What does Psalm 99:1 mean?
ESV: The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
NIV: The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble; he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake.
NASB: The Lord reigns, the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned above the cherubim, the earth quakes!
CSB: The Lord reigns! Let the peoples tremble. He is enthroned between the cherubim. Let the earth quake.
NLT: The Lord is king! Let the nations tremble! He sits on his throne between the cherubim. Let the whole earth quake!
KJV: The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.
NKJV: The Lord reigns; Let the peoples tremble! He dwells between the cherubim; Let the earth be moved!
Verse Commentary:
Verse Context:
Psalm 99:1–5 presents the Lord as sovereign, worthy of praise, and just. The message is especially targeted at those outside the nation: "the peoples" are those nations other than Israel. As King, God is perfectly fair and righteous. Because God is holy, He is worthy of praise.
Chapter Summary:
God is sovereign, even if not all people acknowledge His rule. The psalmist calls for all people to recognize the Lord and offer Him appropriate praise. God's merciful actions through prior prophets, such as Moses and Samuel, also establish the Lord's perfect justice and love. Believers ought to respond with praise.
Chapter Context:
This song glorifies the idea of the Lord being ruler over all the earth. This is the theme of the "enthronement" psalms (Psalms 24; 27; 93; 95—99), of which Psalm 99 is the last. References to "the peoples" point to the non-Jewish nations: the Gentiles. Like other related psalms, this passage looks forward to when the Lord will rule over the entire world. The whole earth, and all its people, will one day recognize His rule.
Book Summary:
The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.
Accessed 11/21/2024 1:12:00 PM
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