Our God Is Holy – Psalm 99

This Psalm reveals the sovereign authority of God—the Creator who not only made all things but continues to govern them flawlessly. In His wisdom, the Almighty entrusted a measure of His authority to mankind, whom He created in His own image. Tragically, through disobedience, mankind forfeited this governing authority to the devil. As a result, the deceiver positioned himself as the ruler over what God had created.

Confident in his deceit, the devil even dared to claim ownership of the world before the Son of Man, boasting that he could give its riches and kingdoms to anyone who worshipped him. This arrogance was fueled by the fact that people indeed sought worldly blessings by worshipping him. Many, deceived by fear, began to believe that the devil could overpower God at times and bring trouble upon believers.

Taking this deception further, people began labelling certain places as strongholds of the devil and prayed to God for breakthroughs in those areas—as though God’s authority were somehow limited or obstructed there.

God’s Great And Awesome Name

The LORD reigns, let the nations tremble;
he sits enthroned between the cherubim,
let the earth shake. Great is the LORD in Zion;
he is exalted over all the nations.
Let them praise your great and awesome name —
he is holy. – Psalm 99:1-3 (NIV)

In the office of the President of a nation, high decorum is maintained, and strict protocols are established to uphold the hierarchy. To preserve the dignity of the office, numerous individuals are appointed to various roles. Among them is the communications department, which conveys development-focused initiatives to the public. Additionally, a multilayered security system is in place—not only to ensure the safety of the President but also to reflect the elevated standards of the office. Though the President occasionally addresses the nation to bring calm during crises, he does not need to repeatedly assert his authority; the prestige and protocol surrounding the office communicate it clearly.

Likewise, a lion does not need to proclaim its kingship over the jungle—its roar and confident stride declare its dominion over all. In the same way, though our Father God is invisible, His sovereign nature is evident through His governance. There is no need for Him to prove who He is—His power and authority are made known through the order and majesty of His rule.

It is, however, the responsibility of His children to reflect His Majesty and Holiness to the world. Sadly, while many outwardly profess devotion, their attention is often consumed by everything but God. This inconsistency makes it difficult for others to perceive the true Majesty and Holiness of God. Unless we ourselves uphold His standards, the world will struggle to recognise who God truly is.

Still, maintaining His standards does not preserve His dignity—God is inherently Holy, and nothing we do can add to His Holiness. Rather, we are called to reveal Him to others. Indeed, it is not difficult to present Him as the Holy One, for there is none other like Him. This Psalm powerfully affirms that truth by proclaiming His Holiness to all people.

God Loves Justice

The King is mighty, he loves justice — you have established equity;
in Jacob you have done what is just and right. Exalt the LORD our God
and worship at his footstool; he is holy. -Psalm 99:4-5 (NIV)

Who does not love justice in this world? Indeed, everyone loves justice, and some await it in their homes. But there is a vast difference in the way God loves justice and we love justice. Because His justice overrides all prejudices, but our justice relies on prejudice. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, emphasised the trend of the world, which strives to suppress the truth with wickedness (Romans 1:18).

God expects us to do just and right when the whole world finds pleasure in doing injustice. At the same time, no one is happy to face the same injustice when it comes to them. God let His desire be known to people through the prophet Micah: He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).

The scripture tells us that God knew that Abraham would do what is just and right, and for this reason, He has chosen him. Doing justly and rightly is all about telling the next generation, our children, about what God has done and instructing them to abide with Him. Often, we fail in doing so, because even though we receive what we need, we pray to God and ask our children also to pray.

But once we have received what we desired from God, we boast to our children that we did everything and we fail to give glory to His name, and thereby, our children do not have a chance to understand God and His faithfulness. However, whether our desires are met or not, it is our foremost duty to come to His footstool and worships Him, because He is Holy.

Storytelling Was Necessitated

Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
Samuel was among those who called on his name;
they called on the LORD and he answered them.
He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud;
they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them.
LORD our God, you answered them; you were to Israel a forgiving God,
though you punished their misdeeds. – Psalm 99:6-8(NIV)

Before the Torah was compiled, the Glory and Majesty of God were passed down through generations by storytelling—educating the next generation about His mighty deeds. Later, this responsibility was formalised in God’s instruction found in Deuteronomy (6:6-9). However, even before this written command, faith in God was handed down orally.

When the ancestors recounted what God had done for them, they spoke of figures like Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, helping their children understand that God speaks and answers prayers. But it is equally important to emphasise that the works of the living God were not limited to priests and prophets of the past—they remain accessible to us today in various forms and experiences.

Although God did punish the Israelites for their wrongdoings, He also forgave them. Sadly, even today, children are often taught only about God’s judgment and punishment, while His love and mercy are seldom highlighted. As a result, children grow up learning to fear God but rarely to love Him. This fear breeds doubt, and when their doubts are not addressed, they slowly drift away from God.

Hence, it is important to tell our children that though God punished people in ancient times, presently He has decided not to punish us for our inequities but to punish His Son Jesus on our behalf, so that by the righteousness of Jesus, we too become righteous.

Exalt Our God

This Psalm concludes by highlighting the personal relationship we share with God. The psalmist confidently refers to Him as our God. In contrast, when God chose to withdraw His kingdom from Saul, Saul began referring to Him as the God of Samuel. This shift is telling—many of us tend to identify with God only when we experience His blessings, but in times of discipline or hardship, we may begin to distance ourselves, referring to Him merely as the God of our ancestors.

When God refers to Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, it is not simply to emphasise His relationship with our forefathers. Rather, it reveals a deeper truth: our God is the God of the living. Though Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob physically died, they died believing in Him and thus live even now. If we share that same faith, we too will live with Him forever.

The concept of worshipping God on a holy mountain originated when God called His people to Mount Sinai to hear His commandments. However, worship limited to mountaintops has become obsolete. Through the resurrection of His Son, God has given us His Spirit, making it possible to worship Him wherever we are. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we experienced this reality firsthand—and that provision continues even now. Beyond designated places of worship, God—being Spirit—enables us to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

In situations where religious fundamentalism seeks to restrict us from calling upon God—mistakenly identifying Him as a “Christian” God—we can still confidently call Him our Holy God. For our God is the living God, and He alone is Holy. In doing so, we are not offending others’ beliefs but simply affirming the truth of His nature. Praise be to the One who is Holy and who has chosen us to be His children.

Father God, thank You for granting us the gift of sonship and making us Your forgiven children. Even though we fall short, You have chosen to dwell with us. Help us never to take Your Majesty and Holiness lightly. You alone are worthy of worship—yesterday, today, and forever. Amen.