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Psalm 97:8
Zion heard and was glad. The daughters of Judah rejoiced because of your judgments, LORD.
6The heavens declare his righteousness. All the peoples have seen his glory.
7Let all them be shamed who serve engraved images, who boast in their idols. Worship him, all you gods!
8Zion heard and was glad. The daughters of Judah rejoiced because of your judgments, LORD.
9For you, LORD, are most high above all the earth. You are exalted far above all gods.
10You who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the souls of his saints. He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.
Notice
Zion’s gladness comes from hearing about YHWH’s judgments, a response that can challenge the instinct to associate judgment with fear alone.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
What makes Judah’s joy over God’s judgments easy or hard for you to share?
Write on thisHow does Zion’s response compare with your response to news about justice?
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Where else Scripture says this
12 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Psalm 48:11Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments.Both passages name Zion and the daughters of Judah, making the LORD’s judgments the reason for their gladness.
Isaiah 35:1The wilderness and the dry land will be glad. The desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose.Gladness and rejoicing link these passages, though Isaiah describes the desert blossoming while the psalm describes Judah responding to judgment.
Revelation 18:20“Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints, apostles, and prophets, for God has judged your judgment on her.”Both passages connect the rejoicing of God’s people with his judgment, with Revelation addressing heaven and the saints.
Psalm 119:164Seven times a day, I praise you, because of your righteous ordinances.God’s judgments prompt Judah’s rejoicing, while his righteous ordinances prompt the repeated praise described in Psalm 119.
Zechariah 9:9Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a …Zion rejoices in both passages: at the LORD’s judgments in the psalm and at the coming of a righteous king in Zechariah.
Psalm 101:1A Psalm by David. I will sing of loving kindness and justice. To you, LORD, I will sing praises.Justice is a reason for praise in Psalm 101, just as the LORD’s judgments are a reason for Judah’s joy.
Revelation 15:4Who wouldn’t fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you only are holy. For all the nations will come and worship before you. For your righteous acts have …Both passages connect a response of praise with God’s deeds: Judah rejoices at his judgments, and the nations worship because his righteous acts are revealed.
Judges 5:31“So let all your enemies perish, LORD, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had rest forty years.Judges prays for the LORD’s enemies to perish; the psalm celebrates his judgments, with both passages distinguishing those who belong to him.
Matthew 21:4–9All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying,The supplied Matthew sentence offers only an indirect link: prophetic words reach fulfillment, while the psalm reports gladness at God’s judgments.
Isaiah 62:11Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth: “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your salvation comes! Behold, his reward is with him, and his …Zion receives news in both passages: the psalm records gladness at judgment, while Isaiah announces salvation, reward, and recompense.
Isaiah 52:7–10How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, …Both passages describe news reaching Zion, with gladness at the LORD’s judgments in the psalm and good news of God’s reign in Isaiah.
Jeremiah 49:2Therefore behold, the days come,” says the LORD, “that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and it will become a …The LORD’s judgment concerns his people in both passages; Jeremiah specifies war, ruined Rabbah, and settlements burned, while the psalm records Judah’s rejoicing.
Where this verse fits
Praise and worship. injustice and anger.
One step
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Encouragement
Judah’s gladness has a reason: YHWH’s judgments. Even when justice seems far off where you live, the God exalted above all the earth judges with righteousness.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).