Embrace the Word for Wednesday, August 5, 2026

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Psalm 99 declares the reign of God. Psalm 99 is the third Psalm in Book 4 of the Psalter that begins by declaring the LORD’s rule (the other two are found in Psalm 93:1 and Psalm 97:1; a fourth, Psalm 96, doesn’t begin with this declaration, but includes it in verse 10). The succession of Psalms in Book 4 of the Psalter offer hope to the exiled Israelites awaiting release from their captivity in Babylon. After Psalm 92, which highlighted the LORD’s commitment to raise up a Davidic king once again, there has been a strong shift that highlights the Kingship of the LORD. Long before there was a Davidic dynasty, the LORD reigned over all of His creation. This emphasis upon the Divine nature of the rule of God suggests that the ultimate fulfillment of a Davidic King will entail a Divine king who is not only a son of David (See Psalm 72), but also a Son of God (See Psalm 2:7). Psalm 99 adds further emphasis to the string of Psalms that highlight Divine Kingship. Psalm 99 shares many common words with Psalm 98, but it shares much more in common with Psalm 93 and Psalm 97. Psalm 99 is divided into three units (99:1-3, 4-5, 6-9) each unit ending with a refrain stating the holiness of the LORD (99:3,5,9).

Psalm 99 opens with the declaration, “The LORD reigns” (99:1a), but adds a parallel statement, “He sits enthroned upon the cherubim” (99:1b). The LORD’s reign is described as existing from His throne in the Holy of Holies, which was the chamber of the Tabernacle and later the Temple in which the Ark of the Covenant resided. The lid to the Ark was called the Mercy Seat (See Exodus 25:17-22) and it was overshadowed with two winged angels. Later, the Psalmist will call for the LORD to be worshipped at His footstool (99:5), which is also a reference to the Ark of the Covenant (See 1 Chronicles 28:2). While no manmade Temple could actually contain the One True God, He was pleased to manifest His presence through such (See 1 Kings 8:27-30). Angelic beings called Cherubim are not at all cute and cuddly, but fierce creatures, who with flaming swords, guarded the entrance to the Garden (See Genesis 3:24). The fitting response to such a scene is spelled out here: “let the peoples tremble!…let the earth quake!” (99:1). The reign of God is fearsome before all peoples and throughout all of creation.

The Psalmist expands further on the LORD’s reign: “The LORD is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples” (99:2). That the LORD chose to manifest His presence through the Ark of the Covenant in Jerusalem should not be construed to mean that the LORD was a local or regional deity. The LORD’s greatness stretches out over all the earth, for the LORD’s reign extends to all peoples everywhere. Therefore, all the peoples throughout all the earth are summoned to give the LORD His due praise: “Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he!” (98:3). Where God is praised, God’s reign is properly experienced. While God does in fact reign over everyone, everywhere, it is the experience of God’s reign that is highlighted in this Psalm. Thus, there is a forward orientation to this Psalm, for there will come a day when everyone, everywhere will acknowledge the greatness of the LORD (See Philippians 2:9-11). Such a confession is owed to the LORD because He is holy. Holy literally means set apart. God’s holiness expresses both His moral perfection, but also His absolute distinctiveness from humanity. The LORD is pure and “other.” Thus, essential to worshipping the LORD is asserting His holiness.

The great and fearsome God is good: “The King in his might loves justice. You have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob” (99:4). The LORD, unlike most all other kings, loves justice. The LORD has a special affection for and a decisive commitment to doing what is just. The LORD is upright or righteous in His being and just or fair in all of His doings. The LORD has established a moral order in His universe and He rules in accordance with that moral order. He can be counted on to be the same today as he was yesterday, and the same tomorrow as He is today. He will not be fair one day and unfair the next. He will not be honest one day and lie the next. In fact, He is incapable of being anything other than just and fair. Thus, He is incapable of doing anything other than what turns out to be just and fair. Therefore, to oppose the God whose reign is just, is to operate unjustly, or perhaps more precise, wickedly. The fitting response to the LORD who loves justice is to fittingly worship Him: “Exalt the LORD our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!” (99:5). The term “worship” literally means to bow before, which is the appropriate term for the call to “exalt” the LORD. The LORD is exalted as those who worship Him humble themselves. And while bowed down, worship consists of acknowledging the holiness of the LORD.

The LORD who reigns is a King who loves justice. Such a King is to be worshipped. But the LORD is also to be worshipped for His mercy. The LORD implemented priests who would serve as mediators who would offer sacrifices and make intercession: “Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon his name. They called to the LORD, and he answered them” (99:6). What is implied in these verses is that while the LORD is holy, His people are not. Thus, as outlined in Books like Leviticus, the LORD instituted a sacrificial system to provide forgiveness and restoration for unjust covenant breakers. The LORD who has put forth priests to act as mediators on behalf of sinful people, is responsive to requests for mercy and pleas for grace. Looking back to Mt Sinai, the LORD gave His Law: “In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them; they kept his testimonies and the statute that he gave them” (99:7). But how will a sinful people live before a Holy God who had revealed His Holy Law? The answer: “O LORD our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings” (99:8). The answer is that the LORD is both just and forgiving and an avenger of wrongdoing as Moses was shown when the LORD said that He is a God who is: “forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty” (See Exodus 34:7). The holy Law of God made provision for forgiveness through mediators who would offer substitutionary sacrifices for sin. The fitting response to a justice-loving, reigning King who makes provision for forgiveness is worship: “Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the LORD our God is holy!” (99:9). A holy, justice-loving, reigning King must be worshipped as holy. A holy, justice-loving, reigning King, who offers forgiveness can be truly worshipped as holy. In fact, all who submit to His holy, justice-loving reign through faith and repentance, will receive His forgiveness through the sacrifice of another.

As we reflect on Psalm 99, we can consider not only the reign of the Lord Jesus Christ, but also His priestly intercession for His people. Psalm 99 states: “Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon his name. They called to the LORD, and he answered them” (99:6). Moses, Aaron, and Samuel were faithful intercessors whom the LORD heard. But they were not perfect men. Not to take anything away from these men, but Someone greater than them was needed to fully represent sinners before a Holy God. Notice what the writer of Hebrew says when he compared Moses and Jesus: “Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son” (See Hebrews 3:5). Jesus’ intercessory work is better than Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, for He is a perfect and eternal intercessor whose prayers on behalf of His people will be answered completely: “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one” (See John 17:9-11). Even now, Jesus lives to make intercession for His people (See Hebrews 7:25). All of Christ’s people are spared eternal condemnation, as Christ is ever interceding for us (See Romans 8:34). And our response to these realities must be: “Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the LORD our God is holy!” (99:9).

That’s all for Embrace the Word for Wednesday, August 5, 2026. I look forward to being back with you for the Friday, August 7, 2026 episode of Embrace the Word as we take a look at Psalm 100.