Psalms 99 - Printer Friendly

What does Psalms 99 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

Psalms 95 through 99 are often called "royal psalms" or "enthronement psalms." These celebrate the idea of God being the unquestioned ruler of the world. Other examples are Psalms 24, 27, and 93. The songs have a dual purpose: acknowledging the Lord's current authority and looking forward to when He rules the world directly (Revelation 20:4).

The psalm opens with a statement that God is sovereign. He is the unchallenged master of all creation. He is not only ruler over the people of Israel; He also has authority over the Gentile nations, referred to here as "the peoples." Knowing this about the Lord should result in a reverent, respectful form of fear (Proverbs 1:7). Cherubim are a type of angel which are almost always seen in God's presence. Two cherubim were represented on the ark of the covenant (Exodus 25:18–22). God's throne is "upon," or "above," these angelic beings (Psalm 99:1–3).

The Lord's power has created fairness, justice, and goodness. His love and loyalty to Israel demonstrate this—God renamed Jacob as "Israel" and made him the founder of the nation. An appropriate response to the love of a holy God is humble worship (Psalms 99:4–5).

Moses (Exodus 33:11), Aaron (Numbers 3:6–9), and Samuel (1 Samuel 3:21) are among the most famous examples of those who heard from God and passed those messages along to Israel. Unfortunately, the nation of Israel did not always obey (Judges 2:16–19). This resulted in consequences such as the Babylonian exile (Jeremiah 25:8–11). Yet Israel was never destroyed or wiped out. This gives God's people good reason to praise and worship Him (Psalm 99:6–9).

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.

Psalm 99:6–9 focuses on Moses, Aaron, and Samuel. These are among the more famous names of those who communicated between the people and God. They brought the Lord's commands—but the people did not always obey. Still, God forgave. Therefore, the people should honor the Lord and praise Him.

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.

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 12/18/2024 9:47:56 AM