GOD OF THE NATIONS
Opening Prayer
I praise You, Lord, that You are sovereign. I trust You.
Read Psalm 99
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Psalm 99
1 The Lord reigns,
let the nations tremble;
he sits enthroned between the cherubim,
let the earth shake.
2 Great is the Lord in Zion;
he is exalted over all the nations.
3 Let them praise your great and awesome name—
he is holy.
4 The King is mighty, he loves justice—
you have established equity;
in Jacob you have done
what is just and right.
5 Exalt the Lord our God
and worship at his footstool;
he is holy.
6 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.
7 He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud;
they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them.
8 Lord our God,
you answered them;
you were to Israel a forgiving God,
though you punished their misdeeds.[a]
9 Exalt the Lord our God
and worship at his holy mountain,
for the Lord our God is holy.
Footnotes
a. Psalm 99:8 Or God, / an avenger of the wrongs done to them
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
In what ways is God’s leadership different or similar to leaders of our world today?As with the previous royal psalms (Psalms 93–98), this psalm celebrates that God reigns as King. But what sort of king is He? A mighty king before whom the earth shakes (1); a just king who rules with righteousness (4); a king who answers the prayers of His people (6).
Observe, however, the constant refrain through verses 3, 5 and 9 – ‘He is holy … the Lord our God is holy.’ Why such a focus?
This psalm was probably written in the time when Israel was in exile, a time when the reign of God was far from certain. Israel was defeated, the Temple was destroyed, the people wept (Psalm 137:1). The psalmist, however, cries out against such uncertainty. No, the Lord is still King! He is ever perfect and consistent in His character, holy from first to last.
What does this mean for Israel and for us? Like Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, we too can call on the Lord and know that He will answer in our times of need. Just as He heard them, so He will hear us.
Apply
Reflect on current political events in your own nation and globally. Name each event and pray: ‘Thank you, God, that You are in control.’
Closing prayer
My King, I pray that these nations of the world would come to recognize and exalt You as the Ruler and King.
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