King James Version
Psalms 99
9 verses with commentary
The Lord Our God Is Holy
The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved. be moved: Heb. stagger
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KJV Study Commentary
The declaration 'The LORD reigneth' (Yahweh malak) opens this third consecutive enthronement psalm, emphasizing God's kingship as central to worship. The call for people to 'tremble' (ragaz) indicates appropriate fear before the holy King. God 'sitteth between the cherubims' refers to the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies, where God's presence dwelled above the ark. This position demonstrates both ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(1) **The Lord reigneth.**—See Note, Psalm 93:1.
**Tremble.**—LXX. and Vulg., “be angry.” The optative in this and the following clause is after the LXX.; but the Hebrew is in the ordinary present, *the peoples tremble, the earth staggers.*
**He sitteth.**—In original a participle.
**Between the cherubims . . .**—See Notes on Psalm 80:1.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**32-36. To Him who is presented as riding in triumph through His ancient heavens and proclaiming His presence--**to Him who, in nature, and still more in the wonders of His spiritual government, out of His holy place (Psa 43:3), is terrible, who rules His Church, and, by His Church, rules the world in righteousness--let all nations and kingdoms give honor and power and dominion evermore.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 99
Chapter Outline
The happy government God's people are under.(1-5)
Its happy administration.(6-9)
**Verses 1-5**
God governs the world by his providence, governs the church by his grace, and both by his Son. The inhabitants of the earth have cause to tremble, but the Redeemer still waits to be gracious. Let all who hear, take warning, and seek his mercy. The more we hum...
Read full commentary →The LORD is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people.
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KJV Study Commentary
Zion as the location where 'the LORD is great' establishes Jerusalem as the center of God's self-revelation in the Old Covenant. God being 'high above all the people' (ram—exalted) emphasizes His supremacy over all nations, not just Israel. This verse presents both the localized presence of God in the temple and His universal sovereignty over all peoples. The greatness of God in Zion would ultimat...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**32-36. To Him who is presented as riding in triumph through His ancient heavens and proclaiming His presence--**to Him who, in nature, and still more in the wonders of His spiritual government, out of His holy place (Psa 43:3), is terrible, who rules His Church, and, by His Church, rules the world in righteousness--let all nations and kingdoms give honor and power and dominion evermore.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 99
Chapter Outline
The happy government God's people are under.(1-5)
Its happy administration.(6-9)
**Verses 1-5**
God governs the world by his providence, governs the church by his grace, and both by his Son. The inhabitants of the earth have cause to tremble, but the Redeemer still waits to be gracious. Let all who hear, take warning, and seek his mercy. The more we hum...
Read full commentary →Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.
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KJV Study Commentary
The call to praise God's 'great and terrible name' (gadol ve-nora) holds in tension His magnificent greatness and His fearsome holiness. 'It is holy' (kadosh hu) uses the same word repeated three times in Isaiah 6:3 ('Holy, holy, holy'), emphasizing God's complete otherness and moral perfection. God's name represents His revealed character, which demands worship. This holiness isn't merely separat...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(3) **Great and terrible name.**—The rabbins see here the mystic tetragrammaton, whose pronunciation was kept so secret.
**For it is** **holy.**—This is grammatically possible, but as Psalm 99:5; Psalm 99:9 repeat the expression, evidently as a refrain, and there it needs the masculine, it is better to read here, “Holy is He.”
In this way, too, we avoid an awkward construction in the next verse, w...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**32-36. To Him who is presented as riding in triumph through His ancient heavens and proclaiming His presence--**to Him who, in nature, and still more in the wonders of His spiritual government, out of His holy place (Psa 43:3), is terrible, who rules His Church, and, by His Church, rules the world in righteousness--let all nations and kingdoms give honor and power and dominion evermore.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 99
Chapter Outline
The happy government God's people are under.(1-5)
Its happy administration.(6-9)
**Verses 1-5**
God governs the world by his providence, governs the church by his grace, and both by his Son. The inhabitants of the earth have cause to tremble, but the Redeemer still waits to be gracious. Let all who hear, take warning, and seek his mercy. The more we hum...
Read full commentary →The king's strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.
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KJV Study Commentary
The declaration that 'the king's strength also loveth judgment' presents God's power as being devoted to justice (mishpat). Unlike earthly tyrants who use power for oppression, God's strength serves righteousness. The phrase 'thou dost establish equity' (meysharim—uprightness, fairness) shows God actively creating just order. Executing 'judgment and righteousness in Jacob' demonstrates God's invol...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 99
Chapter Outline
The happy government God's people are under.(1-5)
Its happy administration.(6-9)
**Verses 1-5**
God governs the world by his providence, governs the church by his grace, and both by his Son. The inhabitants of the earth have cause to tremble, but the Redeemer still waits to be gracious. Let all who hear, take warning, and seek his mercy. The more we hum...
Read full commentary →Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool ; for he is holy. he is: or, it is holy
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KJV Study Commentary
The command to 'exalt the LORD our God' (romemu Yahweh Elohenu) uses covenant language ('our God'), inviting personal relationship with the transcendent King. Worshiping 'at his footstool' refers to the ark of the covenant or the temple, God's earthly dwelling place. The repetition 'for he is holy' (kadosh hu) reinforces the theme of God's holiness as the reason for worship. Bowing at His footstoo...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(5) **Worship at his footstool.**—*Prostrate your. selves at His footstool. *The earth is called the “footstool” of God (Isaiah 66:1; comp. Matthew 5:35); in other places the expression is used of the sanctuary (Psalm 132:7; comp. Isaiah 60:13; Lamentations 2:1). In 1Chronicles 28:2 it seems to refer to the ark. No doubt here, after mentioning the throne above the cherubims, we must think of the g...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
PSALM 69 Psa 69:1-36. Upon Shoshannim--(See on Psa 45:1, title). Mingling the language of prayer and complaint, the sufferer, whose condition is here set forth, pleads for God's help as one suffering in His cause, implores the divine retribution on his malicious enemies, and, viewing his deliverance as sure, promises praise by himself, and others, to whom God will extend like blessings. This Psalm...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 99
Chapter Outline
The happy government God's people are under.(1-5)
Its happy administration.(6-9)
**Verses 1-5**
God governs the world by his providence, governs the church by his grace, and both by his Son. The inhabitants of the earth have cause to tremble, but the Redeemer still waits to be gracious. Let all who hear, take warning, and seek his mercy. The more we hum...
Read full commentary →Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
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KJV Study Commentary
Moses, Aaron, and Samuel exemplify leaders who 'called upon' God and received answers, demonstrating that God responds to His servants. These three represent different offices—prophet (Moses), priest (Aaron), and prophet-judge (Samuel)—showing that God hears various types of leaders. The phrase 'he answered them' (ya'anem) emphasizes God's responsiveness to prayer. This verse establishes the princ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(6) **Moses.**—Better, *a Moses and an Aaron among his friends, and a Samuel among them that call upon his name; calling upon the Lord, and he answers them; in the pillar of cloud he speaks unto them. *The poet is enhancing the sacred character of the services of his own day by likening the priests and ministers to the sacred heroes of the past, as we might distinguish a period of great scientific...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
PSALM 69 Psa 69:1-36. Upon Shoshannim--(See on Psa 45:1, title). Mingling the language of prayer and complaint, the sufferer, whose condition is here set forth, pleads for God's help as one suffering in His cause, implores the divine retribution on his malicious enemies, and, viewing his deliverance as sure, promises praise by himself, and others, to whom God will extend like blessings. This Psalm...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 6-9**
The happiness of Israel is made out by referring to the most useful governors of that people. They in every thing made God's word and law their rule, knowing that they could not else expect that their prayers should be answered. They all wonderfully prevailed with God in prayer; miracles were wrought at their request. They pleaded for the people, and obtained answers of peace. O...
Read full commentary →He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.
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KJV Study Commentary
God speaking 'in the cloudy pillar' recalls the wilderness wanderings when God's presence led Israel. The cloud represents both God's presence and His mystery—He reveals Himself while remaining partially veiled. 'They kept his testimonies' (shamru) indicates obedience as the proper response to revelation. The ordinance (choq—decree, statute) God gave represents the Torah. This verse establishes th...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
3. (Compare Psa 6:6).
**mine eyes fail--**in watching (Psa 119:82).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 6-9**
The happiness of Israel is made out by referring to the most useful governors of that people. They in every thing made God's word and law their rule, knowing that they could not else expect that their prayers should be answered. They all wonderfully prevailed with God in prayer; miracles were wrought at their request. They pleaded for the people, and obtained answers of peace. O...
Read full commentary →Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.
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KJV Study Commentary
God being described as 'thou answeredst them' (anitam) while also being 'a God that forgavest them' (El nose) reveals the paradox of grace and judgment. The phrase 'though thou tookest vengeance' (noqem) on their 'inventions' (alilot—deeds, practices) shows that God disciplines His people while maintaining covenant relationship. This verse encapsulates the balance between mercy and justice—God for...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(8) **Thou tookest vengeance of their inventions **(or, *works*)*.*—This does not refer to the personages just mentioned but to the people at large. The train of thought is as follows:—“There are great saints among us, as in olden time, but, as then, their prayers, while often procuring forgiveness, could not altogether avert punishment for sin; so the present community must expect retribution whe...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**4. hate me, &c.--**(Compare Joh 15:25). On the number and power of his enemies (compare Psa 40:12).
**then I restored ... away--**that is, he suffered wrongfully under the imputation of robbery.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 6-9**
The happiness of Israel is made out by referring to the most useful governors of that people. They in every thing made God's word and law their rule, knowing that they could not else expect that their prayers should be answered. They all wonderfully prevailed with God in prayer; miracles were wrought at their request. They pleaded for the people, and obtained answers of peace. O...
Read full commentary →Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.
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KJV Study Commentary
The command to 'exalt the LORD our God' repeats verse 5, creating an inclusio that frames the psalm in worship. Worshiping 'at his holy hill' (har qodsho) refers to Mount Zion where the temple stood, emphasizing both the localized presence and the universal supremacy of God. The final declaration 'for the LORD our God is holy' (kadosh Yahweh Elohenu) climactically emphasizes God's holiness as the ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
5. This may be regarded as an appeal, vindicating his innocence, as if he had said, "If sinful, thou knowest," &c. Though David's condition as a sufferer may typify Christ's, without requiring that a parallel be found in character.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 6-9**
The happiness of Israel is made out by referring to the most useful governors of that people. They in every thing made God's word and law their rule, knowing that they could not else expect that their prayers should be answered. They all wonderfully prevailed with God in prayer; miracles were wrought at their request. They pleaded for the people, and obtained answers of peace. O...
Read full commentary →