Psalms 99: Holy Is the Lord
An enthronement psalm exalting the King who reigns among the cherubim, loving justice and answering those who call on him, repeating that he is holy.
Psalms 99 (WEB)
1 Yahweh reigns! Let the peoples tremble. He sits enthroned among the cherubim. Let the earth be moved.
2 Yahweh is great in Zion. He is high above all the peoples.
3 Let them praise your great and awesome name. He is Holy!
4 The King’s strength also loves justice. You do establish equity. You execute justice and righteousness in Jacob.
5 Exalt Yahweh our God. Worship at his footstool. He is Holy!
6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel among those who call on his name; they called on Yahweh, and he answered them.
7 He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud. They kept his testimonies, the statute that he gave them.
8 You answered them, Yahweh our God. You are a God who forgave them, although you took vengeance for their doings.
9 Exalt Yahweh, our God. Worship at his holy hill, for Yahweh, our God, is holy!
Psalms 99 (KJV)
1 The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.
2 The Lord is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people.
3 Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.
4 The king’s strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.
5 Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.
6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the Lord, and he answered them.
7 He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.
8 Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.
9 Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.
Psalms 99 (ASV)
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.
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.
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.
Summary
This enthronement psalm is shaped around a threefold refrain that he is holy. It opens with the familiar cry, Yahweh reigns, and calls the peoples to tremble and the earth to be moved, for he sits enthroned among the cherubim. He is great in Zion and high above all peoples, and the response called for is to praise his great and awesome name, with the first refrain: he is holy. The psalm then highlights that this King's strength loves justice; he establishes equity and executes justice and righteousness in Jacob, and so the people are called to exalt him and worship at his footstool, with the second refrain: he is holy. The psalm then looks back to Israel's history, naming Moses, Aaron, and Samuel as those who called on Yahweh's name and were answered; God spoke to them in the pillar of cloud, and they kept his testimonies. Strikingly, the psalm says God answered them as a God who forgave them, even while he took vengeance for their wrongdoing—mercy and justice held together. The psalm closes by calling the people once more to exalt Yahweh and worship at his holy hill, with the final refrain: he is holy. Christians worship the same holy and just God, now drawn near in Christ, our great High Priest who calls on God for us and through whom we approach the holy King.
Voices
- Yahweh the holy King — The Lord enthroned among the cherubim, great in Zion, who loves justice and is repeatedly declared holy.
- Moses, Aaron, and Samuel — Priests and intercessors who called on Yahweh's name, were answered, and kept his testimonies.
- The worshiping peoples — The nations and Israel called to tremble, praise, and worship at God's footstool and holy hill.
Key Verse
Psalm 99:5 (WEB)
Exalt Yahweh our God. Worship at his footstool. He is Holy!
Lessons Learned
- God's reign calls for reverent trembling as well as joyful praise, for he is holy.
- The King's strength is devoted to justice; he loves and establishes equity.
- God answers those who call on his name, as he did for Moses, Aaron, and Samuel.
- God holds mercy and justice together, forgiving his people even while taking their sin seriously.
- Holiness is the central note of God's character, repeated three times for emphasis.
- God's holiness deserves reverence. “Let the peoples tremble... He is Holy!” (Psalm 99:1, 3, WEB). The right response to a holy King is awe, not casualness.
- God's power serves his justice. “The King’s strength also loves justice. You do establish equity” (Psalm 99:4, WEB). His might is always wielded for what is right.
- God answers those who call on him. “They called on Yahweh, and he answered them” (Psalm 99:6, WEB). The holy King is not distant; he hears the prayers of his people.
- God forgives while taking sin seriously. “You are a God who forgave them, although you took vengeance for their doings” (Psalm 99:8, WEB). Mercy and justice meet in him—ultimately at the cross.
- Worship belongs at God's footstool. “Exalt Yahweh our God. Worship at his footstool. He is Holy!” (Psalm 99:5, WEB). We come humbly, bowing before the holy One.
- What is the effect of the threefold refrain “He is Holy” throughout this psalm?
- How does the psalm describe the relationship between God's power and his love of justice?
- Why does the psalm point to Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, and what do they model for us?
- How can God both forgive his people and take vengeance for their wrongdoing (v. 8)?
- How does remembering God's holiness shape the way you come to him in prayer and worship?
- The repeated “He is Holy” (99:3, 5, 9) drives home that holiness is the defining note of God's character. It frames the whole psalm in reverence and reminds us that his greatness, justice, and mercy all flow from his holiness.
- His “strength also loves justice” (99:4); God's power is never separated from righteousness. Unlike corrupt rulers, the holy King uses his might to establish equity and execute justice, so his people can trust how he reigns.
- They were intercessors who called on God's name and were answered (99:6-7). They model a life of prayer, faithfulness to God's testimonies, and reliance on his response; they point ahead to Christ, our true intercessor.
- He forgives because he is merciful, yet he does not treat sin as nothing (99:8). Mercy and justice are fully reconciled at the cross, where God justly judged sin in Christ and freely forgives those who trust him.
- This is a gentle personal-application question. Invite members to reflect on whether their sense of God includes reverent awe as well as warmth. Encourage them that we come to the holy King boldly through Christ, yet never flippantly.