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Psalms 99

BSB·9 verses ·Old Testament
✦ Tap any verse to open Scripture Explorer — original Hebrew/Greek, commentary, notes & highlights
1The LORDיְהוָ֣הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → reignsמָ֭לָךְmā·lāḵ — to reign; to rule as kingH4427 — Full Word Study →; let the nationsעַמִּ֑ים‘am·mîm — a people; nation; communityH5971 — Full Word Study → trembleיִרְגְּז֣וּyir·gə·zū — to tremble, shake, or be disturbedH7264 — Full Word Study →! He is enthronedיֹשֵׁ֥בyō·šêḇ — to dwell, inhabit, settle, remainH3427 — Full Word Study → above the cherubimכְּ֝רוּבִ֗יםkə·rū·ḇîm — A celestial being; a heavenly guardianH3742 — Full Word Study →; let the earthהָאָֽרֶץ׃hā·’ā·reṣ — Land, earth, or countryH776 — Full Word Study → quakeתָּנ֥וּטtā·nūṭ — to shake, tremble, or moveH5120 — Full Word Study →! 2Great isגָּד֑וֹלgā·ḏō·wl — Great, mighty, large in size or significanceH1419 — Full Word Study → the LORDיְ֭הוָהYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → in Zionבְּצִיּ֣וֹןbə·ṣî·yō·wn — The Lord's MountainH6726 — Full Word Study →; Heה֝֗וּאhū — He, she, it; the third person pronounH1931 — Full Word Study → is exaltedוְרָ֥םwə·rām — To raise, lift up, exalt; to be highH7311 — Full Word Study → aboveעַל־‘al- — upon, over, against; concerningH5921 — Full Word Study → allכָּל־kāl- — All, every, whole, totalityH3605 — Full Word Study → the peoplesהָֽעַמִּֽים׃hā·‘am·mîm — a people; nation; communityH5971 — Full Word Study →. 3Let them praiseיוֹד֣וּyō·w·ḏū — To give thanks, praise, or acknowledgeH3034 — Full Word Study → Your greatגָּד֥וֹלgā·ḏō·wl — Great, mighty, large in size or significanceH1419 — Full Word Study → and awesomeוְנוֹרָ֗אwə·nō·w·rā — to fear, revere, or be afraidH3372 — Full Word Study → nameשִׁ֭מְךָšim·k̲ā — Name; reputation; renownH8034 — Full Word Study →Heהֽוּא׃hū — He, she, it; the third person pronounH1931 — Full Word Study → is holyקָד֥וֹשׁqā·ḏō·wōš — Set apart, consecrated, sacredH6918 — Full Word Study →! 4The mightyוְעֹ֥זwə·‘ōz — Strength, power, or mightH5797 — Full Word Study → Kingמֶלֶךְ֮me·leḵ — A male ruler or sovereign who governs a nation or kingdomH4428 — Full Word Study → lovesאָ֫הֵ֥ב’ā·hêḇ — To love; affection, attachment, or preferenceH157 — Full Word Study → justiceמִשְׁפָּ֪טmiš·pāṭ — Justice, judgment, or legal decisionH4941 — Full Word Study →. Youאַ֭תָּה’at·tāh — You; second-person pronoun (singular or plural)H859 — Full Word Study → have establishedכּוֹנַ֣נְתָּkō·w·nan·tā — to establish, prepare, or make firmH3559 — Full Word Study → equityמֵישָׁרִ֑יםmê·šā·rîm — Uprightness, righteousness, equityH4339 — Full Word Study →; Youאַתָּ֬ה’at·tāh — You; second-person pronoun (singular or plural)H859 — Full Word Study → have exercisedעָשִֽׂיתָ׃‘ā·śî·ṯā — to do, make, or accomplish; to act or performH6213 — Full Word Study → justiceמִשְׁפָּ֥טmiš·pāṭ — Justice, judgment, or legal decisionH4941 — Full Word Study → and righteousnessוּ֝צְדָקָ֗הū·ṣə·ḏā·qāh — Righteousness, justice, right conductH6666 — Full Word Study → in Jacobבְּיַעֲקֹ֤ב׀bə·ya·‘ă·qōḇ — He grasps the heelH3290 — Full Word Study →. 5Exaltרֽוֹמְמ֡וּrō·wm·mū — To raise, lift up, exalt; to be highH7311 — Full Word Study → the LORDיְה֘וָ֤הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → our Godאֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ’ĕ·lō·hê·nū — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study →, and worshipוְֽ֭הִשְׁתַּחֲווּwə·hiš·ta·ḥă·wū — To bow down; to worship or show reverenceH7812 — Full Word Study → atלַהֲדֹ֥םla·hă·ḏōm — footstool; platform for feetH1916 — Full Word Study → His footstoolרַגְלָ֗יוraḡ·lāw — Foot; by extension, journey, way, or standingH7272 — Full Word Study →; Heהֽוּא׃hū — He, she, it; the third person pronounH1931 — Full Word Study → is holyקָד֥וֹשׁqā·ḏō·wōš — Set apart, consecrated, sacredH6918 — Full Word Study →! 6Mosesמֹ֘שֶׁ֤הmō·šeh — Drawn outH4872 — Full Word Study → and Aaronוְאַהֲרֹ֨ן׀wə·’a·hă·rōn — Exalted FatherH175 — Full Word Study → were among His priestsבְּֽכֹהֲנָ֗יוbə·ḵō·hă·nāw — priest; one who serves in God's sanctuaryH3548 — Full Word Study →; Samuelוּ֭שְׁמוּאֵלū·šə·mū·’êl — God has heardH8050 — Full Word Study → was among those who calledבְּקֹרְאֵ֣יbə·qō·rə·’ê — To call, summon, or proclaimH7121 — Full Word Study → on His nameשְׁמ֑וֹšə·mōw — Name; reputation; renownH8034 — Full Word Study →. They calledקֹרִ֥איםqō·rim — To call, summon, or proclaimH7121 — Full Word Study → toאֶל־’el- — to, toward, against; directional and relational prepositionH413 — Full Word Study → the LORDיְ֝הוָ֗הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → and Heוְה֣וּאwə·hū — He, she, it; the third person pronounH1931 — Full Word Study → answeredיַעֲנֵֽם׃ya·‘ă·nêm — To answer, respond, or testifyH6030 — Full Word Study →. 7He spokeיְדַבֵּ֣רyə·ḏab·bêr — to speak, say, or declareH1696 — Full Word Study → to themאֲלֵיהֶ֑ם’ă·lê·hem — to, toward, against; directional and relational prepositionH413 — Full Word Study → from the pillarבְּעַמּ֣וּדbə·‘am·mūḏ — pillar, column, support structureH5982 — Full Word Study → of cloudעָ֭נָן‘ā·nān — cloud; visual manifestation of God's presenceH6051 — Full Word Study →; they keptשָׁמְר֥וּšā·mə·rū — To guard, keep, observe, preserveH8104 — Full Word Study → His decreesעֵ֝דֹתָ֗יו‘ê·ḏō·ṯāw — Testimony, witness, or evidenceH5713 — Full Word Study → and the statutesוְחֹ֣קwə·ḥōq — A statute or decree; an appointed rule or lawH2706 — Full Word Study → He gaveנָֽתַן־nā·ṯan- — to give, grant, or bestowH5414 — Full Word Study → them. 8O LORDיְהוָ֣הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → our Godאֱלֹהֵינוּ֮’ĕ·lō·hê·nū — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study →, Youאַתָּ֪ה’at·tāh — You; second-person pronoun (singular or plural)H859 — Full Word Study → answered themעֲנִ֫יתָ֥ם‘ă·nî·ṯām — To answer, respond, or testifyH6030 — Full Word Study →. You wereהָיִ֣יתָhā·yî·ṯā — to be, become, exist, happenH1961 — Full Word Study → a forgivingנֹ֭שֵׂאnō·śê — To lift up, raise, or bear; to carry or supportH5375 — Full Word Study → Godאֵ֣ל’êl — God, Mighty OneH410 — Full Word Study → to them, yet an avengerוְ֝נֹקֵ֗םwə·nō·qêm — To avenge, take vengeance, or execute judgmentH5358 — Full Word Study → ofעַל־‘al- — upon, over, against; concerningH5921 — Full Word Study → their misdeedsעֲלִילוֹתָֽם׃‘ă·lî·lō·w·ṯām — deed, action, or workH5949 — Full Word Study →. 9Exaltרֽוֹמְמ֡וּrō·wm·mū — To raise, lift up, exalt; to be highH7311 — Full Word Study → the LORDיְה֘וָ֤הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → our Godאֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ’ĕ·lō·hê·nū — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study → and worshipוְ֭הִֽשְׁתַּחֲווּwə·hiš·ta·ḥă·wū — To bow down; to worship or show reverenceH7812 — Full Word Study → at His holyקָדְשׁ֑וֹqā·ḏə·šōw — Holiness, sacred, consecrated, set apartH6944 — Full Word Study → mountainלְהַ֣רlə·har — Mountain, hill, or elevated land massH2022 — Full Word Study →, forכִּֽי־kî- — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → the LORDיְהוָ֥הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → our Godאֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃’ĕ·lō·hê·nū — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study → is holyקָ֝ד֗וֹשׁqā·ḏō·wōš — Set apart, consecrated, sacredH6918 — Full Word Study →.
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Chapter Commentary — Psalms 99
Chapter Overview

Chapter Overview

Psalm 99 is a hymn of praise celebrating God's sovereign kingship and His holiness. The psalm presents the Lord as the absolute ruler of heaven and earth, seated upon His throne of glory between the cherubim in the heavenly sanctuary. Throughout these nine verses, the psalmist calls God's people to reverent worship and trembling awe, emphasizing that our holy God is also perfectly just, merciful, and responsive to the prayers of His servants. This is a psalm meant to awaken our hearts to both the majesty and the grace of the living God.

The Sovereign King Enthroned (Verses 1–3)

The opening declaration, "The LORD reigneth" (verse 1), immediately establishes the central truth: God is King over all creation. The psalmist calls the people to tremble—not in terror, but in holy reverence and awe. The image of God sitting between the cherubims refers to His throne above the mercy seat of the tabernacle's ark of the covenant, the very center of Israel's worship and God's earthly presence. When He is recognized as King, the earth is moved—creation itself responds to His reign.

Verse 2 declares that God's greatness is especially manifest in Zion, His chosen dwelling place, and He is exalted above all the people. This emphasizes both His transcendence and His particular covenant relationship with Israel. In verse 3, the psalmist calls believers to praise God's great and terrible name—"terrible" here meaning awesome and fearsome—because His very nature is holy. God's holiness is not merely moral purity; it is the totality of His divine otherness and perfection that sets Him infinitely apart from His creation.

Application: Do we truly recognize God's kingship in our daily lives, or have we grown comfortable with casual religion? Let this passage restore a sense of awe and reverence in your worship.

The Just King and His Righteous Rule (Verses 4–5)

Here the psalmist emphasizes that God's sovereign power is exercised in perfect justice. The king's strength (referring to God) loveth judgment—His power is always directed toward what is right and fair. He establishes equity and executeth judgment and righteousness in Jacob, meaning that God's rule over His covenant people is fundamentally just. There is no caprice, no favoritism in God's administration.

Verse 5 repeats the call from verse 3: Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool (the earth itself, or the temple where God's presence dwelt). The repetition underscores the centrality of worship and the reason for it: for he is holy. True worship flows from recognition of God's holiness and justice combined.

Application: In a world of injustice and corruption, we can rest assured that God's throne is one of perfect righteousness. Our faith need not waver when earthly powers fail.

God's Faithfulness to His Servants (Verses 6–9)

The psalmist now offers historical examples of God's responsiveness to His people. Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name—these great saints called upon the LORD, and he answered them (verse 6). God's covenant faithfulness is demonstrated through His willingness to hear and respond to the prayers of His servants.

Verse 7 notes that God spoke to these leaders in the cloudy pillar (the pillar of cloud that guided Israel) and that they kept his testimonies—they obeyed His Word and ordinances. This obedience was their response to God's revelation. Yet verses 8–9 beautifully balance justice with mercy: God was a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions. Even when His people sinned and faced consequences, God's forgiveness remained available to the repentant. The psalm concludes with a final call to exalt and worship at God's holy hill, reiterating the theme of His holiness.

Application: God hears the prayers of His people and answers them. He is both just in His judgment and merciful in His forgiveness. We too can call upon Him with confidence.

Application for Today

Psalm 99 calls modern believers to recover a profound sense of God's holiness and kingship in our worship. In an age of informality and familiarity, we need to remember that we approach the throne of the Almighty, not merely a friendly counselor. Yet this same God answered the prayers of Moses, Aaron, and Samuel—and He answers ours. Let this psalm move you to worship God with reverent joy, knowing that His justice is perfect and His grace toward the repentant is infinite.

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