Psalms 99

^, ARGUMENT. The Greeks entitle David to this Psalm: which seems to have been made upon the same occasion, and to the same end, with the three foregoing: only with these two differences; first, that from the consideration of the royal power of the Lord (who had manifested himself by some notable conquests over his enemies, to be the only monarch; whose sovereignty extends over all the world),, they should mix fear and trembling, together with that joy and exultation to which in the former Psalm he had excited them: and secondly, that he doth not so plainly, as in those Psalms, prophesy of the kingdom of the Lord Christ.; But there arc many passages, as Theodoret observes, which may be applied to the appearing of our Saviour, and the infidelity of the Jews. jSt. Austin and St. Ambrose apply to him that passage, upon which the Roman church builds the lawfulness of worshipping images, (ver. 5.) where the Vulgar Latin reading adorate Scabellum Pedum ejus, worship his footstool; those two fathers think therei is no way to reconcile this with that command, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shall thou serve, but by expounding this of the flesh of Christ, which is the footstool, they say, which the Psalmist exhorts all men to worship (so far were those holy men from allowing adoration to any thing that is not God, or hath not a personal union with him). And, indeed, Christ was represented by the ark; which was the Divine footstool (here spoken of), but not to be adored, no more than the hill on which it stood: concerning which the Psalmist speaks, in the last verse, just as he doth of the ark in this; and therefore we ought to understand both passages alike (the particle in the Hebrew being the very same before footstool and before hill), and translate them thus, worship at, or before, or towards, his footstool and holy hill: as elsewhere he speaks of worshipping towards his temple, (exxxviii. 2.) And so Menochius very honestly here expounds this passage in these words; Worship in his temple, turning your faces towards the ark, on which is the. propitiatory, which is his footstool;’ since he sits on the ivings of the cherubims. Ver.l. JL HE Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: he miteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.] Let the people fret and be tumultuous, if they please; it will do them ho service: for the Lord is the supreme governor of 2B the world, whether they will or no; and they had better, with a pious fear, submit themselves unto him: though the whole earth should be in an uproar, we are safo and secure; for the Lord is attended with innumerable heavenly ministers, who arc a guard to his faithful worshippers.

Psalms 99:2

Tlie Lord is great in Zion; and he is high above all people.) The Lord, whose palace is in Zion, is transcendfcntty great: there is no power on earth able to oppose him; \vho infinitely surpasses the united strength of all people.

Psalms 99:3

Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy. Let them all therefore praise, and reverently acknowledge, thy mighty and dreadful majesty: for that alone is every way most excellent, and hath no equal; and therefore worthy of all veneration.

Psalms 99:4

The king’s strength also loveth judgment, thou dost establish equity, thou execidesl judgment and righteousness in Jacob. For, though none can resist him, yet he is not a king that uses his power to wrong or oppress his subjects; but to do them right, and give them relief, in which he delights: this is thy character, O Lord, who hast established most equal laws among us; and hitherto governed the seed of Jacob with exact justice and singular mercy. ■

Psalms 99:5

Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool;for he is holy. Do you, therefore, above all other people, extol the Lord our God, both in your thoughts, affections, and words; and, turning your faces towards the ark of his presence, prostrate yourselves before his majesty, in token of your absolute subjection to him: for he is incomparably above all other beings, and the proper object of your adoration.

Psalms 99:6

Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name: they called upon the Ijord, and he answered them. Thus did Moses and Aaron, two of his principal and most famous ministers, (Exod. xxxii. 11. Numb. xvi. 45, 46.) and thus did Samuel, one of his greatest prophets, that were wont to intercede for you, (1 Sam. vii. 5. 9. vii. 5. xii. 19.) These holy men fell down before him, to make their humble supplications to him; and he gave them what they desired. • Ver. 71 lie spake tinto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.] He spake to them in a familiar manner, telling them his tnind out of a pillar of cloud, wherein he appeared to them; (Exod. xxxiii. 9, 10. Numb. xii. 5. xvi. 42. 1 Sam. iii. 10.) and they, like faithful servants Of his, conformed themselves to his precepts, by which he testified his will to them; and worshipped him after that manner that he appointed them.

Psalms 99:8

Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God: thou wast a God that for gavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions. Whereby they obtained great favour with thee, O Lord our God; for when they prayed to thee, thou fulfilledst their petitions: passing by, for their sakes, the sins of those who had highly offended thee; but taking a most severe vengeance on all those who contemned their authority, and were contriving how to depose them, (Numb. xii. 2. 10. xvi. 3. 35. ISam. viii. 7— 9, &c.)

Psalms 99:9

Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at Ms holy hill: for the Lord our God is holy. Imitate therefore the -piety of those admirable men; and raise your thoughts, aiid airectioris, arid voices, to extol and magnify the Lord our God, as much as you arc able; for you can never do it enough: and in token of your absolute subjection to him, go and prostrate yourselves before him, at his houso on the holy hill of Zion; for the Lord our God is incomparably above all other beings, and alone worthy of your adoration.