Psalm 99:9 Holy God

Psalm 99: 9 Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy.

Psalm 99 calls for fear and for worship that exalts him. Let the nations tremble it says. More than one reason is given for this (The LORD reigns, ... he is Great in Zion and exalted over all the nations ... his name is awesome ... The King is mighty, he loves justice ... he hears prayer and speaks ... and is a forgiving God, though he punishes misdeeds.) The chief thing, however, is his holiness. Three times it says he is holy. In verse 3 we read  Let them praise your great and awesome name - he is holy. Verse 5 I similar, Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy. Verse 9 acts as a sort of summary of the whole - Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy. Perhaps these other characteristics - sovereignty, greatness, might, justice, hearing, speaking forgiving, punishing - can be thought of as aspects of his holiness. Such characteristics plead that he should be feared and honoured. His holy mountain is no longer confined to one place but is everywhere. The important thing is that he is exalted and worshipped for he is holy.

Psalm 98:1 New Songs

Psalm 98:1 Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvellous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.

Headed A Psalm, Psalm 98 begins with a call to Sing to the Lord a new song. The occasion for this new song is not given in any detail but in some way The Lord had again made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations ... remembering his love and his faithfulness to Israel. In so doing he added to the effect that has meant that all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God entailing that there should be a worldwide response. And so the psalm says (4) Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with harp and voice, trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn. Things are then taken one step further as he speaks of the animate and inanimate creation rejoicing too - the sea resounding and everything in it ... rivers clapping their hands, ... mountains singing together for joy. All this is an anticipation of the final new song that will be sung at the end when God will come to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity. Thus the new song of eternity and the new songs we sing today when we see God act in wonderful ways are linked. He does marvellous things and will continue to do so. He alone works salvation for himself. This is seen in part today but will be seen fully at the end of time.

Psalm 97:9 Most High

Psalm 97:9 For you, Lord, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.

The opening phrase of Psalm 97 is The Lord reigns. It is this fact that is celebrated in the psalm, along with the justice of that reign. It begins by speaking of his reign over the pagan world (1-6) and concluding (7) All who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols— worship him, all you gods!  It goes on to speak of the joy his reign brings to the people of God (Zion) and calls on them to respond by living righteous lives and praising him. He reigns over the pagan world by showing himself in the lightning storm. He comes surrounded by clouds and thick darkness  ... Fire going before him and consuming his foes on every side. His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles. These are only examples of his general revelation but together they proclaim his righteousness, and all peoples see his glory. His own people also see it, even more clearly and know, as verse 9 declares that the Lord, the true God, is the Most High over all the earth; he is exalted far above all gods. The suggestion is not that there are many gods and that the Lord is number one. Rather, even given the pagan view of things, the Lord nevertheless shows himself to be the Most High in fact. We must respond by hating evil, trusting in him and rejoicing with praise.