Tehillim 99 | The Kingship of God

Psalm 99 speaks of God's kingship, as manifested through His providence. In the first section of the psalm, God’s sovereignty over the entire world is described: “Great is the Lord in Zion; He is exalted over all the people” (99:2). In the second section the poet emphasizes His providence over the people of Israel: “Justice and righteousness in Yaakov is your doing” (99:4). In the third section it is described how the righteous individuals within Israel, merit a more intimate divine providence: “Moshe and Aharon of His priests, and Samuel of those who call on His name — they would call to the Lord, and He answered them” (99:6). Each section concludes with a call to exalt and praise God’s name, and with a mention of His holiness. In Daat Mikra commentary, Amos Hakham suggests that the threefold mention of God’s holiness in the psalm mirrors the triple “holy, holy, holy” in the vision of Yeshayahu (Yeshayahu 6:3) — reflecting three distinct realms or dimensions in which God's holiness is revealed.

There are notable parallels between Psalms 97 and 99. Both begin with the proclamation “The Lord reigns / is king,” [=in Hebrew they are both "ה' מלך"] and both describe the reaction of “the earth” to God's kingship. In Psalm 97, the reaction is one of joy: “The Lord is king; let the earth rejoice” (97:1), while in Psalm 99, it is one of trembling: “The Lord reigns – let the people tremble; He sits enthroned on the cherubim — let the earth quake” (99:1). These contrasting responses are echoed in the closing lines of each psalm as well. Psalm 97 ends with a call to rejoice in God: “Rejoice in the Lord, righteous ones; give thanks to His holy name” (97:12), while Psalm 99 concludes with a call to exalt God: “Exalt the Lord our God and bow at His holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy” (99:9). These two responses are both essential aspects of God’s kingship. Great joy and deep reverence and fear.

In the attached article from Yeshivat Har Etzion's website, Rav Elchanan Samet highlights literary pairings across this whole unit of psalms, noting that the parallels often occur between non-adjacent psalms, creating a woven structure of psalms that underscores the unity as a single literary composition. Psalm 95 parallels Psalm 100; Psalm 96 parallels Psalm 98; and Psalm 97 parallels Psalm 99 (see attached image). We encourage you to explore the article and examine these correspondences more closely.