Context
Psalm 99 shares the same sentiments of Psalms 93, 95, 96, 97, and 98. These psalms talk about YHWH’s divine kingdom where He sits as a judge who doe snot just execute justice, but He also listens to the people’s concerns and praises. The psalm continues with the thread that declares YHWH should be praised because He is holy.
YHWH reigns
1 The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved. 2 The Lord is great in Zion, and he is high above all the people. 3 Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.
Unless otherwise cited, all scriptures for this devotional comes from the King James Version of the Bible located at https://www.biblegateway.com
The psalms begin with the declaration, “The Lord reigneth.“ Not only should they acknowledge that He reigns, but that the people should also fear Him. The psalmist identifies the location of The Lord’s throne. What a graphic picture of the temple – the place where the nation of Israel worshipped and the Holy of Holies, the beings who “overshadow” the throne of God. See below.
“And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be” Exod. 25:20 AND “Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building:” 1 Chr. 28:2
Worship at the footstool of the judge YHWH
4 The king’s strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.5 Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.
Now the people are worshipping Him because He executes righteous. just/ fair judgments. See Isa. 11:1-5. It is important to note that “his footstool” is a metaphor for the temple in Jerusalem. See Isa. 60:13; Lam. 2:1;2 Chron. 9:18. Kings of the near eastern culture had footstool. Describing YHWH’s throne in this manner made it even more real for the people. God will never force people to worship Him. They also worship Him because ‘he is holy.” During the time of this psalm, all nations were not worshipping YHWH. But a time will come when all nations.\, like the angelic, hosts will declare “ Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come” Revelation 4:8. Today we need to remember that man’s holiness is NOT our standard of holiness. When we do so, then we will be able to exalt His holy name.
6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the Lord, and he answered them.
See Exodus 13:21-22; 33:9-10; Num. 12:5; Deut. 31:15 His guiding and protective hands were upon his people.
7 He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.
Moses, Aaron, and Samuel were priests who served YHWH in the past. Not only did they serve Him, but they were also obedient to Him. One does remember what happened when Aaron made the golden calf. See Exod. 32 – 34. Disobedience was met with punishment, but it was justifiable.
8 Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.
“Of their inventions”: The Hebrew עֲלִילוֹתָֽם׃ word ‘ă-lî-lō-w-ṯām denotes work, deed, doing, conduct, or sin. In Exod. 32:14, it reminds us that forgiveness was accessible to the people even though their sin was egregious to God. The Levites were required to kill 3,000 people who worshipped the golden calf, and a horrible plague ravaged the people. See Exodus 32:28.
9 Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.
Today Christians are reminded that The Lord whom we serve, just like Israel, is holy. Yes, he spoke to us through the prophets in the past, but today He speaks to us through His holy Son Jesus Christ.
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high: 4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? 6 And again, when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
Hebrews 1
You Are Not the Only One 
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