The LORD Reigns
Psalm 99 summary: what it means
Psalm 99 announces that the LORD reigns and tells the peoples to tremble. He sits enthroned among the cherubim, great in Zion and high above every people. The psalm moves in three parts, each closing on the word holy. The first praises his great and awesome name. The second praises the King who loves justice and establishes equity in Jacob, and calls people to worship at his footstool.
The third part turns to history. Moses, Aaron and Samuel called on the LORD and he answered them, spoke from the pillar of cloud, and forgave them while still dealing with their wrongs. The psalm ends with its fullest refrain: worship at his holy hill, for the LORD our God is holy.
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Psalm 99: The LORD Reigns
World English Bible, public domain. allpsalms.com/psalm-99
Psalm 99 commentary: explained verse by verse
The LORD reigns! Let the peoples tremble.He sits enthroned among the cherubim.Let the earth be moved.
The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.
The opening announcement is simple: the LORD reigns. The response asked for is that the peoples tremble and the earth be moved, because he sits enthroned among the cherubim.
Also read Jeremiah 4:24, Psalm 82:5, Jeremiah 49:21, Psalm 21:8-9
The LORD is great in Zion.He is high above all the peoples.
The LORD is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people.
The LORD is great in Zion and high above all the peoples. The verse ties his rule to one place and to the whole world at once.
Also read Psalm 113:4, Psalm 97:9, Psalm 50:2, Psalm 76:1-2
Let them praise your great and awesome name.He is Holy!
Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.
The peoples are called to praise his great and awesome name. The verse ends with the short statement He is Holy, the first of three times the psalm says it.
Also read Deuteronomy 7:21, Revelation 15:3-4, John 17:11, Psalm 76:1
The King’s strength also loves justice.You establish equity.You execute justice and righteousness in Jacob.
The king’s strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.
God is described as a King whose strength loves justice. He establishes equity and does justice and righteousness in Jacob. His strength is shown in fairness.
Also read Deuteronomy 32:3-4, 2 Samuel 23:3-4, Job 36:5-7, Jeremiah 23:5
Exalt the LORD our God.Worship at his footstool.He is Holy!
Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.
This is the first call to exalt the LORD and worship at his footstool, and it ends with the second He is Holy. The King James Version reads "worship at his footstool; for he is holy".
Also read Psalm 34:3, 1 Chronicles 28:2, Psalm 99:3, Exodus 15:2
Moses and Aaron were among his priests,Samuel was among those who call on his name.They called on the LORD, and he answered them.
Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
The psalm names Moses, Aaron and Samuel as people who called on the LORD. The key line is short: they called, and he answered them.
Also read Exodus 40:23-29, Exodus 32:30, Numbers 16:47-48, 1 Samuel 12:18-24
He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud.They kept his testimonies,the statute that he gave them.
He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.
God spoke to them in the pillar of cloud, and they kept his testimonies and the statute he gave them. The verse links hearing God with obeying him.
Also read Deuteronomy 33:9, Deuteronomy 4:5, Hebrews 3:2, Psalm 105:28
You answered them, LORD our God.You are a God who forgave them,although you took vengeance for their doings.
Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.
God answered them and forgave them, yet also took vengeance for their doings. The verse holds forgiveness and consequence together without explaining how.
Also read Ecclesiastes 7:29, Deuteronomy 3:26, Exodus 32:2, Numbers 11:33-34
Exalt the LORD, our God.Worship at his holy hill,for the LORD, our God, is holy!
Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.
The final refrain is the fullest. Worship moves from his footstool to his holy hill, and the psalm ends by saying the LORD our God is holy.
Also read Psalm 99:3, Revelation 3:7, 1 Peter 1:15-16, 1 Samuel 2:2
A prayer from Psalm 99
LORD, you reign. You sit enthroned among the cherubim, great in Zion and high above all the peoples. Your name is great and awesome, and you are holy. You love justice and establish equity. I exalt you and worship at your footstool. Moses, Aaron and Samuel called on your name, and you answered them. You spoke to them, and you forgave them. I call on you too. Hear me, forgive me, and help me keep what you have said. Amen.
Psalm 99 Bible study questions
- How many times does the psalm say that God is holy, and in which verses?
- In verse 6, which three people are named as calling on the LORD, and what happened when they did?
- Verse 8 says God forgave them although he took vengeance for their doings; how do you hold those two ideas together?
- What does the phrase worship at his footstool in verse 5 suggest to you about how to approach God?
- Psalm 97:1 opens like Psalm 99:1 but calls the earth to rejoice rather than the peoples to tremble; how do the two responses fit together?
Questions about Psalm 99
What is the meaning of Psalm 99?
It praises God as a holy King who reigns over all peoples, loves justice, and answered and forgave Moses, Aaron and Samuel.
Who wrote Psalm 99?
The psalm has no heading, so the author is not named in the text.
What does Psalm 99:5 mean?
It calls people to exalt the LORD and worship at his footstool because he is holy. It is the second of the psalm's three statements that he is holy.
What does Psalm 99:1 say in the KJV?
"The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved."
What is the summary of Psalm 99?
The LORD reigns and is holy. He loves justice, he answered Moses, Aaron and Samuel, and he forgave them. The psalm calls on everyone to worship him.
Psalm 99 KJV: the King James Version
The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.1
The LORD is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people.2
Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.3
The king’s strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.4
Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.5
Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.6
He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.7
Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.8
Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.9
Psalm 99 in Hebrew
The Hebrew text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible, which counts a psalm's heading as verse 1, so they can run one ahead of English Bibles.
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1 יְהוָ֣ה מָ֭לָךְ יִרְגְּז֣וּ עַמִּ֑ים יֹשֵׁ֥ב כְּ֝רוּבִ֗ים תָּנ֥וּט הָאָֽרֶץ׃
2 יְ֭הוָה בְּצִיּ֣וֹן גָּד֑וֹל וְרָ֥ם ה֝֗וּא עַל־כָּל־הָֽעַמִּֽים׃
3 יוֹד֣וּ שִׁ֭מְךָ גָּד֥וֹל וְנוֹרָ֗א קָד֥וֹשׁ הֽוּא׃
4 וְעֹ֥ז מֶלֶךְ֮ מִשְׁפָּ֪ט אָ֫הֵ֥ב אַ֭תָּה כּוֹנַ֣נְתָּ מֵישָׁרִ֑ים מִשְׁפָּ֥ט וּ֝צְדָקָ֗ה בְּיַעֲקֹ֤ב ׀ אַתָּ֬ה עָשִֽׂיתָ׃
5 רֽוֹמְמ֡וּ יְה֘וָ֤ה אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ וְֽ֭הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לַהֲדֹ֥ם רַגְלָ֗יו קָד֥וֹשׁ הֽוּא׃
6 מֹ֘שֶׁ֤ה וְאַהֲרֹ֨ן ׀ בְּֽכֹהֲנָ֗יו וּ֭שְׁמוּאֵל בְּקֹרְאֵ֣י שְׁמ֑וֹ קֹרִ֥אים אֶל־יְ֝הוָ֗ה וְה֣וּא יַעֲנֵֽם׃
7 בְּעַמּ֣וּד עָ֭נָן יְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם שָׁמְר֥וּ עֵ֝דֹתָ֗יו וְחֹ֣ק נָֽתַן־לָֽמוֹ׃
8 יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵינוּ֮ אַתָּ֪ה עֲנִ֫יתָ֥ם אֵ֣ל נֹ֭שֵׂא הָיִ֣יתָ לָהֶ֑ם וְ֝נֹקֵ֗ם עַל־עֲלִילוֹתָֽם׃
9 רֽוֹמְמ֡וּ יְה֘וָ֤ה אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ וְ֭הִֽשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְהַ֣ר קָדְשׁ֑וֹ כִּֽי־קָ֝ד֗וֹשׁ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃
Psalm 99 in the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible
The Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain. It follows the Greek and Latin numbering, so this psalm is Psalm 98 there.
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1 A psalm for David himself. The Lord hath reigned, let the people be angry: he that sitteth on the cherubims: let the earth be moved.
2 The Lord is great in Sion, and high above all people.
3 Let them give praise to thy great name: for it is terrible and holy:
4 And the king’s honour loveth judgment. Thou hast prepared directions: thou hast done judgment and justice in Jacob.
5 Exalt ye the Lord our God, and adore his footstool, for it is holy.
6 Moses and Aaron among his priests: and Samuel among them that call upon his name. They called upon the Lord, and he heard them:
7 He spoke to them in the pillar of the cloud. They kept his testimonies, and the commandment which he gave them.
8 Thou didst hear them, O Lord our God: thou wast a merciful God to them, and taking vengeance on all their inventions.
9 Exalt ye the Lord our God, and adore at his holy mountain: for the Lord our God is holy.
Psalm 99 in Latin
The Clementine Vulgate, public domain, where this psalm is Psalm 98.
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1 Psalmus ipsi David. Dominus regnavit: irascantur populi; qui sedet super cherubim: moveatur terra.
2 Dominus in Sion magnus, et excelsus super omnes populos.
3 Confiteantur nomini tuo magno, quoniam terribile et sanctum est,
4 et honor regis judicium diligit. Tu parasti directiones; judicium et justitiam in Jacob tu fecisti.
5 Exaltate Dominum Deum nostrum, et adorate scabellum pedum ejus, quoniam sanctum est.
6 Moyses et Aaron in sacerdotibus ejus, et Samuel inter eos qui invocant nomen ejus: invocabant Dominum, et ipse exaudiebat eos;
7 in columna nubis loquebatur ad eos. Custodiebant testimonia ejus, et præceptum quod dedit illis.
8 Domine Deus noster, tu exaudiebas eos; Deus, tu propitius fuisti eis, et ulciscens in omnes adinventiones eorum.
9 Exaltate Dominum Deum nostrum, et adorate in monte sancto ejus, quoniam sanctus Dominus Deus noster.
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Psalm 99 at a glance
| Verses | 9 |
| Heading in the text | No heading |
| Attributed to | Not named in the text. The psalm has no heading. |
| Type | Praise |
| Number in Greek and Latin Bibles | Psalm 98 |
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Psalm 99 in other translations
This page prints the World English Bible and the King James Version because both are public domain. The NIV, ESV, NKJV, NLT and NASB are under copyright, so they cannot be printed in full here. You can read Psalm 99 in those translations at Bible Gateway.
Where Psalm 99 belongs
How this page was made
The psalm text comes from public domain translations and is not edited. The summary, the verse notes and the answers are written for this page from the text of the psalm itself. Where a claim goes beyond the text, it is sourced below.
Sources
- Text: World English Bible and King James Version, both public domain, from ebible.org source
- Hebrew text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Douay-Rheims: Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Latin text: Clementine Vulgate, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Numbering: Greek and Latin psalm numbering, Wikipedia, Psalms source