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Psalms 99

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The LORD Reigns in Holiness 1–3

1
Jehovah reigneth; let the peoples tremble: He sitteth above the cherubim; let the earth be moved. ​
2
Jehovah is great in Zion; And he is high above all the peoples.
3
Let them praise thy great and terrible name: Holy is he. ​

The King Who Loves Justice 4–5

4
The king’s strength also loveth justice; Thou dost establish equity; Thou executest justice and righteousness in Jacob. ​
5
Exalt ye Jehovah our God, And worship at his footstool: Holy is he. ​

Historical Examples of Prayer and Answer 6–9

6
Moses and Aaron among his priests, And Samuel among them that call upon his name; They called upon Jehovah, and he answered them. ​
7
He spake unto them in the pillar of cloud: They kept his testimonies, And the statute that he gave them. ​
8
Thou answeredst them, O Jehovah our God: Thou wast a God that forgavest them, Though thou tookest vengeance of their doings. ​
9
Exalt ye Jehovah our God, And worship at his holy hill; For Jehovah our God is holy.

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Psalm 99

Verse 1

The LORD reigneth — The same declaration opens Ps 93:1 and 97:1, and is to be told ‘among the heathen’ (Ps 96:10). He ‘sitteth between the cherubims’ on the ark’s mercy seat, from which he promised to speak with Moses (Ex 25:22). ‘Be moved’ is nut, to shake; the verb occurs only here in the Psalms.

Verse 3

great and terrible name — ‘Terrible’ is yare, here in the form ‘to be feared’, the word of Deut 28:58, ‘this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD’. ‘Praise’ is yadah, to give thanks with the hands held out. ‘For it is holy’ begins a refrain that returns at v.5, ‘for he is holy’, and v.9.

Verse 4

loveth judgment — The king here is the LORD of v.1. ‘Judgment’ (mishpat) stands twice in the verse, as what his strength loves and what he executes. ‘Equity’ is meyshar, evenness, the straight way. Ps 11:7 says the same of him: ‘the righteous LORD loveth righteousness’.

Verse 5

worship at his footstool — Hadom, ‘footstool’, occurs six times, and in 1 Chr 28:2 it is the ark of the covenant. Ps 132:7 has these same words, ‘we will worship at his footstool’. V.9 repeats the call with ‘his holy hill’ in its place. ‘Exalt’ is rum, to lift high.

Verse 6

Moses and Aaron… Samuel — Aaron was set apart for ‘the priest’s office’ (Ex 28:1). Samuel called on the LORD, and ‘the LORD heard him’ (1 Sam 7:9; cf. 12:18). The LORD himself names Moses and Samuel together as intercessors (Jer 15:1). ‘Answered’ is anah, the verb that returns in v.8.

Verse 7

the cloudy pillar — The words occur four times, at Ex 33:9–10, Neh 9:12 and here. ‘The cloudy pillar descended… and the LORD talked with Moses’ (Ex 33:9), and in the pillar of the cloud he ‘called Aaron and Miriam’ (Num 12:5). Moses, Aaron and Samuel ‘kept his testimonies’, and the ordinance he gave them.

Verse 8

a God that forgavest them — ‘Forgavest’ is nasa, to lift or bear, the verb of Num 14:19, ‘as thou hast forgiven this people’. The LORD answered, ‘I have pardoned according to thy word’ (Num 14:20), yet that generation did not ‘see the land’ (Num 14:23). ‘Inventions’ is alilah, deeds, ‘doings’ in Ps 9:11.