Fathers

Psalms 97

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Yahweh reigns! Let the earth rejoice! Let the multitude of islands be glad! Clouds and darkness are around him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. A fire goes before him, and burns up his adversaries on every side. His lightning lights up the world. The earth sees, and trembles. The mountains melt like wax at the presence of Yahweh, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. The heavens declare his righteousness. All the peoples have seen his glory. Let all them be shamed who serve engraved images, who boast in their idols. Worship him, all you gods! Zion heard and was glad. The daughters of Judah rejoiced because of your judgments, Yahweh. For you, Yahweh, are most high above all the earth. You are exalted far above all gods. You who love Yahweh, hate evil! He preserves the souls of his saints. He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Be glad in Yahweh, you righteous people! Give thanks to his holy Name.

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What the Fathers say

Psalms 97:5

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

"The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord" [Psalm 97:5]. Who are the hills? The proud. Every high thing raising itself against God, at the deeds of Christ and of the Christians, trembled, yielded, and when I say, what has been already said, "melted," a better word cannot be found. "The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord." Where is the elevation of powers? Where the hardness of the unbelieving? The Lord was a fire unto them, they melted at His presence like wax; so long hard, until that fire was applied. …

Exposition on Psalm 97 ↗

Jerome

The mountains flowed away like wax. To me these mountains seem to be the powers of the demons. Or certainly the mountains are proud men, whoever they be. This fire does not consume the humble, but whoever are mountainous. And indeed, whenever a lightning-bolt is sent forth, it strikes with difficulty those who are in the valley, but always those who are on the mountain.

Homily 24, on Psalm 96 ↗