What is the meaning of Psalm 97:5? The mountains melt like wax Psalm 97 paints a picture, not a metaphor we politely admire, but a literal display of God’s raw, unmatchable power over creation. The scene is similar to Judges 5:5 where “the mountains quaked before the LORD,” and Micah 1:3-4 where hills “melt beneath Him.” • Mountains—images of permanence and stability—simply dissolve. • The verse insists that even the strongest realities of earth yield instantly to God’s touch. • Other passages echo this power: Nahum 1:5 says “the mountains quake before Him,” while Exodus 19:18 shows Sinai shaking when the Lord descended in fire. Taken at face value, these reminders encourage us: if God can undo mountains, He can handle whatever we see as immovable. at the presence of the LORD The focus shifts from the effect (melting) to the cause: His presence. Scripture repeatedly shows that when God draws near, creation reacts. • In 2 Samuel 6:2, He is called the One “enthroned between the cherubim,” yet He steps into time and space. • Psalm 114:7 commands, “Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord.” • Isaiah 64:1-3 longs for God to “come down, that the mountains would quake” again. Notice that nothing must happen beyond God simply showing up. His holy presence is enough—no extra force or tool required. before the Lord of all the earth This last phrase clarifies who He is: not a regional deity, but “the Lord of all the earth.” Joshua 3:11 and Zechariah 4:14 use the same title, stressing universal rule. • Because He owns the earth (Psalm 24:1), every inch of it answers to Him. • His sovereignty leaves no room for rival powers; even forces that seem untouchable are already under His authority. • Revelation 20:11 shows earth and sky fleeing from His face—another glimpse of creation unable to stand when He appears. summary Psalm 97:5 teaches that God’s presence alone topples the mightiest realities of this world. Mountains—symbols of permanence—melt instantly, proving that the Lord’s authority is total and literal. When He reveals Himself, nothing created can resist; every obstacle we face is small beside the Lord of all the earth. |
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