Psalm 97: Overview

Like Psalm 95, Psalm 97 opens by inviting us to 'sing a new song', that is, to join ourselves to the life of grace opened to us by Christ's sacrifice on the cross, the new life referred to in the book of  Revelation:

...and they sing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth (13:3)

As St Augustine commented, the psalm contrasts the old song of sin with the 'new song' that represents our destiny in heaven:

The old man is the old life, and the new man the new life: the old life is derived from Adam, the new life is formed in Christ. 

The text of the psalm (arranged as for liturgical use)

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Psalmus ipsi David.	A psalm for David himself

Psalm 97

Cantáte Dómino cánticum novum: * quia mirabília fecit!	Sing to the Lord a new canticle: because he has done wonderful things.
Salvávit sibi déxtera eius: * et bráchium sanctum eius.	His right hand has wrought for him salvation, and his arm is holy.
Notum fecit Dóminus salutáre suum: * in conspéctu Géntium revelávit iustítiam suam.	The Lord has made known his salvation: he has revealed his justice in the sight of the Gentiles.
Recordátus est misericórdiæ suæ, * et veritátis suæ dómui Israël.	He has remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel.
Vidérunt omnes términi terræ * salutáre Dei nostri.	All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Iubiláte Deo, omnis terra: * cantáte, et exsultáte, et psállite!	Sing joyfully to God, all the earth; make melody, rejoice and sing
Psállite Dómino in cíthara, in cíthara et voce psalmi: * in tubis ductílibus, et voce tubæ córneæ.	Sing praise to the Lord on the harp, on the harp, and with the voice of a psalm: with long trumpets, and sound of cornet.
Iubiláte in conspéctu regis Dómini! † Moveátur mare, et plenitúdo eius: * orbis terrárum, et qui hábitant in eo.	Make a joyful noise before the Lord our king: Let the sea be moved and the fullness thereof: the world and they that dwell therein.
Flúmina plaudent manu, † simul montes exsultábunt a conspéctu Dómini: * quóniam venit iudicáre terram.	The rivers shall clap their hands, the mountains shall rejoice together at the presence of the Lord: because he comes to judge the earth.
Iudicábit orbem terrárum in iustítia, * et pópulos in æquitáte.	He shall judge the world with justice, and the people with equity.

Glória Patri, et Fílio, * et Spirítui Sancto.	Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, * et in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.	As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Scriptural and liturgical uses

The psalm is referred to many times in Scripture: the 'marvellous things' God has done, Scripture tells us, include the Incarnation, miracles Christ effected while on earth, Passion, Resurrection, and Second Coming.

St Alphonsus Liguori therefore commented that in it:

The prophet thanks God for having delivered his people from captivity; he at the same time foretells in a figurative sense the coming of Jesus Christ and the Redemption of mankind.

Unsurprisingly then, Psalm 97 features in most of the Commons of feasts, as well as for most of the major feasts of the year:

NT references	Lk 1:49-51, Rev 14:3 (1); Lk 2:30, Acts 13:47, Rev 15:4 (3); Romans 3:25, Romans 1:17 (4); Acts 17:31, Rev 19:11 (10)
RB cursus	Friday Matins II, 3;
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	Nativity, Epiphany, Pentecost, Trinity, Sacred Heart, Exaltation of Holy Cross, Christ the King; Common of Apostles, confessors, female saints
Roman pre 1911	Saturday Matins
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Thursday Lauds . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)	Easter Thurs, IN (1); Fourth Sunday after Easter, IN (1-3); PP 16, AL (1)