on Mount Sinai, signifying His holiness and authority. The illumination of the world by lightning can also be seen as a metaphor for divine revelation, where God's truth and righteousness are made known to all. This imagery is consistent with the biblical theme of God as light, as seen in passages like Psalm 27:1 and John 8:12, where Jesus declares Himself the light of the world.

the earth sees and trembles.
The earth's response of trembling signifies awe and fear in the presence of God's power. This reaction is a common biblical motif, illustrating the creation's recognition of its Creator's sovereignty. In Nahum 1:5, the mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt away, showing the earth's submission to God's will. The trembling can also be seen as a response to God's judgment, as in Isaiah 13:13, where the earth shakes during the day of the Lord. This phrase underscores the idea that all creation is subject to God's authority and that His presence elicits a profound response from the natural world.

Persons / Places / Events
1. God (Yahweh)
The central figure in this Psalm, depicted as the sovereign ruler whose power is manifested through natural phenomena.

2. The Earth
Represents all of creation, which responds to God's majestic power with awe and trembling.

3. Lightning
A symbol of God's power and presence, illuminating the world and causing a reaction from the earth.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty and Power
The imagery of lightning in Psalm 97:4 serves as a reminder of God's ultimate control over the natural world. Just as lightning illuminates the sky, God's presence brings light and understanding to our lives.

Creation's Response to God
The earth's trembling is a natural response to God's power. As believers, we are called to respond to God's majesty with reverence and awe, recognizing His authority in our lives.

The Light of God's Presence
Lightning symbolizes illumination. In our spiritual walk, we should seek the light of God's presence to guide us through darkness and uncertainty.

Fear of the Lord
The trembling of the earth can be seen as a metaphor for the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. This fear is not terror but a deep respect and acknowledgment of God's greatness.

God's Revelation Through Nature
Nature itself testifies to God's power and glory. Observing the natural world can lead us to worship and deepen our understanding of God's character.(4) See Psalm 77:17-18, from which this is taken.

Verse 4. - His lightnings enlightened the world. Here the tenses change from present to past - not, however, that any past event is alluded to, but merely to mark prophetic certainty. The psalmist, rapt in vision, sees the future as past. Lightnings play a part in almost' all theophanies (Exodus 19:16; Job 37:1-5; Psalm 18:13; Psalm 77:18, etc.). The earth saw, and trembled (comp. Judges 5:4; Psalm 68:8; Psalm 114:7).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
His lightning
בְרָקָ֣יו (ḇə·rā·qāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1300: Lightning, a gleam, a flashing sword

illuminates
הֵאִ֣ירוּ (hê·’î·rū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 215: To be or become light

the world;
תֵּבֵ֑ל (tê·ḇêl)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8398: The earth, the globe, its inhabitants, a particular land

the earth
הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

sees
רָאֲתָ֖ה (rā·’ă·ṯāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

and trembles.
וַתָּחֵ֣ל (wat·tā·ḥêl)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 2342: To twist, whirl, to dance, to writhe in pain, fear, to wait, to pervert


Links
Psalm 97:4 NIV
Psalm 97:4 NLT
Psalm 97:4 ESV
Psalm 97:4 NASB
Psalm 97:4 KJV

Psalm 97:4 BibleApps.com
Psalm 97:4 Biblia Paralela
Psalm 97:4 Chinese Bible
Psalm 97:4 French Bible
Psalm 97:4 Catholic Bible

OT Poetry: Psalm 97:4 His lightning lights up the world (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 97:3
Top of Page
Top of Page