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Psalm 99

The focus here is the holiness of God.  Each stanza of the song ends with the words, "He is holy!"  To understand the psalm, then, we need first to understand the word "holy" as it applies to God. Since each stanza of the psalm deals with one aspect of God's holiness, though, we can assume, that the sum of these three aspects is the definition of God's holiness.

The first stanza, vss. 1-3, begins, "The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble."  Then, as is often the case in Hebrew poetry, the thought is repeated in the next words, "He dwells between the cherubim; let the earth be moved!"  To see how this is a repetition, we need to think about these "cherubim."  These beings were a kind of "warrior angel" - beings whose task it is to protect the separateness of God from the crowding of humanity (Genesis 3:24).  Thus they allow no intrusion into the secret place of the Almighty.  To be "between" these beings, then, is to be separate from and totally different than all others. That thought is amplified in the words that follow: "The Lord is great in Zion, and He is high above all the peoples."  So we could summarize these three verses by saying that the holy Lord is the One Who reigns over all things, Who dwells between the cherubim, Who is great and entirely separate from the people of Israel.   He is majestically unique and wholly other than the people.

The psalmist expresses the great reverence and awe that an Israelite should feel as he comes to worship at the temple of that holy God.  It was, after all, the place He chose to meet with them – the place He chose to make His Presence known.  And there, in the inner courtyard, beyond the separating curtain, upon the Ark, and between the cherubim, was the chosen place for God's acceptance of the lamb of atonement once each year.  That God, the GOD Who is revered by all, the GOD Who accepts them only by sacrificial atonement - THAT is the GOD Who is being worshipped. He is like no other, and that uniqueness is the first aspect of "holiness."

The second aspect is similar.  In the second stanza, vss. 4, 5, the psalmist focuses upon God's personal characteristics.  He says, "The King's strength also loves justice; You (God) have established equity; You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob." Jehovah is not only powerful and entirely unique, but He is also absolutely righteous in His justice.  Power alone, without such righteousness, would be terrifying and ugly.  It would be cruel, hard, and unconcerned about righteousness.  But the God of Israel is not like that.  He judges the hearts and minds, He knows all the motives behind each and every word and action, and His justice, though it is very swift, and though it is powerful beyond description - yet it is also RIGHT.  In other words, unlike any earthly rulers, or any of the mythical gods, He KNOWS and deals justly according to His perfectly righteous Character.  He is entirely unique among rulers.  That's the second aspect of His holiness:  He is uniquely righteous.

The psalm continues by recalling concrete examples of God's holiness from the history of His relationship with Israel.  Moses and Aaron were good men, and so was Samuel, and when they called upon God in prayer, He answered them, and they kept His laws and believed what He said.  But they, like ourselves, also failed occasionally - they sinned.  When that happened, God did not cast them off, but He forgave them because of the righteousness of the coming Christ - He "took vengeance on their deeds," but yet He could also forgive them - because His own Son would one day take the vengeance upon Himself.  In this, too, God is unlike any earthly leader.  He is a God Who can be just, yet the Justifier of those redeemed by His Messiah. He is totally unique in this.  He is holy.

Finally, then, the worship leader turns to the people and says, "Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His holy hill, for the Lord our God IS holy!"  It's like saying, "Be in awe, for this holy One is your King!"  Is He your King?  Worship His holiness.

8 p.m.
PASTOR AL...... I didn't understand why as I was reading your words re this psalm, the Lord laid Matt 6 on my heart...I went to it and read:

But thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy door pray to the Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."......Matthew 6:6

Then I re-read the Psalm and your words Pastor. So this Mighty God who made the people afraid, so terrible was He...so High, Holy and far removed He desired an atoning sacrifice.....HE PROVIDED HIS OWN SON.

"Let the earth be moved" and it was as His own Beloved Son became our sacrifice...so much was the earth moved that the dead were raised to life again as Jesus died upon the cross.

Israel's God is so high as to dwell between the cherubims......BUT He comes down to us through His Son Jesus Christ...He dwells with those who accept Jesus as Lord, Saviour, Messiah...AND WONDER OF WONDERS.......

WE CAN CALL GOD OUR FATHER.......
What would the Israelites say about this?

Psalm 99:4..."thou dost establish equity"......One day Lord.  I pray for the peace of Jerusalem.  Amen!

Jenny.

Yes, Jenny, though He is distant from us (infinitely), yet in His Son He has come to us.  He has bridged the infinite gap by means of the infinite value of Christ's Sacrifice!  There is surely no god like our God!  He IS holy!

11.30 a.m.

Pastor Al.....Thank-you for your work on this Psalm.  It gave me spiritual food and food for thought....May I share as follows?............


I don't know if you all know this chorus, something like...



"So high, you can't get over it,
So low you can't get under it"........................

That is Our God.
He dwells in the High and Holy Place and He is here with us............EMMANUEL.

"Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;
all laud we would render; O help us to see
'tis only the splendour of light hideth Thee."
                                 W.Chalmers Smith .


How wonderful that the curtain was rent when Our High Priest offered Himself for us....Wonderful!  THANK-YOU LORD JESUS...I LOVE YOU.

Thank-you Lord for Pastor Al.

Jenny.