By Eric Taylor
Pastor, Cedar Hill Baptist Church, Cedar Hill
Focal Passage: Psalm 99:1-9
Psalm 99 is part of a group of five psalms (Psalms 95-99) that are called by most scholars, “Royal Psalms,” or “Coronation Psalms.” They are a group of Psalms that exalt God as Creator, the righteous Judge, and the Sovereign Lord who forgives and saves.
Well, in the last of these five psalms extolling the greatness of our God, we are taught that God is our King, and therefore, He is to be worshiped as King over all! The question is, are we committed to worshiping God as King over all?
First, we worship God because He is our exalted King. In verses 1-3, the psalmist writes, “The Lord reigns …” In other words, we worship God because He is the Sovereign One over all people and places. His holy throne is higher than any human throne. The psalmist declares that God is “high above all the peoples.” In other words, God alone is to be worshiped, because no human prince, president, or potentate can compare to our great God.
He is seated, enthroned and dwells above all others, and we worship Him as our great God! Therefore, we praise and worship our God because His name is “great and awesome.”
Second, we worship God because He is the Just One. Whereas, human leaders are often unjust, unfair, and crooked, God will never disappoint.
In verse 4, God is declared as the One who “loves justice,” who is fair and “righteous.” The word “justice” can be translated as, “judgment,” meaning that God always make the right judgments, decisions, and determinations. The word, “equity,” can also be translated as “fair.”
Third, we worship the Lord because He is holy. In verses 5 and 9, the psalmist says, “Exalt the Lord our God … He is holy.” One of the most important aspects of our worship is to understand who it is we worship. We worship a God who is holy.
Matter of fact, in Leviticus 10:3, God says, “I must be regarded as holy.” In I Samuel 2:2, Hannah prays, “No one is holy like the Lord.” In Hosea 11:9, God says, “For I am God, and not man, the holy One in your midst.” I wonder if much of what our modern churches do today in their hour of worship is nothing more than vain, Christianized, secular entertainment for the masses, where the worship of an infinitely holy God is ignored. Our God is holy other, and deserves to be worshiped as the One who is seated high above the heavens, whose glory fills the temple. The Lord is holy!
Finally, we worship the Lord because He is faithful. Whether it was Moses and Aaron, Samuel, or us in these trying times, God is faithful to hear our prayers when we call upon Him. More than once Moses interceded on behalf of Israel, and cried out to God not to wipe out the people of Israel.
Samuel was a man who regularly sought the Lord on behalf of His people. So, when God’s faithful cried out to God, He “answered them.” Even though the Lord may hold us accountable for our “sinful actions” (avenge), He is also faithful to forgive our sins because He is the “God Who-forgives” (NKJV).
