תהלים, פרק צ״ו, פסוק י״ג

The ultimate joy of creation reaches its peak when God reveals Himself to establish universal justice across the earth. This profound celebration takes place directly before God as He appears to judge all inhabitants of the world [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Although this song of praise was originally sung when the Ark of the Covenant was brought up to Jerusalem, its prophetic vision is actually aimed at the future redemption [מאירי]. The repeated emphasis on God's arrival serves primarily to highlight the absolute certainty that He will come [רד״ק]. At the same time, this repetition hints at two distinct forms of divine leadership. One arrival represents the establishment of the fixed laws of nature, while the second represents God coming to judge humanity based on their actions [מלבי״ם].

The primary approach among commentators is that this future arrival is not a day of wrath, but rather a reference to the Messianic era and a time of salvation that will bring lasting peace to the world [מאירי]. In contrast to harsh historical judgments delivered in anger, such as the punishment of the generation that built the Tower of Babel, this future judgment will be defined by mercy. By that time, the nations of the world will have already mended their ways and embraced a belief in God [אלשיך].

When this time arrives, the divine judgment will operate on two distinct levels. First, God will judge the world with strict righteousness, delivering the exact reward and punishment that human actions deserve [מלבי״ם]. Second, He will judge the nations with His absolute truth and reliability [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Together, these two layers create a perfect harmony between God's moral, just oversight of humanity and the unwavering stability of the natural laws He maintains throughout His creation [מלבי״ם].