Matthew Poole and continuators on Psalms 99

1 THE LORD reigneth, let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cheruhims , let the earth be moved .

To wit, such as are Enemies to God and to his people.

Upon the Ark. See 1 Sam. 4. 4. He is present with his people to protect them and to punish their Enemies.

The people of the Earth, by comparing this clause with the former.

To wit, with fear and trembling, as in the former clause.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] ▪ 93. 1.; [illegible: 1 word] ▪ 80. 1.; [illegible: 1 word] ▪ [illegible: 1+ letters]gger.

2 The LORD is great in Zion , and he is high above all people .

In the Hebrew Text the words lie in this order, The Lord in Zion (i. e. which dwelleth in Zion, as is said Psal. 9. 11. Isa. 8. 18. Ioel 3. 21.) is great.

Above all the people of the Earth, of whom he spake v. 1. who shall exalt themselves against him.

3 Let them praise thy great and terrible name: for it is holy .

To wit, all people last mentioned

For it is not onely great but holy, and therefore most praise-worthy.

4 The kings strength also loveth judgment : thou dost establish equity , thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob .

Though his Dominion be absolute and uncontroulable and his power irresistible, yet he doth not abuse it to tyranny and oppression, as the Princes of the World commonly do, but tempers and manageth it with righteousness, and not onely doth judge justly, but, which is more, loves to do so. The Kings strength is by a known Hebraism put for the strong, or powerful King.

To wit, in all thy proceedings. Equity is thy constant and stable course.

Amongst thine own people; whom, when they do amiss, he punisheth no less than other people, as he notes below v. 8. whereby he sheweth that he is no respecter of persons, but a righteous and impartial Judge to all sorts of men.

Marginal references: Psal. 98. 6.

5 Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his foot-stool : for he is holy .

Before the Ark; which is so called 1 Chron. 28. 2. Psal. 132. 7.

Or rather, for it (to wit, the Ark) is holy: it is consecrated to be a pledge of Gods presence and the onely place of Gods publick worship.

Marginal references: Or, it is holy.

6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name : they called upon the LORD, and he answered them .

He presseth them to perform the duty of praising and worshipping God by the examples of three eminent persons who practised this duty, and that with happy success. He reckoneth Moses among the Priests not without cause, partly because before the institution of the Priesthood he executed that office, Exod. 24. 6. Numb. 7. and partly because he oft interceded to God for the people; which was a very considerable part of the Priests work. See Numb. 6. 23, &c. Ioel 2. 17.

Who used frequently and solemnly to intercede with God on the behalf of the people. So the general expression is here used synecdochically for this particular kind of prayer: such Synecdoche's being very frequent in Scripture.

Moses, Exod. 32. and elsewhere; Aaron, Numb. 16. Samuel, 1 Sam. 7. 19. and 12. 19. Compare Ier. 15. 1.

7 He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them .

i. e. To some of them; for the expression is only indefinite and therefore doth not necessarily reach to all of them: to Moses frequently; to Aaron, Exod. 19. 24. and 33. 9, 10, 11. Numb. 12. 5. And for Samuel, he answered him if not by words yet really and by his actions, thundering against the Philistins, 1 Sam. 7. 9, &c. which supposeth a Cloud, if not a Cloudy Pillar.

This is added not onely for their commendation but for the instruction of the Israelites to teach them that God will not hear the Prayers of them who do not keep his Commandments.

8 Thou answerdest them , O LORD our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them a, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions .

The intercessours beforementioned. Either 1. Moses and Aaron, who did sin, and whose sins God did pardon, yet so as that he did punish them with exclusion from the land of Canaan; of which see Numb. 20. 12. Deut. 32. 50, 51. Or rather 2. the people for whom they prayed; which though not expressed may be easily understood from the following words and from the Histories to which these words relate. For this forgiving was evidently the effect of Gods answering the Prayers of the persons above mentioned. And therefore as their Prayers recorded in Scripture were not for the pardon of their own sins, but for the pardon of the peoples sins, so this forgiveness granted was for the sins of the people. And whereas the people are not here mentioned; it must be remembred that in Scripture the relative is frequently put without the antecedent, as it is Numb. 7. 89. and 114. 2. Prov. 14. 26.

This clause limits and explains the former. Thou didst forgive the sins of the people not absolutely and universally, for thou didst punish them severely, but so far as not to inflict that total and final destruction upon them which they deserved, and thou hadst threatned. See Exod. 32. 10, 14, 34.

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

Either in Zion: or in his Church typified by it, and oft called Zion.