Logos Bible Study

Psalm 99:1–9

The NET BibleOther versions

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99:1The Lord reigns!

The nations tremble.1

He sits enthroned above the winged angels;2

the earth shakes.3

99:2The Lord is elevated4 in Zion;

he is exalted over all the nations.

99:3Let them praise your great and awesome name!

He5 is holy!

99:4The king is strong;

he loves justice.6

You ensure that legal decisions will be made fairly;7

you promote justice and equity in Jacob.

99:5Praise8 the Lord our God!

Worship9 before his footstool!

He is holy!

99:6Moses and Aaron were among his priests;

Samuel was one of those who prayed to him.10

They11 prayed to the Lord and he answered them.

99:7He spoke to them from a pillar of cloud;12

they obeyed his regulations and the ordinance he gave them.

99:8O Lord our God, you answered them.

They found you to be a forgiving God,

but also one who punished their sinful deeds.13

99:9Praise14 the Lord our God!

Worship on his holy hill,

for the Lord our God is holy!

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Footnotes

  1. 1 The prefixed verbal forms in v. 1 are understood here as indicating the nations’ characteristic response to the reality of the Lord’s kingship. Another option is to take them as jussives: “let the nations tremble … let the earth shake!”
  2. 2 Winged angels (Heb “cherubs”). Cherubs, as depicted in the OT, possess both human and animal (lion, ox, and eagle) characteristics (see Ezek 1:10; 10:14, 21; 41:18). They are pictured as winged creatures (Exod 25:20; 37:9; 1 Kgs 6:24–27; Ezek 10:8, 19) and serve as the very throne of God when the ark of the covenant is in view (Ps 99:1; see Num 7:89; 1 Sam 4:4; 2 Sam 6:2; 2 Kgs 19:15). The picture of the Lord seated on the cherubs suggests they might be used by him as a vehicle, a function they carry out in Ezek 1:22–28 (the “living creatures” mentioned here are identified as cherubs in Ezek 10:20). In Ps 18:10 the image of a cherub serves to personify the wind.
  3. 3 The Hebrew verb נוּט (nut) occurs only here in the OT, but the meaning can be determined on the basis of the parallelism with רָגַז (ragaz, “tremble”) and evidence from the cognate languages (see H. R. Cohen, Biblical Hapax Legomena [], 121).
  4. 4 Heb “great.”
  5. 5 The pronoun refers to the Lord himself (see vv. 5, 9).
  6. 6 Heb “and strength, a king, justice he loves.” The syntax of the Hebrew text is difficult here. The translation assumes that two affirmations are made about the king, the Lord (see v. 1, and Ps 98:6). The noun עֹז (’oz, “strength”) should probably be revocalized as the adjective עַז (’az, “strong”).
  7. 7 Heb “you establish fairness.”
  8. 8 Or “exalt.”
  9. 9 Or “bow down.”
  10. 10 Heb “among those who called on his name.”
  11. 11 Heb “those who.” The participle is in apposition to the phrase “those who called on his name” in the preceding line.
  12. 12 A pillar of cloud. The psalmist refers to the reality described in Exod 33:9–10; Num 12:5; and Deut 31:15.
  13. 13 Heb “a God of lifting up [i.e., forgiveness] you were to them, and an avenger concerning their deeds.” The present translation reflects the traditional interpretation, which understands the last line as qualifying the preceding one. God forgave Moses and Aaron, but he also disciplined them when they sinned (cf. , ). Another option is to take “their deeds” as referring to harmful deeds directed against Moses and Aaron. In this case the verse may be translated, “and one who avenged attacks against them.” Still another option is to emend the participial form נֹקֵם (noqem, “an avenger”) to נֹקָם (noqam), a rare Qal participial form of נָקַה (naqah, “purify”) with a suffixed pronoun. In this case one could translate, “and one who purified them from their [sinful] deeds” (cf. “and held them innocent”).
  14. 14 Or “exalt.”

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble!

He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!

The Lord is great in Zion;

he is exalted over all the peoples.

Let them praise your great and awesome name!

Holy is he!

The King in his might loves justice.

You have established equity;

you have executed justice

and righteousness in Jacob.

Exalt the Lord our God;

worship at his footstool!

Holy is he!

Moses and Aaron were among his priests,

Samuel also was among those who called upon his name.

They called to the Lord, and he answered them.

In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them;

they kept his testimonies

and the statute that he gave them.

O Lord our God, you answered them;

you were a forgiving God to them,

but an avenger of their wrongdoings.

Exalt the Lord our God,

and worship at his holy mountain;

for the Lord our God is holy!

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

The Lord reigns,

let the nations tremble;

he sits enthroned between the cherubim,

let the earth shake.

Great is the Lord in Zion;

he is exalted over all the nations.

Let them praise your great and awesome name—

he is holy.

The King is mighty, he loves justice—

you have established equity;

in Jacob you have done

what is just and right.

Exalt the Lord our God

and worship at his footstool;

he is holy.

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.

He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud;

they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them.

Lord our God,

you answered them;

you were to Israel a forgiving God,

though you punished their misdeeds.

Exalt the Lord our God

and worship at his holy mountain,

for the Lord our God is holy.

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

The Lord reigns! Let the peoples tremble.

He is enthroned between the cherubim.

Let the earth quake.

The Lord is great in Zion;

he is exalted above all the peoples.

Let them praise your great

and awe-inspiring name.

He is holy.

The mighty King loves justice.

You have established fairness;

you have administered justice

and righteousness in Jacob.

Exalt the Lord our God;

bow in worship at his footstool.

He is holy.

Moses and Aaron were among his priests;

Samuel also was among those calling on his name.

They called to the Lord and he answered them.

He spoke to them in a pillar of cloud;

they kept his decrees and the statutes he gave them.

Lord our God, you answered them.

You were a forgiving God to them,

but an avenger of their sinful actions.

Exalt the Lord our God;

bow in worship at his holy mountain,

for the Lord our God is holy.

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

The Lord is king!

Let the nations tremble!

He sits on his throne between the cherubim.

Let the whole earth quake!

The Lord sits in majesty in Jerusalem,

exalted above all the nations.

Let them praise your great and awesome name.

Your name is holy!

Mighty King, lover of justice,

you have established fairness.

You have acted with justice

and righteousness throughout Israel.

Exalt the Lord our God!

Bow low before his feet, for he is holy!

Moses and Aaron were among his priests;

Samuel also called on his name.

They cried to the Lord for help,

and he answered them.

He spoke to Israel from the pillar of cloud,

and they followed the laws and decrees he gave them.

O Lord our God, you answered them.

You were a forgiving God to them,

but you punished them when they went wrong.

Exalt the Lord our God,

and worship at his holy mountain in Jerusalem,

for the Lord our God is holy!

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Yahweh is king; let the peoples tremble.

He sits enthroned between the cherubim. Let the earth shake.

Yahweh is great in Zion,

and he is exalted over all the peoples.

Let them praise your great and fearful name.

He is holy.

And the strength of the king loves justice.

You have established equity;

you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.

Exalt Yahweh our God,

and worship at his footstool.

He is holy.

Moses and Aaron were among his priests;

Samuel also was among those who called on his name.

They called to Yahweh, and he answered them.

He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud.

They kept his testimonies and the statute he gave to them.

O Yahweh our God, you answered them.

You were a forgiving God to them,

but an avenger of their wrong deeds.

Exalt Yahweh our God,

and worship at his holy mountain,

for Yahweh our God is holy.

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble:

He sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.

The Lord is great in Zion;

And he is high above all the people.

Let them praise thy great and terrible name;

For it is holy.

The king’s strength also loveth judgment;

Thou dost establish equity,

Thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.

Exalt ye the Lord our God,

And worship at his footstool;

For he is holy.

Moses and Aaron among his priests,

And Samuel among them that call upon his name;

They called upon the Lord, and he answered them.

He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar:

They kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.

Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God:

Thou wast a God that forgavest them,

Though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.

Exalt the Lord our God,

And worship at his holy hill;

For the Lord our God is holy.

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