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Psalm 99 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
God is holy.
Let them praise Your great and awe-inspiring name. He is holy.
Psalms 99:3 HCSB
Exalt the LORD our God; bow in worship at His footstool. He is holy.
Psalms 99:5 HCSB
Exalt the LORD our God; bow in worship at His holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy.
Psalms 99:9 HCSB
The threefold emphasis of God’s holiness here in Psalm 99 parallels the familiar phrase we read throughout Scripture as God is described as being holy, holy, holy.
And one called to another: Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; His glory fills the whole earth.
Isaiah 6:3 HCSB
Each of the four living creatures had six wings; they were covered with eyes around and inside. Day and night they never stop, saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, the Almighty, who was, who is, and who is coming.
Revelation 4:8 HCSB
The reason this is significant is because Psalm 99 is touching on what heavenly creatures close to God’s throne already know. In both the Isaiah passage and the Revelation passage, the men writing have been caught up in heaven and are standing before God’s throne. In both instances, a heavenly creature utters the phrase, “holy, holy, holy.” What does this phrase mean?
First, it is important to understand that out of all the attributes of God holiness is probably the most difficult to understand. God is holy and we are not. Our nature is sin and His is righteousness. The attributes that we share with God are much easier to grasp than the ones that are outside our reality. It’s kind of like trying to wrap your mind around His omnipresence (being everywhere at the same time) or His omnipotence (having unlimited power). They are foreign concepts to us.
So why the repetitive holy, holy holy? This kind of expression was common in ancient Israel. Repeating a word or phrase three times illustrated intense confidence and completeness. The angelic creatures around God’s throne are enthusiastically expressing the supreme holiness of God with the threefold statement. In addition, this is an interesting concept that God chose to reveal the truth about Himself to human minds. For instance, the threefold revelation of the Godhead comes in the form of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Each plays a specific role but shares in the perfect oneness of holiness and majesty.
We have a habit of comparing ourselves to others. When we begin to understand the holiness of God, like those who were swept into His heavenly presence, we realize just how wretched and sinful we really are. We come to the conclusion that we need a Mediator to deliver us. Jesus became our sin so that we could be free to choose holiness.