Charles Ellicott Commentary Psalms 97:5

"The mountains melted like wax at the presence of Jehovah, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth." — Psalms 97:5 (ASV)

The hills melted. — Compare Psalm 68:8. Note Micah 1:4.

The Lord of the whole earth. — An expression first found exactly in Joshua 3:11-13, though Abraham speaks of God as judge of the whole earth (Genesis 18:25). (Zechariah 4:10; Zechariah 6:5.) Though Jehovah was the tribal God, yet in marked distinction to surrounding tribes, Israel regarded Him as having universal dominion.