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Psalm 97:2-4
New Catholic Bible
Psalm 97:2-4
New Catholic Bible
2 [a]Clouds and darkness[b] surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3 Fire[c] precedes him,
consuming his enemies on every side.
4 His flashes of lightnwing illumine the world;
the earth sees this and trembles.
Footnotes
- Psalm 97:2 The psalmist portrays the Lord’s appearance by traditional signs of his manifestation at Sinai. These went on to become the signs used to describe the future day of the Lord, when he would come in glory to establish true justice on the earth (see notes on Pss 18:7; 18:8-16).
- Psalm 97:2 Clouds and darkness: these served to veil God’s ineffable glory from human eyes (see Ex 19:9; 1 Ki 8:12). Righteousness and justice: divine attributes personified (see Pss 61:8; 85:12; Prov 16:12; 25:5).
- Psalm 97:3 Fire: symbol of God’s wrath (see Pss 21:10; 50:3; 83:15; Deut 4:24; 1 Ki 19:12; Isa 10:17).
