יְהֹוָה When Adonoy
מָלָךְ is [universally accepted as] King12Our Sages say that this will occur after the annihilation of Amalek. At that time God’s Name and His throne will be complete. See Exodus 10.
תָּגֵל הָאָֽרֶץ the earth will exult;
יִשְׂמְחוּ אִיִּים רַבִּים: the multitudes of islands13Those who live on these islands will rejoice.—Etz Yosef will rejoice.
עָנָן וַעֲרָפֶל סְבִיבָיו Clouds and dense darkness surround Him;14These clouds and darkness will envelop and destroy the wicked, after which God’s justice and righteousness will be apparent. Others say that this is an allusion to the mystery of God’s ways, but that His kingdom is founded on righteousness.—Radak
צֶֽדֶק וּמִשְׁפָּט righteousness and justice
מְכוֹן כִּסְאוֹ: are the foundations of His throne.
אֵשׁ לְפָנָיו תֵּלֵךְ Fire will go before Him
וּתְלַהֵט סָבִיב צָרָיו: to surround15God will surround them with fire so there will be no escape for them.—Radak and burn His antagonists.
הֵאִֽירוּ בְרָקָיו His lightning illuminates
תֵּבֵל the inhabited world,
רָאֲתָה וַתָּחֵל הָאָֽרֶץ: the earth sees and trembles.16The future revelation of God’s kingdom is described in terms similar to those of the revelation at Mount Sinai.
הָרִים כַּדּוֹנַג נָמַֽסּוּ The mountains17‘Mountains’ refers to the kings of the world—Etz Yosef melt like wax
מִלִּפְנֵי יְהֹוָה before Adonoy,
מִלִּפְנֵי אֲדוֹן כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ: before the Master of all the earth.
הִגִּֽידוּ הַשָּׁמַֽיִם צִדְקוֹ The heavens will declare His righteousness
וְרָאוּ כָל־הָעַמִּים כְּבוֹדוֹ: and all the peoples will behold His glory.
יֵבֽשׁוּ Humiliated will be
כָּל־עֹֽבְדֵי פֶֽסֶל all who serve graven images,
הַמִּתְהַלְלִים בָּאֱלִילִים who are proud of idols;
הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ־לוֹ כָּל־אֱלֹהִים: before Him all gods will bow.
שָׁמְעָה וַתִּשְׂמַח צִיּוֹן Zion will hear and rejoice,
וַתָּגֵֽלְנָה בְּנוֹת יְהוּדָה and the daughters [cities] of Judah will exult
לְמַֽעַן מִשְׁפָּטֶֽיךָ יְהֹוָה: because of Your judgments, Adonoy.
כִּי־אַתָּה יְהֹוָה עֶלְיוֹן For You, Adonoy, are most high
עַל־כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ over all the earth;
מְאֹד נַעֲלֵֽיתָ עַל־כָּל־אֱלֹהִים: You are greatly exalted above all gods.18Etz Yosef understands ‘gods’ to refer to the sun, moon, stars, etc.
אֹהֲבֵי יְהֹוָה שִׂנְאוּ רָע Lovers of Adonoy, hate evil!
שֹׁמֵר נַפְשׁוֹת חֲסִידָיו He preserves the souls of His pious ones;
מִיַּד רְשָׁעִים יַצִּילֵם: from the hand of the wicked, He saves them.
אוֹר זָרֻֽעַ לַצַּדִּיק Light is sown19Light is sown for the righteous in this world but the harvest of that light awaits the future world.—Radak Others say that the light may be hidden like the seed in the earth, but it is sure to spring forth. for the righteous,
וּלְיִשְׁרֵי־לֵב שִׂמְחָה: and for the upright in heart—joy.
שִׂמְחוּ צַדִּיקִים בַּיהֹוָה Rejoice, righteous ones,20Shevet Musar says that the righteous ones will not merely rejoice in their personal salvation and deliverance but they will actually rejoice in God, Whose kingdom will be revealed and complete. in Adonoy,
וְהוֹדוּ לְזֵֽכֶר קָדְשׁוֹ: and give thanks to His holy Name.21Lit: His holy mention.