Psalm 99
Theme
Praise to the LORD For His Holiness
Outline
1-3, Yahweh is Holy in His Reign 4-5, Worship Yahweh Who Is Holy in Justice 6-9, Worship Yahweh Who Is Holy in Forgiveness
Key Verse
(99:1) The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble! He dwells between the cherubim; let the earth be moved!
Notes
The three sections of Ps 99 are punctuated by the refrain “Holy is he” at the end of 99:3 and 99:5, with the longer variation that concludes the psalm at the end of 99:9 (“For holy is Yahweh our God”). These three sections each have a unique emphasis. The first presents the exalted Lord reigning over the awestruck creation and its inhabitants (99:1–3); the second calls them to worship Yahweh for his powerful justice (99:4–5); and the third does the same, calling all to worship, because of the way Israel’s priests called on Yahweh, with the result that he answered them with forgiveness and discipline (99:6–9).