Psalm 99:1

Verse 1. Let the people tremble. He bids a defiance, as it were, to all his enemies, orgizesqwsan, irascantur, commoveantur, fremant populi; let the people be angry, fret, and be unquiet, as Psalms 2:1 . Let the earth, that is, the tyrants of the earth, be moved at it; yet let them know that all their endeavours are but vain. William Nicholson.

Verse 1. Let the people tremble. Jarchi refers this to the war of Gog and Magog. John Gill.

Verse 1. Let the people tremble. Albeit the church be compassed about with enemies, as the lily among the thorns, yet because her Lord reigneth in the midst of her, she hath reason not only to comfort herself in him, but also hath ground of defying her enemies, and boasting against them: "The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble." The Lord's people do not worship an unknown God, they know who he is, and where to find him; to wit, in his ordinances, on the throne of grace, reconciling himself to the world in Christ: He sitteth between the cherubims. David Dickson.

Verse 1. The cherubims. These were figures, or representations of angels, inclining their faces one towards the other, and touching one another with their wings. Exodus 25:18 . The use of these was to cover or overshadow the mercyseat with their wings, Ex 25:20, and from this seat God used to speak unto Moses, Exodus 25:22 ; Numbers 7:8-9 . Which may be applied unto Christ, whose mediation was signified by the mercyseat; whence it is said, that he is a propitiation or covering mercyseat, Romans 3:25 1 John 2:2 4:10, because by his obedience all our unrighteousness is covered. Thomas Wilson (-1621), in "A Complete Christian Dictionary," 1678.

Verse 1. He sitteth between the cherubims. Our friend Mr. Charles Stanford, in his delicious work, "Symbols of Christ," has beautifully brought out the connection between Matthew 23:37 and Matthew 23:38 . The house was left desolate because Christ, who was set forth by the symbol of shelter, was rejected by them, and was not permitted to cover them with his wings. It was customary for the Jews to say of a proselyte, "He has taken refuge under the wings of the Shekinah." We now see that to take shelter under the wings of the Shekinah is to hide beneath the wings of Christ. Beneath that living shield which beats back the destroying stroke, and is broad enough to canopy a fugitive world, we take shelter, and there the promise is fulfilled, "He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust."

Verse 1. He sitteth between the cherubims. The cherubim is the seat of God, as the scripture sheweth us, a certain exalted heavenly throne, which we see not; but the word of God knoweth it, knoweth it as his own seat: and the word of God and the Spirit of God hath itself revealed to the servants of God where God sitteth. Not that God doth sit, as doth man, but thou, if thou dost wish that God sit in thee, if thou wilt be good, shalt be the seat of God; for thus is it written, "The soul of the righteous is the seat of wisdom" Septuagint translation]. For a throne is in our language called a seat. For some, conversant with the Hebrew tongue, have interpreted cherubim in the Latin language (for it is a Hebrew term) by the words fulness of knowledge. Therefore, because God surpasses all knowledge, he is said to sit above the fulness of knowledge. Let there be therefore in thee fulness of knowledge, and even thou shalt be the throne of God. Augustine.

Verse 1. Let the earth be moved. Those that submit to him shall be established, and not "moved," Psalms 96:10 ; but they that oppose him will be moved. Heaven and earth shall be shaken, and all nations; but the kingdom of Christ cannot be moved. The "things which cannot be shaken shall remain," Hebrews 12:27 . Matthew Henry.

HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS

Verse 1.

fear and obey the King before whom angels bow. Men should be moved to seek the mercy which angels study. William Durban.

Verse 1. He sitteth between the cherubims, etc.