1 The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.
2 The LORD is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people.
3 Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.
4 The king's strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.
5 Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.
6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
7 He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.
8 Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.
9 Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.
1 The LORD H3068 reigneth; H4427 let the people H5971 tremble: H7264 he sitteth H3427 between the cherubims; H3742 let the earth H776 be moved. H5120
2 The LORD H3068 is great H1419 in Zion; H6726 and he is high H7311 above all the people. H5971
3 Let them praise H3034 thy great H1419 and terrible H3372 name; H8034 for it is holy. H6918
4 The king's H4428 strength H5797 also loveth H157 judgment; H4941 thou dost establish H3559 equity, H4339 thou executest H6213 judgment H4941 and righteousness H6666 in Jacob. H3290
5 Exalt H7311 ye the LORD H3068 our God, H430 and worship H7812 at his footstool; H7272 H1916 for he is holy. H6918
6 Moses H4872 and Aaron H175 among his priests, H3548 and Samuel H8050 among them that call H7121 upon his name; H8034 they called H7121 upon the LORD, H3068 and he answered H6030 them.
7 He spake H1696 unto them in the cloudy H6051 pillar: H5982 they kept H8104 his testimonies, H5713 and the ordinance H2706 that he gave H5414 them.
8 Thou answeredst H6030 them, O LORD H3068 our God: H430 thou wast a God H410 that forgavest H5375 them, though thou tookest vengeance H5358 of their inventions. H5949
9 Exalt H7311 the LORD H3068 our God, H430 and worship H7812 at his holy H6944 hill; H2022 for the LORD H3068 our God H430 is holy. H6918
1 Jehovah reigneth; let the peoples tremble: He sitteth `above' the cherubim; let the earth be moved.
2 Jehovah is great in Zion; And he is high above all the peoples.
3 Let them praise thy great and terrible name: Holy is he.
4 The king's strength also loveth justice; Thou dost establish equity; Thou executest justice and righteousness in Jacob.
5 Exalt ye Jehovah our God, And worship at his footstool: Holy is he.
6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, And Samuel among them that call upon his name; They called upon Jehovah, and he answered them.
7 He spake unto them in the pillar of cloud: They kept his testimonies, And the statute that he gave them.
8 Thou answeredst them, O Jehovah our God: Thou wast a God that forgavest them, Though thou tookest vengeance of their doings.
9 Exalt ye Jehovah our God, And worship at his holy hill; For Jehovah our God is holy. Psalm 100 A Psalm of thanksgiving.
1 Jehovah hath reigned, peoples tremble, The Inhabitant of the cherubs, the earth shaketh.
2 Jehovah in Zion `is' great, And high He `is' over all the peoples.
3 They praise Thy name, `Great, and fearful, holy `it' is.'
4 And the strength of the king Hath loved judgment, Thou -- Thou hast established uprightness; Judgment and righteousness in Jacob, Thou -- Thou hast done.
5 Exalt ye Jehovah our God, And bow yourselves at His footstool, holy `is' He.
6 Moses and Aaron among His priests, And Samuel among those proclaiming His name. They are calling unto Jehovah, And He doth answer them.
7 In a pillar of cloud He speaketh unto them, They have kept His testimonies, And the statute He hath given to them.
8 O Jehovah, our God, Thou hast afflicted them, A God forgiving Thou hast been to them, And taking vengeance on their actions.
9 Exalt ye Jehovah our God, And bow yourselves at His holy hill, For holy `is' Jehovah our God!
1 Jehovah reigneth: let the peoples tremble. He sitteth [between the] cherubim: let the earth be moved.
2 Jehovah is great in Zion, and he is high above all the peoples.
3 They shall praise thy great and terrible name, -- it is holy! --
4 And the strength of the king that loveth justice. *Thou* hast established equity: it is thou that executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.
5 Exalt Jehovah our God, and worship at his footstool. He is holy!
6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name: they called unto Jehovah, and *he* answered them.
7 He spoke unto them in the pillar of cloud: they kept his testimonies, and the statute that he gave them.
8 Jehovah, our God, *thou* answeredst them: a forgiving ùGod wast thou unto them, though thou tookest vengeance of their doings.
9 Exalt Jehovah our God, and worship at the hill of his holiness; for holy is Jehovah our God.
1 Yahweh reigns! Let the peoples tremble. He sits enthroned among the cherubim. Let the earth be moved.
2 Yahweh is great in Zion. He is high above all the peoples.
3 Let them praise your great and awesome name. He is Holy!
4 The King's strength also loves justice. You do establish equity. You execute justice and righteousness in Jacob.
5 Exalt Yahweh our God. Worship at his footstool. He is Holy!
6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel among those who call on his name; They called on Yahweh, and he answered them.
7 He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud. They kept his testimonies, The statute that he gave them.
8 You answered them, Yahweh our God. You are a God who forgave them, Although you took vengeance for their doings.
9 Exalt Yahweh, our God. Worship at his holy hill, For Yahweh, our God, is holy!
1 The Lord is King; let the peoples be in fear: his seat is on the winged ones; let the earth be moved.
2 The Lord is great in Zion; he is high over all the nations.
3 Let them give praise to your name, for it is great and to be feared; holy is he.
4 The king's power is used for righteousness; you give true decisions, judging rightly in the land of Jacob.
5 Give high honour to the Lord our God, worshipping at his feet; holy is he.
6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those who gave honour to his name; they made prayers to the Lord, and he gave answers to them.
7 His voice came to them from the pillar of cloud; they kept his witness, and the law which he gave them.
8 You gave them an answer, O Lord our God; you took away their sin, though you gave them punishment for their wrongdoing.
9 Give high honour to the Lord our God, worshipping with your faces turned to his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 99
Commentary on Psalms 99 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
Song of Praise in Honour of the Thrice Holy One
This is the third of the Psalms (Psalms 93:1-5, Psalms 97:1-12, Psalms 99:1-9) which begin with the watchword מלך ה . It falls into three parts, of which the first (Psalms 99:1-3) closes with קדושׁ הוּא , the second (Psalms 99:4, Psalms 99:5) with קדושׁ הוּא , and the third, more full-toned, with אלחנוּ קדושׁ ה - an earthly echo of the trisagion of the seraphim. The first two Sanctuses are two hexastichs; and two hexastichs form the third, according to the very same law by which the third and the sixth days of creation each consists of two creative works. This artistic form bears witness against Olshausen in favour of the integrity of the text; but the clare-obscure of the language and expression makes no small demands upon the reader.
Bengel has seen deepest into the internal character of this Psalm. He says, “The 99th Psalm has three parts, in which the Lord is celebrated as He who is to come, as He who is, and as He who was, and each part is closed with the ascription of praise: He is holy.” The Psalm is laid out accordingly by Oettinger, Burk, and C. H. Rieger.
The three futures express facts of the time to come, which are the inevitable result of Jahve's kingly dominion bearing sway from heaven, and here below from Zion, over the world; they therefore declare what must and will happen. The participle insidens cherubis (Psalms 80:2, cf. Psalms 18:11) is a definition of the manner (Olshausen): He reigns, sitting enthroned above the cherubim. נוּט , like Arab. nwd , is a further formation of the root na , nu, to bend, nod. What is meant is not a trembling that is the absolute opposite of joy, but a trembling that leads on to salvation. The Breviarium in Psalterium , which bears the name of Jerome, observes: Terra quamdiu immota fuerit, sanari non potest; quando vero mota fuerit et intremuerit, tunc recipiet sanitatem . In Psalms 99:3 declaration passes over into invocation. One can feel how the hope that the “great and fearful Name” (Deuteronomy 10:17) will be universally acknowledged, and therefore that the religion of Israel will become the religion of the world, moves and elates the poet. The fact that the expression notwithstanding is not קדושׁ אתּה , but קדושׁ הוּא , is explained from the close connection with the seraphic trisagion in Isaiah 6:3. הוּא refers to Jahve; He and His Name are notions that easily glide over into one another.
The second Sanctus celebrates Jahve with respect to His continuous righteous rule in Israel. The majority of expositors construe it: “And (they shall praise) the might of the king, who loves right;” but this joining of the clause on to יודוּ over the refrain that stands in the way is hazardous. Neither can ועז מלך משׁפּט אהב , however, be an independent clause, since אהב cannot be said of עז , but only of its possessor. And the dividing of the verse at אהב , adopted by the lxx, will therefore not hold good. משפט אהב is an attributive clause to מלך in the same position as in Psalms 11:7; and עז , with what appertains to it, is the object to כּוננתּ placed first, which has the king's throne as its object elsewhere (Psalms 9:8, 2 Samuel 7:13; 1 Chronicles 17:12), just as it here has the might of the king, which, however, here at the same time in מישׁרים takes another and permutative object (cf. the permutative subject in Psalms 72:17), as Hitzig observes; or rather, since מישׁרים is most generally used as an adverbial notion, this מישׁרים (Psalms 58:2; Psalms 75:3; Psalms 9:9, and frequently), usually as a definition of the mode of the judging and reigning, is subordinated: and the might of a king who loves the right, i.e., of one who governs not according to dynastic caprice but moral precepts, hast Thou established in spirit and aim (directed to righteousness and equity). What is meant is the theocratic kingship, and Psalms 11:4 says what Jahve has constantly accomplished by means of this kingship: He has thus maintained right and righteousness (cf. e.g., 2 Samuel 8:15; 1 Chronicles 18:14; 1 Kings 10:9; Isaiah 16:5) among His people. Out of this manifestation of God's righteousness, which is more conspicuous, and can be better estimated, within the nation of the history of redemption than elsewhere, grows the call to highly exalt Jahve the God of Israel, and to bow one's self very low at His footstool. להדם רגליו , as in Psalms 132:7, is not a statement of the object (for Isaiah 45:14 is of another kind), but (like אל in other instances) of the place in which, or of the direction (cf. Psalms 7:14) in which the προσκύνησις is to take place. The temple is called Jahve's footstool (1 Chronicles 28:2, cf. Lamentations 2:1; Isaiah 60:13) with reference to the ark, the capporeth of which corresponds to the transparent sapphire (Exodus 24:10) and to the crystal-like firmament of the mercaba (Ezekiel 1:22, cf. 1 Chronicles 28:18).
The vision of the third Sanctus looks into the history of the olden time prior to the kings. In support of the statement that Jahve is a living God, and a God who proves Himself in mercy and in judgment, the poet appeals to three heroes of the olden time, and the events recorded of them. The expression certainly sounds as though it had reference to something belonging to the present time; and Hitzig therefore believes that it must be explained of the three as heavenly intercessors, after the manner of Onias and Jeremiah in the vision 2 Macc. 15:12-14. But apart from this presupposing an active manifestation of life on the part of those who have fallen happily asleep, which is at variance with the ideas of the latest as well as of the earliest Psalms concerning the other world, this interpretation founders upon Psalms 99:7 , according to which a celestial discourse of God with the three “in the pillar of cloud” ought also to be supposed. The substantival clauses Psalms 99:6 bear sufficient evident in themselves of being a retrospect, by which the futures that follow are stamped as being the expression of the contemporaneous past. The distribution of the predicates to the three is well conceived. Moses was also a mighty man in prayer, for with his hands uplifted for prayer he obtained the victory for his people over Amalek (Exodus 17:11.), and on another occasion placed himself in the breach, and rescued them from the wrath of God and from destruction (Psalms 106:23; Exodus 32:30-32; cf. also Numbers 12:13); and Samuel, it is true, is only a Levite by descent, but by office in a time of urgent need a priest ( cohen ), for he sacrifices independently in places where, by reason of the absence of the holy tabernacle with the ark of the covenant, it was not lawful, according to the letter of the law, to offer sacrifices, he builds an altar in Ramah, his residence as judge, and has, in connection with the divine services on the high place ( Bama ) there, a more than high-priestly position, inasmuch as the people do not begin the sacrificial repasts before he has blessed the sacrifice (1 Samuel 9:13). But the character of a mighty man in prayer is outweighed in the case of Moses by the character of the priest; for he is, so to speak, the proto- priest of Israel, inasmuch as he twice performed priestly acts which laid as it were a foundation for all times to come, viz., the sprinkling of the blood at the ratification of the covenant under Sinai (Ex. 24), and the whole ritual which was a model for the consecrated priesthood, at the consecration of the priests (Lev. 8). It was he, too, who performed the service in the sanctuary prior to the consecration of the priests: he set the shew-bread in order, prepared the candlestick, and burnt incense upon the golden altar (Exodus 40:22-27). In the case of Samuel, on the other hand, the character of the mediator in the religious services is outweighed by that of the man mighty in prayer: by prayer he obtained Israel the victory of Ebenezer over the Philistines (1 Samuel 7:8.), and confirmed his words of warning with the miraculous sign, that at his calling upon God it would thunder and rain in the midst of a cloudless season (1 Samuel 12:16, cf. Sir. 46:16f.).
The poet designedly says: Moses and Aaron were among His priests, and Samuel among His praying ones. This third twelve-line strophe holds good, not only of the three in particular, but of the twelve-tribe nation of priests and praying ones to which they belong. For Psalms 99:7 cannot be meant of the three, since, with the exception of a single instance (Numbers 12:5), it is always Moses only, not Aaron, much less Samuel, with whom God negotiates in such a manner. אליהם refers to the whole people, which is proved by their interest in the divine revelation given by the hand of Moses out of the cloudy pillar (Exodus 33:7.). Nor can Psalms 99:6 therefore be understood of the three exclusively, since there is nothing to indicate the transition from them to the people: crying ( קראים , syncopated like חטאים , 1 Samuel 24:11) to Jahve, i.e., as often as they (these priests and praying ones, to whom a Moses, Aaron, and Samuel belong) cried unto Jahve, He answered them-He revealed Himself to this people who had such leaders ( choragi ), in the cloudy pillar, to those who kept His testimonies and the law which He gave them. A glance at Psalms 99:8 shows that in Israel itself the good and the bad, good and evil, are distinguished. God answered those who could pray to Him with a claim to be answered. Psalms 99:7 , is, virtually at least, a relative clause, declaring the prerequisite of a prayer that may be granted. In Psalms 99:8 is added the thought that the history of Israel, in the time of its redemption out of Egypt, is not less a mirror of the righteousness of God than of the pardoning grace of God. If Psalms 99:7-8 are referred entirely to the three, then עלילות and נקם , referred to their sins of infirmity, appear to be too strong expressions. But to take the suffix of עלילותם objectively ( ea quae in eos sunt moliti Core et socii ejus ), with Symmachus ( καὶ ἔκδικος ἐπὶ ταῖς ἐπηρείναις αὐτῶν ) and Kimchi, as the ulciscens in omnes adinventiones eorum of the Vulgate is interpreted,
(Note: Vid., Raemdonck in his David propheta cet. 1800: in omnes injurias ipsis illatas, uti patuit in Core cet .)
is to do violence to it. The reference to the people explains it all without any constraint, and even the flight of prayer that comes in here (cf. Micah 7:18). The calling to mind of the generation of the desert, which fell short of the promise, is an earnest admonition for the generation of the present time. The God of Israel is holy in love and in wrath, as He Himself unfolds His Name in Exodus 34:6-7. Hence the poet calls upon his fellow-countrymen to exalt this God, whom they may with pride call their own, i.e., to acknowledge and confess His majesty, and to fall down and worship at ( ל cf. אל , Psalms 5:8) the mountain of His holiness, the place of His choice and of His presence.