The Meaning of Psalms 97:11 Explained

Psalms 97:11

KJV: Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.

YLT: Light is sown for the righteous, And for the upright of heart -- joy.

Darby: Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.

ASV: Light is sown for the righteous, And gladness for the upright in heart.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Light  is sown  for the righteous,  and gladness  for the upright  in heart. 

What does Psalms 97:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 97:1-12 - "be Glad In The Lord"
The keynote here is the reign of God. To the wicked, it spells misery; to the believer, it is the inauguration of harmony and joy. It is as though herald-angels step from isle to isle, from mountain peak to mountain peak, with the glad tidings of great joy. It is not always easy to trace its advent. Clouds and darkness are around him. The eye of sense cannot penetrate the black enclosing pall, but faith is ever certain that righteousness and judgment are the foundation of His throne.
Sometimes God comes in fire, Psalms 97:3, as at Sinai, or on the day of Pentecost, which took place on the anniversary of the giving of the Law. Days come like that on which Jerusalem fell, or when the Turks took Constantinople, or when Napoleon was shattered at Waterloo-then hills melt like wax. But through all dark and terrible dispensations the Kingdom is secretly growing, the Lord is being exalted, and light is being sown for His people, Psalms 97:11. So, believer, your tears and fightings, as they pass, are absorbing heaven's love and power, which they will hold in reserve though buried for long in the dark. Days are at hand of unspeakable gladness. Be of good cheer. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 97

1  The majesty of God's kingdom
7  The church rejoices at God's judgments upon idolaters
10  An exhortation to godliness and gladness

What do the individual words in Psalms 97:11 mean?

Light is sown for the righteous and for the upright in heart gladness
א֭וֹר זָרֻ֣עַ לַצַּדִּ֑יק וּֽלְיִשְׁרֵי־ לֵ֥ב שִׂמְחָֽה

א֭וֹר  Light 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: אֹור  
Sense: light.
זָרֻ֣עַ  is  sown 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: זָרַע  
Sense: to sow, scatter seed.
לַצַּדִּ֑יק  for  the  righteous 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: צַדִּיק  
Sense: just, lawful, righteous.
וּֽלְיִשְׁרֵי־  and  for  the  upright 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: יָשָׁר 
Sense: straight, upright, correct, right.
לֵ֥ב  in  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
שִׂמְחָֽה  gladness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שִׂמְחָה  
Sense: joy, mirth, gladness.