Like the psalms before it (93,95-98) this song calls people into the temple, to worship YHWH, Creator of all things, in singing.
Psalm 99:1, Between the cherubim
The LORD reigns,
let the nations tremble;
he sits enthroned between the cherubim,
let the earth shake.
YHWH, Who is viewed as sitting above the altar, between the giant cherubim, is praised as the powerful Creator, the One Who controls and judges all nations. The parallelism here is interwoven: "The LORD reigns/he sits enthroned, " and "the nations tremble/the earth shake."
The image of God between the powerful cherubim appears in other places. One image of the cherubim may occur in Ezekiel 1:4-28; see also Ezekiel 10:1.
Psalm 99:2-3, Over all nations
Great is the LORD in Zion;
he is exalted over all the nations.
Let them praise your great and awesome name--
he is holy.
This psalm offers a certain counterpoint to the excited singing of the psalms around it. Here we are reminded (says Kidner) that worship of YHWH is not just joyous but is also reverent, aware of, even awed by His "holiness", that is, His powerful, supernatural difference (from humans) in righteousness and power.
Psalm 99:4, Justice and equity
The King is mighty,
he loves justice--
you have established equity;
in Jacob you have done what is just and right.
God, as King, is equated with justice and equity; He bring justice to the descendants of Jacob.
Psalm 99:5, Holy, holy, holy
Exalt the LORD our God
and worship at his footstool;
he is holy.
Throughout the psalms, the footstool is where the servants kneel to confess the king's power.
Psalm 99:6-7, God of Moses, Aaron, Samuel
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.
After praising God as creator of all nations and as having control of all, the focus shifts to Israel, to priests Moses, Aaron and Samuel. The passage includes a reminder of the events in the desert of Sinai. It is possible (says Kidner) that these seven psalms (93,95-100), all calls to worship in the temple, were sung at the Feast of Tabernacles (see Leviticus 23:33-36 & 39-43), when the people of Israel recalled their temporary shelters in the desert.
Psalm 99:8, Forgiving Israel
O LORD our God, you answered them;
you were to Israel a forgiving God,
though you punished their misdeeds.
Although Israel repeatedly turned away to worship idols or break the covenant law, the psalmist reminds his listeners that YHWH forgives and brings Israel back.
Psalm 99:9, Holy!
Exalt the LORD our God
and worship at his holy mountain,
for the LORD our God is holy.
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