Psalm 99


Psalm 99 is 99th psalm in the biblical Book of Psalms. The last of the set of Royal Psalms, Psalm 93-99, praising God as the King of His people. In the Greek Septuagint version of the bible, and in its Latin translation in the Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 98 in a slightly different numbering system.

Text

Hebrew Bible version

Following is the Hebrew text of Psalm 99:
VerseHebrew
1יְהֹוָ֣ה מָ֖לָךְ יִרְגְּז֣וּ עַמִּ֑ים יֹשֵׁ֥ב כְּ֜רוּבִ֗ים תָּנ֥וּט הָאָֽרֶץ
2יְהֹוָה בְּצִיּ֣וֹן גָּד֑וֹל וְרָ֥ם ה֜֗וּא עַל־כָּל־הָֽעַמִּֽים
3יוֹד֣וּ שִׁ֖מְךָ גָּד֥וֹל וְנוֹרָ֗א קָד֥וֹשׁ הֽוּא
4אַתָּ֬ה עָשִֽׂיתָ
5רֽוֹמְמ֡וּ יְהֹ֘וָ֚ה אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ וְ֖הִֽשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ לַֽהֲדֹ֥ם רַגְלָ֗יו קָד֥וֹשׁ הֽוּא
6בְּכֹֽהֲנָ֗יו וּ֖שְׁמוּאֵל בְּקֹֽרְאֵ֣י שְׁמ֑וֹ קֹרִ֥אים אֶל־יְ֜הֹוָ֗ה וְה֣וּא יַֽעֲנֵֽם
7בְּעַמּ֣וּד עָ֖נָן יְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם שָֽׁמְר֥וּ עֵֽ֜דֹתָ֗יו וְחֹ֣ק נָֽתַן־לָֽמוֹ
8יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵינוּ֘ אַתָּ֪ה עֲנִ֫יתָ֥ם אֵ֣ל נֹ֖שֵׂא הָיִ֣יתָ לָהֶ֑ם וְ֜נֹקֵ֗ם עַל־עֲלִֽילוֹתָֽם
9רֽוֹמְמ֡וּ יְ֘הֹוָ֚ה אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ וְ֖הִֽשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ לְהַ֣ר קָדְשׁ֑וֹ כִּ֥י קָ֜ד֗וֹשׁ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ

King James Version

The following is the full English text of the Psalm from the King James Bible.
  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.
  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.
  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.
  7. He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.
  8. Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.
  9. Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.

    Commentary

This psalm is the last of the "enthronement psalms". It begins with the familiar statement, 'YHWH is king', followed by references to justice and righteousness, the covenant with its moral demands, centering upon Zion.
Some similarities with Deutero-Isaiah are on the call for nations to tremble before God. It is unique in naming Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, the "three great intercessors" and featuring the threefold 'Holy'. "God's footstool" in verse 5 may allude 'the ark', 'the temple, Jerusalem', or 'the whole earth'. The Greek Septuagint provides a title: "A psalm of David".

Uses

Judaism

The following songs are based on Psalm 99 or contain part of the Psalm: