Outstanding Leaders Like Christ – Psalm 99

“The Lord reigns. Let the peoples tremble! He dwells between the cherubim. Let the earth be moved! The Lord is great in Zion, and He is high above all the peoples.” Psalm 99:1-2

The Lord commanded ten plagues on Egypt, and Egypt yielded and bowed to His mighty power. The proud Pharaoh and his mighty army learned that the Lord reigns over all kings. In Exodus 5:2, the Pharoah said to Moses, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.” In Exodus 12:32, the Pharaoh said to Moses, “You and the Israelites must leave my people at once. Go, worship the Lord as you asked.”

In Revelation 6:12-17, after Messiah opens the sixth seal, the earth quakes, the sun turns black, the moon turns red, stars fall, and mountains and islands move. “And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in caves and among the rocks in the mountains. They said to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us, and hide us from the face of the Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to endure it?’”

In Hebrews 10:31, we read, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

The Lord brought His people to Mount Sinai, and gave them His laws. The giving of the law at Mount Sinai was a genuinely terrifying experience for the people of Israel. In Exodus 19:18, we read, “Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.” [1]

“He dwells between the cherubim.” The cherubim are winged beings... angels. In Revelation 5:11, John saw myriads of myriads and thousands and thousands (millions) of angels around God’s throne. In Revelation 5:12, they said with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

The most iconic part of the Ark of the Covenant are the two cherubim that form the Mercy Seat. [2] They faced each other, one from each end of the lid with the Mercy Seat between them. The Mercy Seat was where the High Priest poured the atoning blood of a lamb to atone for the sins of the people. God’s presence could be felt there. The Mercy Seat represented Christ.

After Christ paid for our sins on the cross, and after He was buried, later on the third day, when Mary showed up to anoint His body, He was not there. Instead, she found two angels, one at the head and the other at the feet where Christ had been placed (John 20:11-18). This is the imagery of the Ark of the Covenant which Christ fulfilled.

“Let them praise Your great and awesome Name—He is holy.” Psalm 99:1-3

In Mark 16:20, we read that after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the disciples “went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.” In Acts 4:24, they glorified the Lord, saying, “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them.” In Act 4:29-30, they prayed, “Grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your Word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the Name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” They wanted everyone to know the greatness and awesomeness of the Name of Jesus.

When I was in Hong Kong, I prayed for many days that God would work signs and wonders in the Name of Jesus. Afterwards, an American short-term missionary suffered a head injury while playing soccer with prisoners at a detention center. He said, “My arm! My leg are paralyzed!” An ambulance was called. The Holy Spirit assured me a that he would be healed. After some persuasion, I was granted permission to lay my hand on him and pray for him. After I placed my hand on his leg, and spoke the Name of Jesus, he was healed and testified, “I’m better! I’m okay!” By the time an ambulance arrived, he was standing and walking. Glory to God!

“The King’s strength also loves justice. You have established equity. You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool—He is holy.” Psalm 99:4-5

Jesus, our King, loves justice so much that He was willing to fill the gap that existed between our unrighteousness and God’s righteousness. In Romans 7:24-25, the Apostle Paul wrote, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” In other words, there was no hope that Paul’s righteousness, nor yours, nor mine would ever measure up to God’s acceptable standard, so Christ took our sins and gave us His righteousness when He died on the cross and resurrected for our resurrection.

“You have established equity. You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.” In Deuteronomy 4:7–8, Moses declared that no other nation on earth had a God so near to them or laws so righteous as those given by the Lord to His people. [3]

“Worship at His footstool.” In Luke 10:38-42, while her sister Martha was busy hosting and preparing meals, Mary chose to sit and quietly listen to Jesus’ teachings. Meditating on God’s Word is a way to worship Him. Jesus commended Mary for sitting at His feet, and for choosing the good portion that would not be taken from her. In ancient times, sitting at someone’s feet was a posture that indicated an intent to be a dedicated disciple. [4]

“He is holy.” In Isaiah 6:2–3, the angels themselves veil their faces before Him and cry thrice, “Holy, holy, holy.” Since angels honor God’s holiness with great reverence, we too should honor God with awe-filled adoration. [5]

“Moses and Aaron were among His priests, and Samuel was among those who called upon His Name. They called upon the Lord, and He answered them.” Psalm 99:6

God provided for Israel three outstanding leaders in Moses, Aaron, and Samuel. These men were renowned for their faith in God. They honored God by leading Israel to serve the Lord.

God formed Israel into a nation via Moses and Aaron. [6]

During the time of Judges, Israel began to worship idols. Every man began doing what was right in his own eyes. Then, God spoke to and through Samuel to them. In 1 Samuel 3:19, we read that as “Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.” God used Samuel to revive faith in God and to prepare Israel for the rule of King David.

Samuel’s name means, “heard of God.” His mother was a woman of prayer. Samuel was born after she prayed for a son. In 1 Samuel 7:5-10, when the Philistines mobilized to attack the Israelites, Samuel cried out to the Lord. In response to his prayer, God sent thunder to scare the Philistines away. In 1 Samuel 12:23, he told the people of Israel, “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you.” Samuel was a man of prayer.

“He spoke to them in the cloudy pillar. They kept His testimonies and the ordinance He gave them.” Psalm 99:7

In Exodus 16:10, we read, “As Aaron spoke to the entire congregation of the sons of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.”

In Exodus 33:10-11, we read, “Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. ...So the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.”

Moses, Aaron and Samuel kept God’s testimonies and obeyed His ordinances. Exodus 40:16 says of Moses, “Thus Moses did; according to all that the Lord had commanded him, so he did.” Aaron and Samuel likewise sought to faithfully follow the Lord and to help others do the same.

The psalmist reminds Israel of their blessings to strengthen their faith in God. [7]

“You answered them, O Lord our God. You were to them God-Who-Forgives, though You took vengeance on their deeds.” Psalm 99:8

God responded to the mediation efforts of Moses, Aaron and Samuel on behalf of Israel.

In Psalm 106:23, we read, “had not Moses, His chosen one, stood in the breach before Him, to turn away His wrath from destroying them (Israel).” In this way, Moses was like Christ.

Jesus Christ went to the cross to absorb the wrath of God that we deserved for our sin.

In Numbers 16:47-48, we read that Aaron took a censer as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly... he put in the incense and made atonement for the people. He stood between the dead and the living, so the plague was stopped.”

In 1 Samuel 7:9, we read, “Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. Then, Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him.”

In response to the mediation of Moses, Aaron and Samuel, God forgave Israel. Though He disciplined them for their wrongdoing, He did not utterly destroy them. [8] God was gracious toward the people for the sake of those faithful servants who pleaded on their behalf.

These events stand as powerful examples of God’s gracious rule over Israel, demonstrating His unique relationship with His covenant people. [9]

Thus, the psalmist calls people to...

“Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His holy hill, for the Lord, our God is holy.” Psalm 99:9

God’s holiness is displayed not only in His law but also in His gracious work of redemption. [10]

Like Mary who sat at the feet of Jesus, let us quiet ourselves before the Lord, let us hear what His Spirit is saying, and then, worship and serve Him. He reigns! Glory, blessing and thanksgiving be unto our God forever and ever. Amen!


[1-10] Material developed and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary