Psalms 97 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
Temple period, most likely sung at a festival of God's kingship during or after the monarchy
Location
Jerusalem and the daughter towns of Judah, with the scene widening to cover the whole earth and its distant coastlands
Audience
Israelites celebrating God's rule, including those tempted to hedge their loyalty toward other gods
Situation
A hymn announcing that the Lord reigns, surrounded by cloud, fire, and lightning that make the mountains melt like wax. Idol worshipers are put to shame, and Zion hears of God's judgments and rejoices.
Key Background
The storm imagery follows the standard ancient description of a divine appearance, the same pattern as God descending on Mount Sinai in Exodus 19, so the audience would have recognized it as the arrival of a king rather than as weather. Righteousness and justice being the foundation of his throne uses building language, since a throne platform rested on a base, and the point is that his rule cannot be separated from fair dealing. The reference to other gods bowing down reflects a world in which every nation had its own patron deity, and Israelites lived among neighbors who assumed loyalty could be shared out among several.