Psa 106:1

See Lesson, Psalms, “Hallelujah”.

V 1: Yahweh is a God who keeps His promises, even though (as this psalm emphasizes) His people prove unworthy of His kindness.

Psa 106:3

BLESSED: The “Beatitudes” in the Psalms: Psa 1:1; 2:12; 32:1,2; 33:12; 34:8; 40:4; 41:1; 65:4; 84:4,5,12; 89:15; 94:12; 106:3; 112:1; 118:26; 119:1,2; 128:1,4.

Psa 106:5

THAT I MAY SHARE IN THE JOY OF YOUR NATION: The Heb word “goy” means Gentile. God’s people become “Gentiles” in their faithlessness. Perhaps vv 4,5 were inserted by Hezekiah, to commemorate the return of northern tribes to true worship of Jerusalem (2Ch 30:1-12; 1Ki 8:46-48).

Psa 106:6

Lit, “we have sinned WITH our fathers” (AV): the doctrine of corporate responsibility: “By one man’s disobedience many were made sinners” (Rom 5:19). “As in Adam all die” (1Co 15:22). The Bible has many examples of this: eg Daniel’s sustained use of “we, us” in Dan 9:5-19; Nehemiah’s comparable confession (1:6,7); 1Ki 8:31-53; Ezr 9:6; 1Ch 15:13; 21:13; 2Sa 21:1; Isa 59:8,9; Jer 3:25; Mat 18:25; 23:35,36; and esp Rom 5:12-21. There can be no disowning of the sin of the community of which one is a member. This is an important principle which still holds for the New Israel, despite its having been called in question during certain controversies, and despite the extremes of “block disfellowship” practiced in some Chdn circles.

According to the rabbis, this is an ascending order embodying all poss sins: (1) sins against oneself; (2) sins against one’s neighbor; and (3) sins against God. The same formula of three terms occurs in Solomon’s prayer (1Ki 8:47) and Daniel’s (9:5). These three dreadful words do not occur again in this psalm; but instead, what a catalogue there is! Note the descriptive words which follow: “provoked” (v 7), “forgat, waited not” (v 13), “lusted, tempted” (v 14), “envied” (v 16), “forgat” (v 21), “despised, believed not” (v 24), “murmured, hearkened not” (v 25), “provoked” (v 29), “provoked” (v 33), “went a whoring” (v 39), and “provoked” (v 43) again.

Psa 106:7

They “were rebellious” (RV), even before they were out of Egypt: Exo 14:11,12; cp vv. 33,43 here.

Psa 106:8

FOR HIS NAME’S SAKE: That is, for the sake of His promises to their fathers (Psa 105:42).

Psa 106:9

REBUKED: Sw Mat 8:26. Cp also Psa 65:7; 89:9; 93:3,4; 107:23-30.

Psa 106:10

SAVED: The Heb “ga’al” sig the act of a near-kinsman.

Psa 106:13

THEY SOON FORGOT: Exo 32:8. Lit, “they made haste to forget” (AV mg), that is, they wanted to forget! After the mighty works of Exo 14:21; 15:1 there came (starting only three days later! — Exo 15:22) the grumblings of Exo 15:24; 16:2; 17:2; etc.

“Their problem was forgetting. And forgetting came because of lack of understanding and of a deep intelligent impression. Day after day they witnessed the results of God’s mighty power on their behalf, and therefore lived by sight. But the impression made upon their animal minds was faint and superficial. They gobbled and grunted when He filled the trough, and squeaked and squealed when He did not, but they never really knew Him” (GAG).

AND DID NOT WAIT FOR HIS COUNSEL: Referring to the people’s impatience at Moses’ absence: see Exo 32:1. Here “counsel” means not only the Decalogue but also the other details of the Law which were to govern their lives.

Psa 106:14

Lit, “they lusted a lust” (Num 11:4, sw). What a dramatic ct there is in Luk 22:15, where sw (and Heb idiom) is used by Jesus: “With desire have I desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer.”

THEY PUT GOD TO THE TEST: There is no contradiction with Jam 1:13. God cannot be tempted to do evil; rather, His patience was “tested” (RSV) (cp Psa 78:18,41,56; 95:9).

Psa 106:15

Remarkably, the LXX has “fatness” (with ref to the excess of quails in Num 11:20,32?) instead of “a wasting disease”. If, however, “a wasting disease” is correct, the ref is to Num 11:33.

Psa 106:16

CONSECRATED: Recalls the complaint against Moses and Aaron: that they had made themselves the “holy” or elite ones, when in fact the whole congregation could lay claim to that title (Num 16:3-5).

Psa 106:19

AT HOREB THEY MADE A CALF: Act 7:41, emphasizing that this happened in the very place where the 10 Commandments were given (Exo 20:4,5; Deu 4:16).

Psa 106:20

WHICH EATS GRASS: There is a withering contempt in those last three words. In the Tabernacle the cherubim of glory were prob in the form of oxen (as they were in Solomon’s Temple: cp with 1Ki 7:25,29,44; 2Ch 4:3,4,15; WBS 170,181). The usual explanation that the golden calf was an imitation of Egypt’s idol Apis is a commentator’s fantasy. Furthermore, “These are your gods” (Exo 32:4,5) seems to require more than one ox, which accords well with the plural figures of the cherubim, but not with the singular “god” of Egypt.

THEY EXCHANGED THEIR GLORY: Quoted in Rom. 1:23. Ignorant Gentiles cannot change the Glory of God into any human or animal pattern, for the simple reason that they have never properly known the Glory of God in the first place. But this statement is lit true of Israel. This point, and several others, suggest that the common assessment of Rom 1 — ie that it is describing the depravity of the Gentile world — needs to be rethought (see Psa 81; WBS 305-308).

Psa 106:23

MOSES… STOOD IN THE BREACH: See Exo 32:9-14,30-35.

Moses did not seek to disavow the sins of the community over which God had placed him (cp v 6 here), but rather sought to take total responsibility for those sins. He stood fearlessly at the place where the line of defense had been broken, as a last protecting barrier for the nation helplessly at risk because of their sins. This is “the good shepherd” laying down his life for the sheep (Joh 10:11,15); it is the yearning of Paul to save his fellow-Israelites, even at his own expense (Rom 9:3). And it is David’s desire to be punished for the sins of the nation (2Sa 24:17). But all of these — stirring examples though they be — are but inadequate previews or echoes of the one and only great sacrifice, by which the Man Christ Jesus stood in the breach (cp Eze 22:30), and redeemed all his sinful brethren (Psa 49:7; Isa 59:16,17; Mar 10:45; Mat 20:28; Tit 2:14; Heb 9:12,15; 1Ti 2:6; 1Pe 1:18,19).

Psa 106:24

They relinquished all desire for the Land of Promise, by ignoring the reports of Joshua and Caleb (Num 14:31).

Psa 106:25

Quoting Deu 1:27, where to the one sin of grumbling is added the other of blasphemy.

Psa 106:26

2 oaths of God: for harm (Num 14:28,30) and for good (Num 14:21).

Psa 106:27

This language — “the nations”… “the lands” — clearly calls for a much wider application than that which ensued after Num 14. In fact, it appears to be quoting Moses’ own warning of later days: Lev 26:33-38; Deu 28:64-68. And so it is quoted later by Ezekiel: see Eze 20:23.

Psa 106:28

Num 25: The word “yoked” suggests the sin fornication (cp Paul in 1Co 6:16-18 and 2Co 6:14-17). The ref to “the dead” (AV) is either to the worship of dead idols (as NIV), called “No-gods”, or to the worship of departed spirits and the belief in the immortality of the soul (v 37, notes; Deu 32:17; cp 1Co 8:4,5; Isa 8:19; Deu 18:9-11).

Psa 106:30

INTERVENED: “Made atonement” (LXX), ie, by “sacrifice” of the offending “worshipers” (Num 25:7-11).

Psa 106:31

Such exceptional statements are made of only two men — Abraham is the other (Gen 15:6; Rom 4:3,9,22; Jam 2:23). And it is of course true also of all those who are “in Abraham” (Rom 4:24,25).

Psa 106:33

THEY REBELLED AGAINST THE SPIRIT OF GOD: This should prob be read as “God’s Spirit”, with ref to the Angel of the Lord (cp Isa 63:9,10).

AND RASH WORDS CAME FROM MOSES’ LIPS: No implication of reprobation behind the word translated “rash”; rather it means “emphatically”. The reprobation is in the phrase: “with his lips”, in the sense of “his own lips” instead of “with God’s guidance”: “Hear now, ye rebels, must we [Moses and Aaron — not Moses and God] fetch you water out of the rock?” (Num 20:10).

Psa 106:34

Jdg 1:27-29; 2:14-22 is an extended commentary on this and the next nine vv.

Psa 106:37

DEMONS: “Shedim” (transl “devils” in AV). Sig “destroyers”, a play on the name of the Almighty: “Shaddai”. Instead of God-blessed fruitfulness, they chose a gross parody: the Canaanite fertility cults, and what would bring their spiritual destruction. Both occurrences of “shedim” in LXX are translated by “daimonion” in the NT: ref to idols and not to any disembodied “spirits”. In this sense the NT occasionally uses “daimonion” (1Co 10:20,21; Rev 9:20; 1Ti 4:1).

Psa 106:45

FOR THEIR SAKE HE REMEMBERED HIS COVENANT: What a moving ct with vv 13,21! “Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee” (Isa 48:15).

AND OUT OF HIS GREAT LOVE HE RELENTED: But of course God does not “repent” in the lit sense of the term. He is not a man that He should repent (1Sa 15:29). Then why does Scripture use this kind of language so often about Him? The only alternative to asserting, time and again, that the words of the Bible do not mean what they say, is to accept that God uses this kind of terminology because He wants His people to think of Him in this way. This is what is best for them. (For fuller details on this theme, see WRev 271, 272.)

Psa 106:47

This v invites comparison with 1Ki 8:49,50. One fulfillment of this desired deliverance from captivity was in Ezra and Nehemiah; but such Scriptures as Isa 49:8-26 indicate that the massive captivity rounded up by Sennacherib (as described in the Taylor Prism) had an early and happy release, thanks to the unquenchable faith of Hezekiah.

Psa 106:48

This “doxology” concludes Book 4 of the Psalms.

FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING: Spoken by all the people (amim = Israel, all of them!). “And so all Israel shall be saved” (Rom 11:26,27; Isa 59:20; Jer 31:31), but only when their sins are forgiven and the Messiah comes.

Psa 91:1

CONTEXT: The Moses/Joshua duality is seen in this: that while one generation was perishing in the wilderness, along with Moses himself (Psa 90), the next generation was surviving through that same period, to enter the Land of Promise at last, along with Joshua (Psa 91; Deu 1:35-38). Psa 90 and 91 are thus seen to be two halves of the same whole — each incomplete without its counterpart.

The historical setting: see Exo 33:11; Num 27:22,23. Of course, the five promises of vv 3-13 belonged not only to Joshua but also to all those who shared his faithfulness. Likewise they belong not only to Jesus, who shares Joshua’s name, but to all those who share faith in Jesus: see Deu 4:4.

SHELTER: Or “secret place” (AV). A favorite idea in the Psalms, sig the Sanctuary (Psa 27:5; 31:20; 32:7; 61:4), or, more generally, the place of intimate communion with God (as in Mat 6:6).

WILL REST: A verb which often has the idea of “lodge for the night” (Gen 32:21; Rth 1:16; Psa 30:5; 49:12; etc). So a time of darkness and danger becomes instead a time of rest and comfort (cp Psa 23:5,6; Joh 15:4,5; 1Jo 2:27; Rev 21:3). “He who takes refuge with the Most High, shall find that God is not too exalted to care for frail, perishing man. He shall be treated as God’s guest — God will not be wanting in the sacred duty of hospitality. His Almighty Power shall be spread around him during the night of trouble and anguish. Loving faith on man’s part shall be met by faithful love on God’s part” (WK). Thus God will be a “home” to all who trust in Him.

Psa 91:3

Vv 3,5: Figures of speech all suggest the hostility of the Amalekites and other wilderness enemies (Exo 17:8-16; Num 14:43-45; Deu 25:17-19).

THE FOWLER’S SNARE: A figure for plotting? The Pharisees were continually plotting against Jesus: Joh 5:16,18; Mar 3:6; Luk 11:54; Joh 7:19-21,25; 8:59; Luk 13:31; Joh 10:31,39; 11:8,16,44-54; Luk 20:14-26; Mat 26:3-5,16. For snare, see 2Ti 2:26.

THE DEADLY PESTILENCE: Could read: ‘the mischievous word’ (dabar, as in the LXX) — ie the slander so capable of doing damage. The two phrases of this v would then go very well together.

Psa 91:4

HE WILL COVER YOU: Basically the word means ‘to make a fence’ (sw Exo 40:21). The allusion here is to the cherubim in the sanctuary, and to angelic protection such as in Exo 12:23; 19:4; Isa 63:9.

WITH HIS FEATHERS… UNDER HIS WINGS: “As a hen gathers her chicks under her wings” (Mat 23:37). This Jesus would have done for Israel, but they “would not”! Thus they were snatched away by the Roman “eagle”. The Holy Spirit is pictured as a dove, hovering over and protecting (Mar 1:10; cp Isa 31:5) — like the Passover Angel. In such manner God revealed Himself to Jesus at his baptism, just prior to his wilderness temptations (cp vv 11-13 here).

UNDER HIS WINGS YOU WILL FIND REFUGE: Psa 17:8,9; 36:7,8; 57:1; 61:4; 63:7.

An article in National Geographic provided a penetrating picture of God’s wings. After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno’s damage.

One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree. Somewhat sickened by the sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick. When he struck it, three chicks scurried from under their dead mother’s wings.

The mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered it under her wings, instinctively knowing that the toxic smoke would rise. She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. When the blaze had arrived and the heat had singed her small body, the mother had remained steadfast. Because she had been willing to die, those under the cover of her wings would live.

Psa 91:5

YOU WILL NOT FEAR: This word usually describes the fear of God. Thus an indirect allusion to God’s angels of evil (Psa 78:49) — like the Destroying Angels of the Egyptian Passover (Exo 12:23 again).

Psa 91:6

PESTILENCE: Such judgments as Num 14:12,37; 16:47-50; 25:8.

Psa 91:7

A THOUSAND MAY FALL AT YOUR SIDE: This happened to the Egyptians in Egypt (Exo 12:23), and to the faithless portion of the nation of Israel in the wilderness (Deu 32:30).

Psa 91:9

MAKE THE MOST HIGH YOUR DWELLING: Cp Joshua’s words here with Moses’ words (Psa 90:1). Both journeyed through the wilderness for years, but in their minds and hearts they made their “dwelling” or “home” with God.

“The Israelites in the wilderness were continually exposed to change. Whenever the pillar stayed its motion, the tents were pitched; but tomorrow, ere the morning sun had risen, the trumpet sounded, the ark was in motion, and the fiery, cloudy pillar was leading the way through the narrow defiles of the mountain, up the hillside, or along the arid waste of the wilderness. They had scarcely time to rest a little before they heard the sound of ‘Away! this is not your rest; you must still be onward journeying towards Canaan!’ They were never long in one place. Even wells and palm trees could not detain them. Yet they had an abiding home in their God, His cloudy pillar was their roof, and its flame by night their household fire. They must go onward from place to place, continually changing, never having time to settle, and to say, ‘Now we are secure; in this place we shall dwell.’ ‘Yet,’ says Moses, ‘though we are always changing, Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place throughout all generations.’ [Psa 90:1]… I am a pilgrim in the world, but at home in my God. In the earth I wander, but in God I dwell in a quiet habitation” (CHS).

Psa 91:11

See Exo 23:20. This was true of all the faithful, but esp true of Joshua himself (Jos 5:13-15).

Vv 11,12: Quoted about Messiah although originally about the faithful in Israel: cp Hos 11:1 (= Mat 2:15). Jesus accepted this promise for service and sacrifice, but he refused it for any purpose of self-advantage. So also must the disciple do likewise.

TO GUARD YOU: God’s promise to Jacob (Gen 28:15). Hence a continual divine providence and protection for Jesus (Luk 4:29; 22:43; Joh 8:59; 10:39), until he had fulfilled all God’s purpose.

Psa 91:13

An allusion to the fiery serpents that killed many of Israel in the wilderness (Num 21:6-9; Deu 8:15). Allusion to Gen 3:15, Messiah’s conquest of sin. Whereas Mark has none of the account of the three-fold temptation, which Matthew and Luke have, he does add one unique detail: “And he was there… with the wild beasts” (Mar 1:13). Was Jesus tempted also, in the wilderness, to use his special powers to overcome the dangerous creatures that threatened him there? Or is this an allegorical way of saying that, by overcoming all temptations, Jesus at last will receive dominion over all of God’s creation (Gen 1:28; Psa 8:6,7) — esp the tannim, or “great beasts” of the nations?

YOU WILL TREAD UPON… THE COBRA: Jesus alluded to this (Luk 10:19; and cp vv 11,12 here), but he also warns against taking pride in such achievement. See also Mar 16:18; Rom 16:20. Psa 58:3-6 interprets these figures. The Kingdom prophecy of the little child being unharmed by deadly serpents — Isa 11:8 — is to be interpreted, not so much universally, but rather as esp related to Jesus, “the little child” of Isa 7:14; 9:6,7; and 11:6! (Note that “adder” in Psa 58:4 and 91:13 is sw “asp” in Isa 11:8 — the Heb pethen — cp “Python” in Act 16:16.)

Psa 92:1

SUPERSCRIPTION: “A PSALM. A SONG. FOR THE SABBATH DAY.” The official Temple psalm for the sabbath day, “because” — quoting Maimonides — “the sabbath was symbolic of the millennial kingdom… when the Lord would reign over all, and His glory and service would fill the earth with thanksgiving” (Eder). The Talmud says this is ‘a song for the future age of the Messiah, all of which will be sabbath.’ The aptness of this psalm to the Sabbath Day is emphasized by: (a) a seven-fold use of the Covenant Name: Yahweh, ie “the LORD” (vv 1,4,5,8,9,13,15); (b) repeated mention of God’s “work” and “works”, after which God (ie the angels: Exo 31:17) “rests”, ie desists from special and open activity. But the character of the psalm suggests that it was orig framed for one particular Sabbath (“the Sabbath day”), not just for use on any and every Sabbath Day. Considering its placement, WK suggests that Psa 92 describes the “sabbath rest” of God’s Israel when they finally enter the Land of Promise (Psa 91) after the struggles of a wilderness pilgrimage (Psa 90).

Poss personal application to Hezekiah and his special deliverance?

Psa 92:2

The regular daily sacrifices, every morning and every evening (Exo 29:38,39; 30:7,8).

Psa 92:3

Cp Hezekiah’s enthusiasm: Isa 38:20. The mention of an “instrument of TEN strings” together with “psaltery” and “harp” (AV) (TWO other instruments) might be a sym allusion to Hezekiah’s great effort to gather the TEN tribes and the TWO tribes into a single harmonious unit.

Psa 92:4

The great rejoicing at the revival of Passover observance (2Ch 30:21,26), and also triumphant deliverance from the Assyrian invasion (v 11 here).

(NT) A song of thanksgiving on emerging from the fetters of death (cp Psa 31:5; 59:16).

Psa 92:5

God moves in a mysterious way. Consider the remarkable extremes of blessing and affliction which were concentrated into that critical period of Hezekiah’s reign, esp his sickness and recovery, the devastation of the Land, and the destruction of the invaders.

GREAT… .PROFOUND: “Deep” and “high” (AV) — Isa 55:8,9 — the two ideas are by no means exclusive of one another! Cp also Psa 36:6; 40:5; 139:17; Rom 11:33. And ct Rev 2:24: “the depths of Satan”: adversaries of the Truth taking pride in the profundity of their own wisdom (cp the “wisdom” of all modern universities!) — which is the most utter foolishness with God (1Co 1:18-29).

Psa 92:6

Vv 6,7: A “senseless” man (that is, “dull” — like a beast)… a fool… “the wicked”… “evildoers”. Special ref first of all to Rabshakeh, a renegade Jew, and the spearhead of Sennacherib’s propaganda onslaught on Jerusalem. Then secondly, to all of his fellow-workers of iniquity in the Assyrian encampment. Rabshakeh was, in the worldly sense, ever so wise — but in the divine sense he was as stupid and senseless as the beasts that perish (Psa 49:10,12,20; 73:22; 94:8). What does such a man not know? that he will perish forever.

Psa 92:7

FLOURISH: Sw vv 12,13 — but with what a ct! The wicked “flourish”, but only as the “grass” — notoriously short-lived; the righteous, on the other hand, “flourish” as the long-lived (almost “immortal”) cedars (cp Psa 1:3; Isa 61:3; 65:22)! [But even those who think they are flourishing as “trees” (Psa 37:35,36; Luk 13:7-9) can be “marked out” for destruction (Mat 3:10; 7:19).]

Psa 92:9

The repetition is very effective, for there was an utterly complete fulfillment in Isa 37:36. The Assyrians were Yahweh’s enemies, coveting His Land, and making confident and persistent attempts to break Israel’s confidence in their God (Isa 36:7,15,18; 37:10,16-20). (NT) Cited by Christ the Judge in the LD: “ye workers of iniquity” (Mat 7:23); “But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me” (Luk 19:27).

Psa 92:10

YOU HAVE EXALTED MY HORN LIKE THAT OF A WILD OX: Cp Psa 75:10; 89:17,24; 132:17; 1Sa 2:10; Lam 2:17; Luk 1:69. All such refs are allusions to the ox-figures of the cherubim in the sanctuary; ref to the cherubim is prominent in Hezekiah’s prayer on the occasion of Sennacherib’s invasion (Isa 37:16).

The AV translation of “unicorn” is clearly fanciful; it cannot refer to the mythological beast that we associate with the term. The Heb is “reym”, which seems to refer to the ox, with emphasis on its strength (Num 23:22; 24:8; Deu 33:17) and untamable nature (Job 39:9,10). Cp also Psa 22:21; 29:6; Isa 34:7.

FINE OILS HAVE BEEN POURED UPON ME: The king, healed of his leprosy, went up to the house of the Lord on the third day (2Ki 20:5,8) (for priestly inspection: Lev 14:2), and on the seventh day (Lev 14:9) was shaved and pronounced clean and anointed with oil (Lev 14:14-16).

FINE OILS: “Fresh oil” (AV) is lit “green oil” — which either means simply that which is fresh, or that which is made from green or unripe olives. Olive oil was used for light in the sanctuary (Exo 27:20). So, in Psa 92, there are three trees alluded to: the olive (sym light: cp Psa 52:8n); the palm (sym fruit), and the cedar (sym strength and permanence).

Psa 92:11

“Mine eyes also shall see MY DESIRE on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear MY DESIRE on the wicked that rise up against me” (AV). Notice the italics in the AV: Jesus, like his Father, does not desire that any should perish; but in the absence of repentance and faith men will perish, and the Lord the Righteous Judge of all mankind will not shirk to carry out such judgments at the appointed time.

Psa 92:12

Vv 12-15: (NT) The blessedness of those in Christ as they rejoice in their association with a new temple of the Lord. (In the first place, “he” — v 12 — is Christ, and then — in v 13 — “those” who are in him share the same blessings. The “he” contrasts with the plural “they” descriptive of the wicked in v 7.) These do not have to wait for the Kingdom to experience Christ’s “sabbath rest”. Release from the burden of having to earn salvation through “justification by works” is in itself a great rest and relaxation, even now (Heb 4:9-11).

PALM: A sym of Gentile believers (Exo 15:27; Num 33:9), as is the cedar of those native to the Land.

Psa 92:13

There were no trees planted in the court of the temple, at least insofar as is known today. But palm trees and cedars (vv 10,12) were prob present in earlier sanctuaries in Israel, and they were pictorially represented even in the temple of Solomon itself (1Ki 6:18,35). For the idea, cp Eph 3:16,17.

Psa 92:14

Now childless Hezekiah could look forward to fathering a family: his only son Manasseh was born three years after these events (2Ki 21:1; cp the relevant psalms, Psa 127:3-5; 128:3-6).

Psa 93:1

HISTORICAL CONTEXT: Many details link with the days of Hezekiah. Even the allusions to the Song of Moses at the Red Sea (Exo 15) are appropriate as recalling the close resemblances between that first Passover deliverance and the Passover deliverance of Jerusalem from the Assyrians. (Psa 93 was appointed by the Jews for use in the Temple on Passover.)

(NT) The feeding of the 5,000. The multitude sought to make Jesus king (Joh 6:15), but he refused. This brought an acute crisis in the loyalty of the Twelve. So that night Jesus came to them, walking on the stormy waters (Joh 6:18,19) — thus asserting his own power to fulfill Psa 65:7; 77:19; 93:3,4. But the latter context is: “The Lord is King” (v 1). And so Peter was the first to respond to this slowly dawning, but as yet unspoken, truth — that Jesus was the Holy One, the Son of the living God (Joh 6:69, RV; Mat 14:28).

THE LORD REIGNS: Cp Isa 52:7, which primarily concerns the salvation of God coming to Jerusalem in Isaiah’s day. So also Isa 24:23 similarly. Even more impressive is Psa 47:7,8, since Psa 46-48 are unquestionably “Sennacherib” psalms.

HE IS ROBED IN MAJESTY: Suggesting Isa 6:1: “His train filled the temple.”

(NT) Official coronation ceremony. While God has always reigned in the general sense, this psalm suggests a formal undertaking of something new: ie the Kingdom of God upon earth once again! And certainly it will be a new undertaking for Christ!

ARMED WITH STRENGTH: A mighty man preparing himself for battle.

STRENGTH: Along with “established” (v 2), allusions to “Boaz” (Strength) and “Jachin” (Established), the great brazen pillars of the temple (1Ki 7:21). Cp Psa 90:17; 96:10. The pillars, in turn, are emblematic of those who are firmly grounded “in Christ” (Gal 2:9; Rev 3:12).

THE WORLD IS FIRMLY ESTABLISHED; IT CANNOT BE MOVED: Ct Psa 82:5 (from the same period). Hezekiah’s world had apparently crumbled into ruin, but now with God’s authority asserted, all is well.

Psa 93:2

The language of 2Sa 7:16 (hence the phrase “long ago” in v 2).

Psa 93:3

THE SEAS…: Isa language for the Assyrian army (Isa 8:7,8; 17:12,13; 27:1). “Nachar” three times in this v — means a great river, one which can overflow its banks.

THE SEAS HAVE LIFTED UP THEIR POUNDING WAVES: “The floods have lifted up their voice” (AV). A fig allusion to the boastful Assyrian propaganda in Isa 36; 37.

Yahweh’s victory over the “sea”, is compared to Canaanite sea myths: see Lesson, Leviathan.

Psa 93:4

“The Lord on high is mightier than the noise (thunder: NIV, RSV) of many waters” (Psa 89:9). This represents the contest which went on between the gods of Assyria and the God of Israel: Isa 36:18-20; 38:16,17,20.

(NT) This, with v 1, is quoted in Rev 19:6 — at the beginning of Messiah’s reign.

Psa 93:5

FIRM: More exactly, made sure, verified. Isaiah’s repeated declarations of a divine salvation were fully confirmed by experience: Isa 8:2 (sw); Isa 19:20; 43:9,10; 44:8,9; 55:4.

HOLINESS ADORNS YOUR HOUSE: “We must be solid and consistent from outer surface to inner core. If we relax into foolishness or fleshiness in our non-ecclesial activities, our ‘holiness’ is a sham and a delusion. True saints are saints at all times, under all circumstances, or they are not saints at all. Holiness cannot be donned or shed at whim or convenience” (GVG).

(NT) “We must be solid and consistent from outer surface to inner core. If we relax into foolishness or fleshiness in our non-ecclesial activities, our ‘holiness’ is a sham and a delusion. True saints are saints at all times, under all circumstances, or they are not saints at all. Holiness cannot be donned or shed at whim or convenience” (GVG).

Thus Isa 6:3 is brought to fruition: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”

When Yahweh truly reigns (v 1), then all will be holiness to Him (v 5; Zec 14:20,21; cp Psa 97:12; 99:9). But it is also true that, even now, God’s spiritual House is — or should be — holy (1Co 3:17).

Psa 94:1

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: Psa 94, like Psa 132 and a few others, is a fusion of two psalms: (a) Vv 1-15 are very appropriate to the times of Hezekiah, and (b) Vv 16-23 read like a psalm of David in the time of his persecution by Saul. In this section nearly every phrase can be matched to other psalms of that period. This combination of psalms is readily understood, for as David was the Lord’s Anointed who at last came through to a settled kingdom and prosperity, so also was Hezekiah. It is just poss that the whole psalm was David’s originally, but that Hezekiah added certain features here and there — esp in the first part — to mirror his own unique experiences, which were at the same time not that far removed from those of his illustrious ancestor.

Vv 1-4: There is considerable agitation here; the sentences are jerky, and characterized by omission of phrases. The writer is clearly uneasy, and worried and distracted.

O LORD… SHINE FORTH: The acuteness of the crisis when Assyrians besieged Jerusalem demanded a theophany. While the AV has: “shew thyself”, the AV mg and RSV have: “Shine forth”, which describes what happened (Isa 37:36; cp Psa 93:1; 50:2,3). The wicked are proud because their triumph seems inevitable; they are coarse of speech and boastful; they slaughter indiscriminately, and are contemptuous of the power of the LORD. It is a perfect picture of the Sennacherib situation.

Psa 94:3

HOW LONG?: (NT) The constant anxious cry of the Lord’s afflicted (Psa 13:1; 74:10; 79:5; 89:46; etc). These will not avenge themselves, but they desperately desire that God will avenge them (v 1).

Psa 94:6

See Exo 22:22; 23:9; Lev 19:9,15,33,34; Isa 1:17; Jam 1:27. Such a detail here suggests a Davidic authorship — even for the first part of the psalm.

Psa 94:7

Psa 10:4,6,11,13; 12:4; 13:1,2; 50:21. But “they” are the ones who cannot “see”. And the Almighty is the One who can see (v 9 here)!

Psa 94:8

YOU FOOLS, WHEN WILL YOU BECOME WISE?: Implies repeated opportunities to understand God’s purposes, but all of them neglected. There is also, perhaps, an echo of this v in Christ’s words to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus: “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!” (Luk 24:25).

Psa 94:9

HE WHO IMPLANTED THE EAR: Seems to imply that instruction brings growth. Shall the Author of every sense be Himself senseless? He who planted the ear and formed the eye can surely teach man all knowledge (cp Exo 4:11). The sw (as “planted”) occurs in Gen 2:8 — this planting also is to bring forth fruit, as in Act 6:7. In this v fill in the ellipsis thus: Shall he not hear…. the cry of v 3?… Shall he not see… the affliction of vv 5-7?

Psa 94:12

Pro 3:11,12; Heb 12:5-11. Hezekiah certainly saw his own sickness and the great Assyrian tribulation in precisely this light — as the chastening of the Lord.

Psa 94:16

Vv 16-19: These vv are very appropriate to the time of David’s outlaw life, when in one crisis after another Saul’s persecution seemed likely to overwhelm him. In these times David depended on God in a very real sense. “Who will rise up for me?” (v 16) is answered by “The Lord (is) my help” (v 17). In many a place “Your mercy/love” (v 18) means God’s Promises. Even in the evil times David knew himself to be the Lord’s Anointed (1Sa 16:12,13).

Vv 16-23: (NT) Jesus in Gethsemane?

Psa 94:18

This is Peter attempting to walk on the water (Mat 14:30,31; cp Psa 73:2).

Psa 94:20

A CORRUPT THRONE: Describes Saul’s reign readily enough. To whom else could these words apply so well?

(NT) The throne is not Pilate’s, nor Herod’s, but rather that of Annas — who wielded enormous power. What fellowship did he have with the God he pretended to serve? “How can darkness fellowship with light? Darkness must beget darkness, and end in the darkness of the pit” (NPH).

ONE THAT BRINGS ON MISERY BY ITS DECREES: The mischief-maker has the authority (and power) of the Law behind him. So Saul could get away with it when he declared all friends of David to be enemies of the king.

(NT) “It is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish” (Joh 11:48-54). “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God” (Joh 19:7).

Psa 94:21

THE INNOCENT: = David (1Sa 19:5).

(NT) “Innocent blood” (AV) is, in Heb, “naqiy dam”. To a Jewish ear this echoes the essentially Greek name Nicodemus. This secret disciple chastised the Sanhedrin for “judging” the innocent man Jesus without so much as a hearing (Joh 7:50-52)!

Psa 95:1

TITLE: The LXX fills in the blank with “By David” (and cp Heb 4:7). But LXX psalms titles are not necessarily to be relied upon: All the psalms from 94 to 99 have the addition “By David”, but the psalms themselves do not always validate such an ascription. And “in David” (not “by David”) in Heb 4:7 may merely be a shorthand way of saying “in the Book of Psalms” — because David was a chief writer of Psalms. (In like manner, “the Psalms” is used in the NT as a synonym for all of the poetic Writings of Scripture: Luk 24:44.)

HISTORICAL SETTING: Like most other untitled psalms, prob a Hezekiah setting. The exhortation of vv 1,2 to come before Yahweh in worship matches Hezekiah’s strong appeal made to the northern tribes, as well as to his own kingdom, to renew observance of the Passover (2Ch 30:5-13).

ROCK: “Tsur”. Psa 89:26; 94:22; Exo 17:6,7; Deu 32:15.

Psa 95:2

WITH MUSIC AND SONG: Hezekiah’s psalms in Isa 38:20, and poss in Isa 30:29 — where the night of a holy feast = the Passover.

Psa 95:3

ABOVE ALL GODS: The “gods” of Egypt. Here is an allusion back to the first Passover (Exo 12:12). The ten plagues seem to have been designed by God as direct attacks upon specific “gods” of the Egyptians, to show that their “power” was no match for His.

ABOVE ALL GODS: A double meaning: God is above both all human rulers (as in Psa 82:1,6) and above all man-made “gods” (Isa 40:18-20; 45:21,22; etc.).

Psa 95:4

To God belong both the “depths” and the “heights” (RSV) — and so we should rejoice in both trials and blessings. And if the greatest extremes (both of the physical creation and of the lives of His children) belong to God, then of course everything else between those extremes likewise belongs to Him.

THE DEPTHS OF THE EARTH: An allusion to the conduit of Hezekiah leading to Siloam.

THE MOUNTAIN PEAKS: “The strength of the hills” (AV) points to the special Rock of sacrifice on the temple mount.

Psa 95:5

THE SEA… THE DRY LAND: Ref the crossing of the Red Sea.

Psa 95:6

THE LORD OUR MAKER: The words imply a New Creation of men and women. This theme recurs in prophecies and psalms of this period: Psa 145:9,10; 100:3; Isa 29:23; 43:21; cp also Col 1:15,16.

Psa 95:7

THE PEOPLE OF HIS PASTURE: Cp Psa 100:3. Another wilderness allusion, to Israel as God’s “flock” in Sinai (Psa 80:1, notes).

TODAY, IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE: A ref to Hezekiah’s appeal to the ten tribes by messengers and letters — the kind of response which is summed up in 2Ch 30:10,11. “His voice” is God’s voice. So the directive concerning this reformation came from Him (through one of His prophets), and not merely from the king.

Psa 95:8

DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS: As did Pharaoh (Exo 7:14; 8:15,32; 9:7,34; 10:1). Learn from him!

Hard-heartedness is first seen in Pharaoh (Exo 4:21; 7:3,13; 8:15,32; 9:12,34; 10:1,20,27; 11:10; 14:4,8). So when this description is used of anyone in Israel, it is very pointed: ‘You are being like the oppressing Egyptians from whom I have delivered you!’ Cp Deu 15:7; 2Ch 36:13; Psa 95:8; Isa 63:17; Mark 10:5; 16:14; John 12:40; Rom 2:5.

MERIBAH… MASSAH: See Exo 17:7; Num 20:13,24. The beginning and end of wilderness provocation and disloyalty. Both incidents concerned the miraculous provision of water from a Rock (cp v 1 here; 1Co 10:4).

Psa 95:11

See Num. 14:28-30.

As to Hezekiah’s day: The northern kingdom had already been devastated by the Assyrians. Their only hope was salvation through God’s king in Jerusalem.

MY REST: The “rest” which God enjoys and also the “rest” which He is glad to share: Deu 12:9; Num 10:33; 1Ch 28:2; 1Ki 8:56; Mic 2:10; Psa 132:8-14; Isa 66:1; Mat 11:28,29. “Rest” has connection with the “sabbath rest” — as in Heb 3; 4 — and the place where His Ark resides (eg 2Ch 6:41).

Psa 96:1

HISTORICAL SETTING: The mighty “Theophany” in Hezekiah’s reign.

V 1: Cp Psa 33:3; 40:3; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1; Isa 42:10. This v matches Isa 38:20. Note also the marked similarities between Psa 96 and Isa 42:10-12 (and v 9 suggests that the great divine deliverance will have its greater future counterpart).

A NEW SONG: (NT) The song of the 144,000 (Rev 14:1-3), the new song of a New Creation.

ALL THE EARTH: “All the Land!”: Hezekiah’s appeal to all 12 tribes.

Psa 96:4

Vv 4,5: Scornful expressions about idols, because the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem was essentially a challenge to Jehovah by the “gods” of Nineveh (Isa 36; 37). The outcome was foreordained: Jehovah is to be feared above all gods.

Psa 96:5

FOR ALL THE GODS OF THE NATIONS ARE IDOLS: There is a marvelous play on words here: “gods”/”idols” = elohim/elilim. Elilim is a pun and parody on Elohim; the word means “worthless” or “useless” (Job 13:4; Jer 14:14, sw). So Paul writes that “an idol is nothing” (1Co 8:4). Psa 96:13 is cited by Paul on Mars’ Hill (Act 17:31). There the main thrust of his discourse was to undermine the supposed authority of the many idols in Athens — so this psalm (and esp v 5 here) would naturally come to mind.

THE LORD MADE THE HEAVENS: That is, even the sun, moon and stars which the heathen invaders worshiped. Not only was He greater than the other “gods”; He MADE the other “gods”! And He “will make” the “heavens”!: see Isa. 65:17,18; cp Isa 51:16; 66:20,22; Rev 3:12; 21:2,10; Heb 12:22,23; 2Pe 2:13.

Psa 96:8

ASCRIBE TO THE LORD THE GLORY DUE HIS NAME: “To divest ourselves of all pride of achievement and to humble ourselves before the Father is a prerequisite to worshipping Him; for this ought to be our first reason for praying to Him. The scientists who unravel some of the secrets of the molecule and the genes; the astronomer who peers out into frighteningly vast space; and the astronauts who photograph the beauties of nature’s colours on earth, all proclaim the wondrous and mighty works of God. They unfold for us a multitude of reasons for our humble worship of the Father and the Psalms must often put into words for us what we feel about His Majesty” (TNL 94).

Psa 96:10

SAY AMONG THE NATIONS, ‘THE LORD REIGNS’: The destruction of Sennacherib’s army made a mighty impact on surrounding nations (2Ch 32:23). And they had good reason to rejoice (v 11) when the threat of Assyrian domination was swept away (cp Psa 67:2,7; 76:11,12).

Psa 96:11

LET THE HEAVENS REJOICE, LET THE EARTH BE GLAD: In Heb, this reads something like: Yismehu Hashshamayim Wethagel Ha’arez (“Rejoice, heavens; be glad, the earth”). The Massoretes have pointed out that the first letters of these four words form the Tetragrammaton YHWH. Not counting this v, the Covenant Name occurs 11 times in Psa 96 (vv 1,1,2,4,5,7,7,8,9,10,13); counting it, the Name occurs a much more satisfying 12 times!

LET THE SEA RESOUND, AND ALL THAT IS IN IT: Cp Psa 98:7-9, but altogether at variance — as a figure of speech — with the more common usage of Psa 93:3,4; 46:3; Isa 5:30; 57:20; Jer 50:42; and Luk 21:25. Here (and in Psa 98) the roaring sea is a picture of great rejoicing, but elsewhere it is a picture of turmoil and war and revolution.

Psa 96:12

This figurative language is almost literal — the God-given fruitfulness of the Year of Jubilee which God had promised to the wasted Land (Isa 35:1,6,7; 41:18; 43:19; 44:23; 55:12,13; cp Psa 67:6; 81:16; 85:12; 107:35-38; 147:8,9).

Psa 96:13

HE COMES, HE COMES: The repetition (as of “sing” in v 1) suggests a second — and greater — fulfillment. The repetition also suggests an eager expectation — a stretching out, or longing (of the new “Creation”) — for the coming redemption (Rom 8:22). Note the same urgent, almost breathless repetition of “Come” in Rev 22:17,20.

HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD IN RIGHTEOUSNESS: Quoted by Paul on Mars’ Hill (Act 17:31). But those “clever” Athenians would not even be able to recognize the quotation!

TO JUDGE THE EARTH: Very evident in the great destruction of the 185,000 troops in Isa 37:36.

Psa 97:1

HISTORICAL SETTING: The times of Hezekiah. The psalm refs esp to the great “Theophany” at Jerusalem which brought the destruction of Sennacherib’s army (Isa 17:12-14; 29:5,6; 30:30-33; 31:8,9; 37:36). Also, the brief but vigorous onslaught against the “gods” of the heathen (vv 7,9) is an apt rejoinder to the scorn with which the Assyrian enemy derided the nation’s trust in the Lord (Isa 36:7,15,18; 37:10-17). Note also: “A fire… burneth up his enemies round about” (that is, round about Jerusalem) (v 3). And v 8 is a straight quotation of Psa 48:11, which is undoubtedly a Hezekiah/Sennacherib psalm. Also, there are marked similarities with Psa 96: eg the tirade against idols (Psa 96:4,5 = Psa 97:7); the praise of the Lord (Psa 96:1,4-9 = Psa 97:1,8,9,12); and the heavens “speaking” (Psa 96:11 = Psa 97:6). In Psa 97:8, the daughters of Zion rejoice because of God’s judgments — naturally, for otherwise what would have happened to them?

LET THE DISTANT SHORES REJOICE: “Coastlands” (RSV). A favorite Isaiah term (Isa 24:15; 40:15; 41:5; 42:4; etc).

Psa 97:2

Clouds suggest the Shekinah Glory of the Almighty. In the OT God consistently manifested Himself to Israel in the cloud and the fire (Exo 13:21,22; 14:19,20,24; 16:10; 19:16-19; 20:18; 24:15-19; 33:18-21 with Exo 34:4-7; 40:34-38; Num 10:34; 12:5,10; 14:9,10,14,21,22; Deu 31:14,15; Psa 104:3; 105:39; 1Co 10:1,2). In such He appeared also to David (Psa 18:6-15); Ezekiel (Eze 1:4; 10:4); Elijah (1Ki 19:11-13); Solomon (1Ki 8:10,11); Job (Job 38:1); and the apostles (Luk 9:34,35). The clouds of glory are associated with the judgments of God (Joe 2:2; Zep 1:15; Eze 30:3; Isa 19:1; 25:5). As Jesus ascended in such clouds (Act 1:9), so he will return in clouds (Act 1:11; Luk 21:27; Mat 26:64; Rev 1:7; 14:14-16; Dan 7:13).

Psa 97:6

Cp, for example, Mat 24:30.

Psa 97:7

Here is the abolition of all false “gods”, not just the ancient variety (which “died out” long ago in many countries), but also the profusion of modern “deities” — materialism, pleasure-seeking, science, communism, socialism, humanism, and the like.

ALL YOU GODS: “Elohim” is used of human rulers in Exo 7:1; 21:6; 22:8,9,28; 23:20,21; 1Sa 2:25; 28:13; Psa 82:1,6; 138:1.

Psa 97:8

THE VILLAGES OF JUDAH: “Daughters of Judah” (AV) (cp Psa 48:11). The smaller cities of Judah are called “daughters” because they are the smaller satellites of the “mother” Jerusalem (this figure of speech is quite common: Psa 87:2-6; Isa 54:1-5; 66:7,8,13; Gal 4:26). Psa 9:14 refs to the “gates” of the “daughter” of Zion — clearly indicating a town of some sort (cp Isa 10:32; Jos 15:45,47, etc — where “towns” is literally “daughters”).

Psa 97:9

FOR YOU, O LORD, ARE THE MOST HIGH: “Most High” = Elyon. In Psa 89:27 this describes the Messiah, son of David: “My firstborn, higher (Elyon) than the kings of the earth.”

YOU ARE EXALTED FAR ABOVE ALL GODS: “Elohim”. This is Phi 2:9; Eph 4:10 and esp Eph 1:21.

Psa 97:10

LET THOSE WHO LOVE THE LORD HATE EVIL: “We are often reminded that one of the most straightforward ways to show our love for God is to develop along with Him a hatred for evil. This is very hard to do as we are so inextricably tied up with evil in all our natural ways, but it is presented as being possible — so it gives us something to strive for” (PC).

Psa 97:11

LIGHT IS SHED: Or “Light is sown” (AV). An unusual phrase. Is this an allusion to the High Priest withdrawing Urim (lights) and Thummim (perfection) from his breastplate, the action being somewhat like that of a man taking seed out of a pouch and sowing it broadcast? In Christ’s parable of the Sower, the seed represents the “word of the kingdom” — which is of course the “light” of truth (Mat 13:19). The end result of its sowing is that, after the “harvest”, the fruit of that seed will be the righteous, who “shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Mat 13:43). The RSV has, by a slight change (favored by some texts): “Light dawns” — this is the dawn of a new morning after the great storm (vv 2-5) has swept away all vestiges of wickedness. “Dawn” also sym resurrection (Psa 110:3; Isa 26:19).

Psa 98:1

A PSALM: This is the only psalm with such an abbreviated title — so that it is sometimes called “the orphan psalm”. Doubtless this title once had special significance, but today nobody knows what that was. Most likely the author is Isaiah. There are such marked resemblances that this psalm might well be termed a mosaic of Isaiah’s phrasing.

HISTORICAL SETTING: A dramatic ct between the misery occasioned by the Assyrian invasion on the one hand, and on the other the great salvation brought by the Angel of the Lord. This salvation leads on to a matchless Year of Jubilee and a period of unexampled prosperity and blessing, and imparts a unique reality to the phrasing of the psalm.

A NEW SONG: The situation calls for a new song (cp Psa 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1), for nothing like it had happened since Israel’s deliverance from Egypt (hence the frequent reference in Isaiah to that salvation); cp the language of Exo 15:1,2,6,7.

(NT) Echoed time and again in the Apocalypse (Rev 5:9-14; 11:16,17; 14:1-3; 19:4-8).

MARVELOUS THINGS: Cp Psa 106:7); “the standard term for the miraculous interventions of God” (Kidner).

HIS HOLY ARM: (NT) His holy arm, shown in power (Isa 59:16; 63:5), is Jesus, now glorified (Isa 53:1).

Psa 98:3

HE HAS REMEMBERED HIS LOVE AND HIS FAITHFULNESS TO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL: (NT) Both Mary and Zacharias went instinctively to these words when contemplating the fulfillment of the great Messianic purpose through Jesus and John (Luk 1:54,72). Mary’s Song, esp, contains a number of connections with this psalm. The Covenants of Promise: Mic 7:21. “Mercy”, because freely given to sinners irrespective of merit. “Truth”, because the fulfillment of God’s Promises is absolutely certain.

ALL THE ENDS OF THE EARTH: Or “the Land”. Hezekiah’s appeal had gone a long way towards reuniting the nation (2Ch 30:5-11).

THE SALVATION OF OUR GOD: Literally seen in the mighty theophany described in Psa 97:1-5; Isa 37:36.

Psa 98:5

Vv 5,6: This suggests a special service of praise in the Temple, in thanksgiving for a great deliverance.

Psa 98:6

TRUMPETS: Associated with resurrection (1Co 15:52; 1Th 4:16; Rev 11:15-18). Trumpets also signaled the coronation or approach of a king (1Ki 1:34,39; 2Ki 9:13; 11:12,14), and therefore accompanied the Ark to Zion (1Ch 15:24,28; 16:6,42) — because it represented the real presence of God, the true King of Israel.

Psa 99:1

HISTORICAL SETTING: Like the others in this group, the awe-inspiring theophany in Hezekiah’s reign, a manifestation which destroyed Sennacherib’s army and saved Jerusalem.

THE LORD REIGNS: Psa 93:1; 97:1. Despite the boastful blasphemy of Rabshakeh, Yahweh (and not Sennacherib) is the great King.

LET THE NATIONS TREMBLE: Not only Assyrians, but “sinners in Zion” were afraid of the majesty of the Lord (Isa 33:14).

(NT) How many prophecies of the kingdom have terrifying pictures of earthquakes (Isa 2:10,19; Zec 14:4; Rev 6:12; 11:19; 16:18)!

HE SITS ENTHRONED BETWEEN THE CHERUBIM: “He sitteth above (not ‘between’) the cherubim” (AV) (Psa 80:1; cp Exo 25:21,22; Lev 16:2; 2Ch 7:1,2; Isa 37:16), as described in Eze 1:26-28; the ark of the covenant was his footstool (v 5). “He sits enthroned upon the cherubim” (RSV).

LET THE EARTH SHAKE: “The Lord of all the earth” is a title of God esp connected with the Cherubim (see on Psa 97:5). Evidently the great deliverance was also associated with earthquake (Psa 18:7,10; 97:4; Isa 6:4).

Psa 99:2

The sight of the Shekinah Glory is particularly associated with this period (as with the time of Moses and Aaron): Isa 6:2; 30:30-33; 37:36; 38:8.

Psa 99:3

See Isa 31:8,9. “Terrible” (AV for “awesome”) is certainly the right word!

Psa 99:4

“Strength… establish” are specific allusions, again, to Boaz and Jachin — the twin pillars of the Temple (1Ki 7:21).

Psa 99:5

HIS FOOTSTOOL: The Ark of the Covenant, and the Temple — where the Almighty resides (Psa 132:7; Lam 2:1; 1Ch 28:2; Isa 60:13; 66:1).

HE IS HOLY: “And the four beasts… rest not day and night, saying, ‘Holy, holy, holy (3 times!: cp Psa 99:3,5,9 here), Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come’ ” (Rev 4:8).

Psa 99:6

MOSES AND AARON… SAMUEL: Moses and Aaron were prophet and priest. Samuel was both. All these offered sacrifice, made a covenant, interceded (Samuel means ‘God hears him’: see v 6), and had experience of the cloudy pillar. And all three knew both the vengeance and the forgiveness of God.

Moses and Samuel are mentioned together again in Jer 15:1, as outstanding examples of intercessors on behalf of Israel; thus, in a slightly more general sense than Aaron, they were both his priests also. This ref to Samuel is appropriate enough, for through his intercession there was more than once a “theophany” and a deliverance of Israel: 1Sa 7:8-10 (and note how v 14 had its counterpart in Hezekiah’s time); 1Sa 8:7; 12:12 (‘the Lord reigneth’), 1Sa 8:19,23 (Samuel’s intercession; cp Hezekiah’s in Isa 37:15-20).

In speaking of these three men together and in this way, the psalmist is demonstrating, almost incidentally, that he believed in the God of the living and not the dead, and that there WILL be a resurrection (cp Mat 22:32; Mar 12:27; Luk 20:38)!

Psa 99:7

HE SPOKE TO THEM FROM THE PILLAR OF CLOUD: Exo 13:21; Num 12:5; 14:14; Deu 31:15. Cp also the description of Christ’s coming, “in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Mat 24:30; see Psa 97:2n). This will be God’s ultimate, and climactic, “speaking” with men!

Psa 99:8

Vengeance and forgiveness were the double experience of Hezekiah’s reign. Vengeance: Isa 8:7; 10:5,6. Forgiveness — shown by the dramatic deliverance. The Name of Yahweh comprehends both awesome judgment and infinite mercy (Exo 34:6,7).

A FORGIVING GOD: (NT) Only poss when God’s people repent: and it will be such a repentance that brings the 2nd Coming (see refs, Psa 81:13,14).

THOUGH YOU PUNISHED THEIR MISDEEDS: (1) of Moses and Aaron’s days: the golden calf; (2) of Samuel’s day: the ark being superstitiously carried into battle. And — of Christ’s day — the various “traditions of men” that nullified the gospel message he preached.