Psalm 97 7

Psalm 97:7 kjv

Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.

Psalm 97:7 nkjv

Let all be put to shame who serve carved images, Who boast of idols. Worship Him, all you gods.

Psalm 97:7 niv

All who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols? worship him, all you gods!

Psalm 97:7 esv

All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods!

Psalm 97:7 nlt

Those who worship idols are disgraced ?
all who brag about their worthless gods ?
for every god must bow to him.

Psalm 97 verses

Psalm 97 7 Meaning

Psalm 97:7 declares the futility and ultimate shame of those who serve and boast in created, lifeless images. It simultaneously issues a divine command for all celestial beings, often referred to as "gods," to bow down and worship the true God. The verse is a powerful affirmation of the LORD's supreme sovereignty over all false deities, human fabrications, and even the heavenly hosts, anticipating a time when His absolute dominion will be universally acknowledged and celebrated.

Psalm 97 7 Context

Psalm 97 is an enthronement psalm, celebrating the LORD's reign as King over all the earth. It is part of a series (Psalms 93, 95-99) that extols God's sovereignty, majesty, and righteous governance. The immediate context of verse 7 depicts the grandeur of God's arrival (clouds and darkness, fire and light) and the shaking of the earth before Him, underscoring His awesome power and irresistible authority. Against this backdrop of divine splendor, idols and their worshipers appear as pitiful and destined for disgrace. The psalm contains strong polemics against the polytheistic beliefs prevalent in the ancient Near East, directly challenging the notion that pagan deities hold any power or validity. It portrays God as the supreme judge who not only reigns but also judges with righteousness, bringing light and salvation to His people and confusion to their enemies and false gods.

Psalm 97 7 Word analysis

• "Let all those who serve carved images": Hebrew: ‘ôbəḏê pĕsălîm (עֹבְדֵי פְסִילִים).
  • ‘ôbəḏê (serve): Denotes intense devotion, labor, and servitude. It highlights that idolaters give their very lives and energies to these false objects, a sharp contrast to serving the living God.
  • pĕsălîm (carved images): Refers to idols, statues, or images carved, molded, or fashioned by human hands. The term intrinsically conveys their origin as man-made, lacking inherent power or divinity, directly undermining any claim to real existence or authority. This is a direct polemic against the polytheistic practices common in ancient cultures.
• "be put to shame": Hebrew: yēbhōshu (יֵבֹשׁוּ).
  • yēbhōshu (be ashamed, confounded, disappointed): Signifies public disgrace, humiliation, and the frustration of hopes. Their confidence in their idols will utterly fail, leading to their exposure as fools before the manifest glory of God. It implies divine judgment.
• "who boast of idols": Hebrew: hammiṯhallĕlîm bā’ĕlîlîm (הַמִּתְהַלְלִים בָּאֱלִילִים).
  • hammiṯhallĕlîm (who boast): Points to the misplaced pride and arrogance of those who attribute power or honor to these lifeless objects. Their boasting reveals a heart far from God and steeped in deception.
  • ’ĕlîlîm (idols): This term is often a contemptuous word for idols, derived from a root meaning "nothing," "weak," or "worthless." It emphasizes the utter emptiness and impotency of what they trust in. It’s an intensification of the pesel idea, denoting extreme insignificance.
• "worship Him": Hebrew: hištaḥăwû lô (הִשְׁתַּחֲוּוּ־לֹו).
  • hištaḥăwû (worship, bow down, prostrate oneself): This imperative command demands total submission and reverence. It's the highest act of adoration and allegiance due to God alone. It signifies both internal humility and outward physical submission.
  • lô (Him): Refers exclusively to the LORD (Yahweh), the true God whose reign has just been described.
• "all you gods!": Hebrew: kŏl ’ĕlōhîm (כָּל־אֱלֹהִים).
  • kŏl (all): Universal in scope, encompassing every possible entity.
  • ’ĕlōhîm (gods, divine beings): This is a critical and multi-faceted term. In this context, interpreted alongside parallel scriptures and especially its use in Heb 1:6, it primarily refers to divine, angelic, or heavenly beings—not human-made idols (which have just been condemned), nor mere earthly rulers, but celestial entities in God's divine council. This interpretation highlights God’s absolute supremacy not only over human idolatry but over all created spiritual powers and cosmic authorities, demanding their ultimate allegiance and worship.
• "Let all those who serve carved images...who boast of idols": This phrase highlights the profound spiritual deception and misplaced allegiance of idol worshipers. Their service and pride are rooted in futility and result in humiliation, as their "gods" are exposed as non-existent or utterly powerless before the sovereign God. This speaks to the complete inverse relationship: serving human-made objects, boasting in emptiness, directly contrasts with the command for divine beings to worship the Almighty Creator.
• "worship Him, all you gods!": This dramatic injunction signifies the LORD's uncontested reign. It means that even those spiritual entities (angels, heavenly hosts) that might be mistakenly worshipped by humans or who are themselves powerful are ultimately subservient to and must acknowledge the supremacy of the One True God by prostrating themselves before Him. The implication is clear: if even divine beings worship the LORD, how much more should humanity!

Psalm 97 7 Bonus section

The inclusion of Psalm 97:7 in Hebrews 1:6 as a command for "all God's angels to worship Him" is incredibly significant. In Hebrews, "Him" unequivocally refers to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This New Testament application reveals that the Old Testament call for "all gods" (elohim) to worship the LORD finds its ultimate fulfillment in the worship of Christ. This establishes Christ's divine nature and pre-eminence, demonstrating His superiority even to the angels, thereby reinforcing His status as the ultimate revelation of God. It moves the prophecy beyond a general call to acknowledge Yahweh's reign to a specific declaration of the incarnate Son’s absolute worthiness of worship by all heavenly hosts. Thus, the shame of idolatry is starkly contrasted with the glorious reality of bowing before Christ, the true image of the invisible God.

Psalm 97 7 Commentary

Psalm 97:7 encapsulates a central theological truth: the unrivaled supremacy of the Creator God. It directly confronts and condemns idolatry, portraying the folly and ultimate disgrace awaiting those who devote themselves to inert, man-made images. The "shame" promised to idolaters underscores the utter futility of their trust and their ultimate realization of the true God's undeniable power. This strong pronouncement against false worship is immediately followed by a universal command to "worship Him, all you gods!" This directive is often understood, especially through its quotation in the New Testament (Hebrews 1:6), as a mandate for all heavenly, spiritual beings—the angels and other members of the divine council—to bow before the LORD. This powerfully affirms that the True God’s reign extends not only over the physical world and human kingdoms but also over the unseen spiritual realms, where all creation, visible and invisible, must acknowledge His dominion and render Him supreme adoration. The verse is thus a declaration of Yahweh’s sole right to worship, emphasizing that even those with apparent power or revered status in the heavenly realm are themselves commanded to worship Him who is greater.