Psalm 97 8

Psalm 97:8 kjv

Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O LORD.

Psalm 97:8 nkjv

Zion hears and is glad, And the daughters of Judah rejoice Because of Your judgments, O LORD.

Psalm 97:8 niv

Zion hears and rejoices and the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments, LORD.

Psalm 97:8 esv

Zion hears and is glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments, O LORD.

Psalm 97:8 nlt

Jerusalem has heard and rejoiced,
and all the towns of Judah are glad
because of your justice, O LORD!

Psalm 97 verses

Psalm 97 8 Meaning

Psalm 97:8 declares that God's people, represented by Zion and the daughters of Judah, respond with profound joy and exultation to the divine judgments of the LORD. These "judgments" are not solely punitive actions, but refer to God's righteous acts of governance, His justice, and His vindication of His people, especially against evil and idolatry. The verse captures the delight of the righteous in beholding the triumph of God's divine order and the manifestation of His sovereign rule.

Psalm 97 8 Context

Psalm 97 is an enthronement psalm, belonging to a group of psalms (Psalms 93, 95-99) that celebrate the LORD's kingship. It vividly describes God's majestic appearance, surrounded by clouds, darkness, and fire, signaling His coming in judgment and righteousness. The psalm emphasizes the unique sovereignty of the LORD over all creation and, notably, His superiority over all false gods and idols (verse 7). Within this context, Psalm 97:8 portrays the appropriate and expected response of God's chosen people—Zion and the towns of Judah—who witness the triumph of divine justice. Their joy is not malicious but a deep satisfaction in the establishment of true order and righteousness in the world, contrasting sharply with the confusion and ultimate destruction of those who worship vain idols. The historical context reflects Israel's understanding of Yahweh as the just King, who defends His people and judges their enemies, reinforcing their covenant relationship.

Psalm 97 8 Word analysis

• Zion (ציון, Tziyon): A specific hill in Jerusalem, first a Jebusite fortress, then David's capital. Symbolically, it refers to the entire city of Jerusalem, especially the Temple Mount, as God's dwelling place and the center of His worship. More broadly, it represents the community of God's people, the Church (spiritual Zion), or the heavenly Jerusalem. Its significance lies in being God's chosen location for His presence, from which His judgments and salvation proceed.
• heard (שמעה, sham'ah): More than just auditory perception, this Hebrew verb implies active listening, understanding, acknowledging, and often, obeying or responding to what is heard. Here, it denotes Zion's recognition and comprehension of the significance of God's actions.
• and was glad (ותשמח, vatis'mach): From samach, meaning to rejoice, be joyful, or delighted. It describes an internal emotional state of pleasure and contentment. The grammatical structure indicates an immediate and direct consequence of hearing.
• and the daughters of Judah (ובנות יהודה, u'vnot Yehudah): "Daughters" (בנות, banot) often refers to the towns, villages, or dependent settlements surrounding a larger city or region. Here, it encompasses the entire populace of the tribe of Judah, reinforcing the collective and widespread joy of God's faithful people. This term broadens "Zion" to include all of God's devoted adherents.
• rejoiced (תגלנה, tagelna): From gil, meaning to exult, shout for joy, or spin with delight. It conveys a stronger, more demonstrative and outward expression of joy compared to "glad." The parallelism with "was glad" emphasizes the depth and universality of this joyous response.
• because of (על, 'al): A preposition indicating the cause or reason for the preceding actions. The joy is directly attributable to "Thy judgments."
• Thy judgments (משפטיך, mishpatékha): From mishpat, which signifies justice, righteous decree, verdict, or divine rule. It encompasses both God's moral order and His decisive acts to uphold that order. This includes His just rule, His vindication of the righteous, His acts of deliverance for His people, and His punishment of the wicked and idolaters. This is a central theme in enthronement psalms, portraying God as the just King who sets all things right, providing a direct polemic against the arbitrary or chaotic rule attributed to pagan deities.
• O LORD (יהוה, Yahweh): The tetragrammaton, the personal covenant name of the one true God, Israel's God. It signifies His eternal, self-existent nature and His faithfulness to His promises. The reference explicitly names the ultimate source and object of this righteous rule and the people's joy.

Word Group Analysis

• "Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced": This parallelism highlights a unified and enthusiastic response from God's entire people. "Heard" (spiritual discernment) leads to "gladness" (internal delight), which culminates in the stronger, overt "rejoicing." It implies that all who are truly His, from the spiritual heartland (Zion) to the broader community (daughters of Judah), are aligned in their positive reception of God's rule.
• "because of thy judgments, O LORD": This phrase precisely defines the reason for the joy. It is not arbitrary happiness, but a direct, theological response to God's specific, righteous, and decisive actions. The joy springs from seeing God, the true LORD (Yahweh), demonstrating His divine justice and vindication in the world.

Psalm 97 8 Bonus Section

• Cosmic Worship: The phrase in Psalm 97:7, "worship Him, all ye gods," interpreted in Hebrews 1:6 as a command to angels to worship Christ, underscores the universal scope of the LORD's authority. Zion's rejoicing in verse 8 is thus echoed on a cosmic scale by angelic beings, signifying that God's judgments elicit worship and joy from all righteous spiritual realms as well as from His people on earth.
• Prophetic Fulfillment: The rejoicing of Zion and the daughters of Judah over God's judgments has both immediate historical relevance (e.g., deliverance from enemies) and significant prophetic implications. It foreshadows the ultimate coming of God's kingdom in power and glory, when all evil and injustice will be decisively dealt with, leading to the consummate and eternal joy of the redeemed in the New Jerusalem.
• Active and Passive Aspects: While the verse highlights the active rejoicing of God's people, it also implies their passive waiting for and trust in God to act. Their gladness is a response to divine initiative and sovereignty. This balance emphasizes both human faithful anticipation and divine effective power.

Psalm 97 8 Commentary

Psalm 97:8 articulates the profound and appropriate response of God's covenant people to His manifested kingship and righteous governance. As the preceding verses describe God's powerful presence and the subjugation of false gods, Zion, representing God's holy habitation and people, hears and discerns these divine acts. The ensuing gladness and fervent rejoicing of both Zion and all the people of Judah (the "daughters") signify their deep satisfaction and triumph. This joy stems specifically from beholding the LORD's "judgments," which in this context refer to God's perfect execution of justice—His decisive actions that put an end to idolatry, defeat evil, and establish His divine order, thereby vindicating His faithful ones. It is a declaration that the display of God's just character and righteous rule brings immense delight to those who truly worship Him, contrasting sharply with the shame and confusion of idolaters (v. 7). This verse celebrates the vindication of God's truth and the joyous affirmation of His perfect sovereignty over all creation.