Psalms 99:3-9

3 Let them praise your great and fearsome name (he is holy):

4 "Mighty king who loves justice, you established fairness, justice and righteousness in Ya'akov."

5 Exalt ADONAI our God! Prostrate yourselves at his footstool (he is holy).

6 Moshe and Aharon among his cohanim and Sh'mu'el among those who call on his name called on ADONAI, and he answered them.

7 He spoke to them in the column of cloud; they kept his instructions and the law that he gave them.

8 ADONAI our God, you answered them. To them you were a forgiving God, although you took vengeance on their wrongdoings.

9 Exalt ADONAI our God, bow down toward his holy mountain, for ADONAI our God is holy!

Psalms 99:3-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 99

This psalm, with the foregoing from Ps 90:1 is ascribed to Moses by Jarchi and others; but cannot be his, since mention is made of Samuel in it, who lived many years after him. The Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, more rightly attribute it to David; the inscription of the Syriac version, after saying it is David's, subjoins,

``concerning the destruction of the Midianites, whom Moses and the people of Israel led captive;''

of which there is not the least mention in it; but it more truly adds,

``and a prophecy concerning the glory of the kingdom of the Messiah;''

as it undoubtedly is.