BROADCASTS.com

The Lord reigns\u2026 Great is the Lord in Zion; he is exalted over all the nations. Let them praise your great and awesome name\u2014he is holy. Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy. (Psalm 99:1a,2-3, 9)

\xa0

Like Psalms 93 and 97, psalm 99 also begins with the declaration: \u201cThe Lord reigns.\u201d\xa0 Each of these psalms praise God for a different aspect of his kingship though.\xa0

The theme for psalm 99 is God\u2019s holiness.\xa0 Three distinct words on God\u2019s holiness are given, which offers some echo or precedent to the hymn found in the heavenly throne rooms of Isaiah and Revelation where all cry out: \u201cHoly, Holy, Holy\u201d before the throne of God. \xa0\xa0

What is interesting is that Psalm 99\u2019s definition of holiness differs somewhat from our own.\xa0 Holiness here does not necessarily refer to purity or a sense of distance between God and ourselves.\xa0 It starts there, perhaps, when we hear how God is exalted over all the nations.\xa0 But the majority of the psalm marvels at how such an awesome God who rules over all the earth and all its peoples still has concern for Israel.

This is the second \u201choly\u201d in the psalm.\xa0 The fact that the King is mighty, that he loves justice\u2014that he has established equity, even doing what is right and just in Jacob.\xa0 Israel is reminded that God rules from Zion, that he sits enthroned between the cherubim of the Ark.\xa0 So the psalm encourages the people to \u201cexalt the Lord our God.\u201d \xa0This Holy One who is already exalted over all the nations should receive exaltation among his own people too for his justice displayed before them.\xa0

The third \u201choly\u201d in the psalm is the fact that God is not too distant from his people to hear their cries.\xa0 This aspect of God\u2019s holiness is all about prayer.\xa0 When the people or their leaders have cried out to the Lord, the Lord has answered with forgiveness.\xa0 The people still needed to follow in obedience, sure, and they were still punished for their misdeeds by this God of justice, yes.\xa0 But when they cried out to the Lord their God, there was also forgiveness.\xa0 A way out of their misery and hardship was provided.\xa0 A salvation was given.\xa0 This too is part of the holiness of God: his great forgiveness for his people.\xa0 \xa0\xa0

In this psalm, the notion of God\u2019s holiness transforms from any abstract theoretical sense of some fascinating, fearsome, far-off deity into something markedly more personal.\xa0 The psalm speaks about Israel\u2019s history with God, Israel\u2019s experience of God.\xa0 This is a people who has a relationship with God that defines what they mean when they say \u201choly is he.\u201d\xa0

This is the High King over all who has nevertheless done what is right for us, listened to our cries, answered, and forgiven us.\xa0 We know his name.\xa0 He is our God.\xa0 As Christians following in the footsteps of these psalms, we can say much the same.\xa0 We also know this holy, listening, and forgiving God\u2019s name: it\u2019s Jesus.\xa0 \xa0\xa0\xa0

For a peaceful setting of Psalm 99 by the Sons of Korah, you can click this link.

\xa0