[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooTLkztD_Sw&feature=youtu.be”]
In this week’s study from Tehillim / Psalms 97:1-12, the Psalm opens saying, א יְהֹוָה מָלָךְ תָּגֵל הָאָרֶץ יִשְֹמְחוּ אִיִּים רַבִּים: 97:1 The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; Let the many islands be glad. (NASB) In this psalm, the psalmist calls upon the islands to rejoice before the Lord ascribing the anthropomorphic property of speech and movement. The psalmist continues saying, ב עָנָן וַעֲרָפֶל סְבִיבָיו צֶדֶק וּמִשְׁפָּט מְכוֹן כִּסְאוֹ: ג אֵשׁ לְפָנָיו תֵּלֵךְ וּתְלַהֵט סָבִיב צָרָיו: ד הֵאִירוּ בְרָקָיו תֵּבֵל רָאֲתָה וַתָּחֵל הָאָרֶץ: ה הָרִים כַּדּוֹנַג נָמַסּוּ מִלִּפְנֵי יְהֹוָה מִלִּפְנֵי אֲדוֹן כָּל-הָאָרֶץ: 97:2 Clouds and thick darkness surround Him; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. 97:3 Fire goes before Him And burns up His adversaries round about. 97:4 His lightnings lit up the world; The earth saw and trembled. 97:5 The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. (NASB) Why do the Scriptures describe the Lord as having clouds and thick darkness surrounding the Lord? The Torah also provides this description at the mountain of Sinai. Is His glory to be concealed? This is paralleled to God’s righteousness and justice. Are His righteousness and justice concealed as well? Read more here: Tehillim 97-Part1
