Psalms 99:3-9

3 Let them praise your great and awesome name— he is holy.

4 The King is mighty, he loves justice— you have established equity; in Jacob you have done what is just and right.

5 Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy.

6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel was among those who called on his name; they called on the LORD and he answered them.

7 He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them.

8 LORD our God, you answered them; you were to Israel a forgiving God, though you punished their misdeeds.^[a]

9 Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the LORD 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.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 30:4; Psalms 33:21; Psalms 97:12; Psalms 103:1; Psalms 106:47; Psalms 111:9; Psalms 145:21; Psalms 148:5
• 2. Psalms 76:1
• 3. S Exodus 15:11; S Leviticus 11:44; Revelation 4:8
• 4. Psalms 2:6
• 5. S 1 Kings 10:9; Psalms 11:7
• 6. Psalms 98:9
• 7. S Genesis 18:19; Revelation 15:3
• 8. S Exodus 15:2; Psalms 132:7
• 9. S Exodus 24:6
• 10. S Exodus 28:1
• 11. 1 Samuel 7:5; Jeremiah 15:1
• 12. Psalms 4:3; Psalms 91:15; 1 Samuel 7:9
• 13. S Exodus 13:21; S Exodus 19:9; S Numbers 11:25; Exodus 33:9
• 14. S Exodus 22:27; S Numbers 14:20
• 15. S Leviticus 26:18

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "God," / "an avenger of the wrongs done to them"