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PSALM 99
STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS
| NASB | NKJV | NRSV | TEV | NJB |
| Praise to the Lord for His Fidelity to Israel No MT Intro |
Praise to the Lord for His Holiness | Hymn Celebrating God's Kingship | God the Supreme King | God, the Upright and Holy King |
| 99:1-5 | 99:1-3 | 99:1-5 | 99:1-3 | 99:1-2a |
| 99:2b-3b | ||||
| 99:3c-e | ||||
| 99:4-5 | 99:4-5 | 99:4 | ||
| 99:5 | ||||
| 99:6-9 | 99:6-7 | 99:6-7 | 99:6-7 | 99:6 |
| 99:6 | ||||
| 99:8-9 | 99:8-9 | 99:8-9 | 99:8 | |
| 99:9 |
READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")
FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL
This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS
WORD AND PHRASE STUDY
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 99:1-5
1The Lord reigns, let
the peoples tremble;
He is enthroned above
the cherubim, let the earth shake!
2The Lord is great
in Zion,
And He is exalted above all the peoples.
3Let them praise Your great and awesome name;
Holy is He.
4The strength of the King loves justice;
You have established equity;
You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.
5Exalt the Lord our God
And worship at His footstool;
Holy is He.
99:1 "The Lord reigns" See full notes at Ps. 97:1. All are PERFECTS, which speak of completed actions, however, the time frame of Hebrew VERBS must be determined from the context.
▣ "let the peoples tremble" This VERB (BDB 919, KB 1182, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense) is parallel to "let the earth shake" (BDB 630, KB 680, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense; this word [BDB 630, KB 680] is found only here in the OT). Taken together, they form another universal emphasis. Here, it reflects YHWH's justice (cf. Ps. 99:4).
Both physical creation and human beings are affected, emotionally and physically, by their Creator (cf. Exod. 19:16,18; Ps. 77:18; Rom. 8:18-25)!
▣ "He is enthroned above the cherubim" The VERB (BDB 442, KB 444, Qal PARTICIPLE) means "sits on His throne" (cf. 1 Sam. 4:4; 2 Sam. 6:2; 2 Kgs. 19:15; 1 Chr. 13:6; Ps. 80:1; Isa. 37:16). The mention of "the cherubim" (see SPECIAL TOPIC: CHERUBIM) identifies this phrase as referring to Exod. 25:22. The ark was the earthly place of YHWH's presence (i.e., "footstool," Ps. 99:15b; 1 Chr. 28:2; the earth was called YHWH's footstool in Isa. 66:1; the temple was called His footstool in Ps. 132:7; Lam. 2:1). He dwelt between the wings of the cherubim above the mercy seat (i.e., lid of the ark). This special place (i.e., above the ark in the Holy of Holies) was where heaven and earth, the visible and invisible realms, met!
SPECIAL TOPIC: ARK OF THE COVENANT
99:2 "The Lord (YHWH) is great in Zion" This ADJECTIVE (BDB (BDB 152) is used often of YHWH.
The NOUN (BDB 152) is also used of YHWH in Deut. 3:24; 5:24; 9:26; 11:2; 32:3; Ps. 105:2.
The AB suggests that the comparative PREPOSITION (KB 825, #1) in Ps. 99:2b suggests a possible comparative in 99:2a, which would denote YHWH's greatness over Israel/Judah, as it is over/above "all the peoples" (p. 368). It think this fits the parallel best. Israel was first, but not the only, one (cf. Matt. 28:18-20; Luke 24:46-48; Acts 1:8; Rom. 1:16).
▣ "He is exalted above all the peoples" This phrase implies that YHWH is exalted (BDB 926, KB 1202, Qal PARTICIPLE) above the gods of the nations (i.e., their idols, cf. Ps. 97:9; 113:4; also note Exod. 18:11; Deut. 10:17; 1 Chr. 16:25; 2 Chr. 2:5; Ps. 77:13; 95:3; 96:4; 135:5).
SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, C.
99:3 "Let them praise Your great and awesome name" This is the third IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense (cf. Ps. 99:1a,b).
For YHWH's "great name," see the notes at Ps. 99:2.
YHWH's "awesome" name is from the VERB (BDB 431, KB 432, Niphal PARTICIPLE) "to fear" or "awe." It is used often of YHWH (cf. Deut. 7:21; 10:17,21; 28:58; Ps. 111:9; Mal. 1:14).
The words "great" and "awesome" are often used together to describe YHWH (cf. Neh. 1:5; 4:8; 9:32; Dan. 9:4).
The "them" refers to all non-Israelites (i.e., "peoples," Ps. 99:1a; "the earth," Ps. 99:1b; "all the peoples," Ps. 99:2b.
SPECIAL TOPIC: "THE NAME" OF YHWH
▣ "Holy is He" Notice this is repeated in Ps. 99:5c and alluded to in 99:9c, which looks like a purposeful parallel.
"Holy" is a recurrent theme (cf. Lev. 19:2; 20:7,26; Josh. 24:19; 1 Sam. 2:22; Isa. 6:3). Notice it is repeated in v. 3 and again in vv. 5 and 9.
99:4 I think this verse applies to YHWH Himself (see Contextual Insights A). Notice how His reign (Ps. 99:1) is characterized.
Notice they are all three PERFECTS, but NASB, NJB, and NKJV translate the first as PRESENT and the next two as PAST. The time element of Hebrew VERBS must be determined by context. So, do these describe who YHWH is or what He will do?
The terms "justice" and "righteousness" are often used together to designate the appropriate reign of kings.
99:5 "Exalt the Lord our God" This is the first of two IMPERATIVES which close out the first strophe.
Notice how the full covenant title, "the Lord our God" (lit. YHWH Elohim, cf. Gen. 2:4; Exod. 20:2) is repeated three more times in Ps. 99:8a, 9a,c. YHWH is uniquely related to Abraham's descendants.
▣ "His footstool" See note at Ps. 99:1b for threefold usage. The VERB "tremble" (BDB 919) is similar to the NOUN "footstool" (BDB 919). This may be an opening and closing sound play.
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 99:6-9
6Moses and Aaron were among His priests,
And Samuel was among those who called on His name;
They called upon the Lord and He
answered them.
7He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud;
They kept His testimonies
And the statute that He gave them.
8O Lord our God, You
answered them;
You were a forgiving God to them,
And yet an avenger of their evil deeds.
9Exalt the Lord our God
And worship at His holy hill,
For holy is the Lord our God.
99:6-9 This strophe covers the period of the exodus, wilderness wanderings, conquest, and institution of the monarchy. YHWH graciously reveals Himself and His purposes with Israel's leaders (cf. Matt. 5:17-19). What a blessing; what an awesome responsibility!
99:6 "those who called on His name" This would denote an act of worship in the temple/tabernacle (cf. Joel 2:32). It becomes a key concept in the NT (cf. Acts 2:21; Rom. 10:9-13; see SPECIAL TOPIC: What Does It Mean to "Receive," "Believe," "Confess/Profess," and "Call Upon?"). In Jer. 33:3 it denotes prayer (i.e., personal relationship; see SPECIAL TOPIC: "THE NAME" OF YHWH).
Notice they called and YHWH answered (Ps. 99:8a)!
99:7 "the pillar of cloud" This refers to the special cloud ("pillar," BDB 765) representing YHWH's personal presence that led and protected the Hebrew slaves as they left Egypt and wandered in the wilderness (cf. Exod. 13:21-22; 14:19,24; 33:9,10; Deut. 1:33; Neh. 9:12,19; Ps. 78:14; 105:39).
This cloud/pillar disappeared after the Israelites crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land.
SPECIAL TOPIC: COMING ON THE CLOUDS
▣ "testimonies. . .statute" Notice the emphasis on covenant obedience. See SPECIAL TOPIC: KEEP and SPECIAL TOPIC: TERMS FOR GOD'S REVELATION.
▣ "that He gave them" This verse is about God's self-revelation (i.e., "He spoke to them". . ."He gave them") and His peoples' obedience to it (cf. Ps. 99:7b, i.e., "they kept").
The "them" of Ps. 99:7 seems to refer to Moses (cf. Exod. 33:9) and Aaron (cf. Num. 12:4-8). However, it could also refer to all of Israel (cf. Exodus 19-20).
This is one of the central issues of Christianity/Judaism! How has the one true God revealed Himself
SPECIAL TOPIC: WAYS OF REVELATION
See the four video sermons online at www.freebiblecommentary.org in the Introductory Paragraph on the home page.
99:8 "You answered them" This relates to the issue of prayer. I have three Special Topics (see below) that address this issue. "Them" follows the use of "they" in Ps. 99:6. Both refer to the priestly prayers of Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, the great intercessors of the OT (cf. Jer. 15:1).
SPECIAL TOPIC: EFFECTIVE PRAYER
SPECIAL TOPIC: INTERCESSORY PRAYER
SPECIAL TOPIC: PRAYER, UNLIMITED YET LIMITED
God's response took two forms.
These go together because obedience (cf. Ps. 99:7b) is crucial. Judgment is both punitive (i.e., Exile) and redemptive (cf. Heb. 12:5-13). The NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 155, has a great statement, "forgiveness and vengeance, lawfulness and grace, love and wrath are not contradictions in YHWH." They reflect the tension of a grace covenant with demands for human response. For a full discussion of "retribution," see NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 1140-1149.
99:9 The NJB has Ps. 99:9 as a separate strophe, and it may be because it switches to two IMPERATIVES directed to Israel.
However, notice the purposeful structure of strophe one, ending in these same IMPERATIVES (Ps. 99:5) and then strophe two, ending in the same IMPERATIVES. Remember, strophe divisions are not inspired. Often modern western people analyze this OT poetry in ways that reflect our culture and literary models, not ancient Hebrew and ANE models. This may especially be true of Ugarit models.
SPECIAL TOPIC: WISDOM LITERATURE
▣ "For holy is the Lord our God" A similar phrase closes Ps. 99:5.
There are some English versions that see the threefold repetition of this phrase (cf. Ps. 99:3,5,9) as the author's way of dividing his Psalm into three strophes (cf. NKJV, TEV); JPSOA has four (Ps. 99:1-3, 4-5, 6-8, 9).
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are
responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You,
the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.
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