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Inviting the Whole World to Worship (Psalm 96-99)

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Psalm 99 Feb. 24  1Yahweh reigns! Let the nations tremble. He sits enthroned between the cherubim: let the earth be moved. 2Yahweh is great in Zion, He is high above all the peoples. 3Let them praise Your great and awesome name: He is Holy!  4The King’s strength also loves justice; You establish equity, You execute justice and righteousness in Jacob. 5Exalt Yahweh our God, worship at His footstool. He is Holy! 6Moses and Aaron were among His priests, Samuel among those who call on His name; they called on Yahweh, and He answered them. 7He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud. They kept His testimonies, the statute that He gave them. 8You answered them, Yahweh our God; You are a God who forgave them, although You took vengeance for their doings. 9Exalt Yahweh our God. Worship at His holy hill, for Yahweh, our God, is holy!   

Commentary


99:4 You execute justice and righteousness- This is the language of judgment, whereby a judge ‘establishes’ principles. The fact God is enthroned means that He is our constant judge and we are always living our lives before His ongoing judgment. His throne is a throne of judgment, so whenever man is before God- which is always- He is our insistent judge, right now.
99:7 They kept His testimonies- This is in the context of the time when Israel were in the wilderness and God spoke to them in the cloud. They didn’t keep His law then, as the prophets and historical record make clear. The Psalmist is reflecting how God imputed righteousness to His people at this time (Num. 23:21), just as He does for us who cross the Red Sea of baptism (1 Cor. 10:1,2).