The Bible — World English Bible
Psalm 99
In brief
Psalm 99 proclaims that the Lord reigns and that he is holy. This holiness returns like a refrain, in verses 3, 5 and 9. The psalm sings of a king great in Zion, who loves justice and establishes fairness. It then recalls Moses, Aaron and Samuel, who called on the Lord and were answered, and notes that God was for them a forgiving God while also correcting them. It ends with a final call to exalt the Lord and worship at his holy mountain.
The chapter in 3 parts
1Yahweh reigns! Let the peoples tremble. He sits enthroned among the cherubim. Let the earth be moved.
2Yahweh is great in Zion. He is high above all the peoples.
3Let them praise your great and awesome name. He is Holy!
4The King’s strength also loves justice. You establish equity. You execute justice and righteousness in Jacob.
5Exalt Yahweh our God. Worship at his footstool. He is Holy!
6Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel was among those who call on his name. They called on Yahweh, and he answered them.
7He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud. They kept his testimonies, the statute that he gave them.
8You answered them, Yahweh our God. You are a God who forgave them, although you took vengeance for their doings.
9Exalt Yahweh, our God. Worship at his holy hill, for Yahweh, our God, is holy!
Key verses
Yahweh reigns! Let the peoples tremble. He sits enthroned among the cherubim. Let the earth be moved.
The psalm begins with a fact: the Lord reigns. His reign is not an idea, it makes the peoples tremble and the earth shake.
Let them praise your great and awesome name. He is Holy!
This is the first refrain of the psalm: he is holy. God's holiness means he is set apart, of a different nature from us, and it is also what makes him worthy of trust.
The King’s strength also loves justice. You establish equity. You execute justice and righteousness in Jacob.
This king's power is not exercised at random: he loves justice, he establishes fairness and he acts with equity. His strength serves what is right.
Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel was among those who call on his name. They called on Yahweh, and he answered them.
Moses, Aaron and Samuel are given as examples of people who call on God and are answered. The psalm suggests that we can pray to the holy God without thinking we are excused from honoring him.
You answered them, Yahweh our God. You are a God who forgave them, although you took vengeance for their doings.
God was for them a forgiving God, but he also punished their wrongdoing. This verse holds together forgiveness and the seriousness of God's holiness.
Bible verses to meditate on
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Frequently asked questions about Psalm 99
What does Psalm 99 mean?
It is a psalm of praise to the Lord the king. It affirms that God reigns, that he is holy and just, and that those who called on him, like Moses, Aaron and Samuel, were answered. It calls us to exalt him and worship before him, for he is holy.
What does the Lord is holy mean?
To be holy is to be set apart, of a different nature from everything created, and pure. The psalm repeats it three times, in verses 3, 5 and 9. This holiness does not push God away from his people: it is tied to his justice, his forgiveness and his availability to those who call on him.
How can I pray with Psalm 99?
Read the psalm aloud, pausing at each he is holy. Take time to acknowledge God's reign over your life, then, with verse 6, remind him that others called on him before you and were heard. Finish with verse 9, bowing down inwardly or physically before him.
Articles quoting Psalm 99
World English Bible translation — public domain.