Psalm 99
Sunday, 4 September 2022
"Let them praise Your great and awesome name— He is holy.” -Psalm 99:3
Psalm 99 celebrates the Lord as the Great and Holy King in Zion and of the whole Universe. Our God is a great and holy God who sits enthroned in heaven. Heaven is His throne and earth is His footstool (Isaiah 66:1). With awe of His majesty and reverence of His word and rejoicing before Him, as His own people worship Him today, one day all nations will stand before Him in trembling. Psalm 99:3 reminds us that since we serve a God who is glorious in the perfection of His holiness, therefore He is to be praised and exalted and revered.
God’s holiness also reveals His justice - He is always on the side of justice and truth. He loves justice in that His power will be put forth only on behalf of that which is right. God shows this by His laws, by all the acts of His administration and how He establishes fairness.
God is morally perfect and set apart from sin. As a Righteous Judge, God cannot leave our sin unpunished; but in His infinite mercy and love provided a way for us to be reinstated to Him – through His beloved Son Jesus Christ, who in the very nature of God, knew no sin. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). It is by His prefect sacrifice that we are forgiven and His blood that paid the price on our behalf and washes us clean. Just as when the Israelites cried out to Him, God forgave them, today when we cry out to our Father, He forgives us and answers us from Heaven.
As we look to this holy and majestic King, what should our response be?
Reverential fear: While for an unbeliever fear of the Lord is fear of judgment and eternal punishment, for a believer, fear of the Lord comes from a reverence and deep abiding love for this holy God and the price He paid to redeem us. “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:28-29)
Repentant heart: Just as Isaiah saw his uncleanliness in the light of God’s holiness (Isaiah 1) when we get a glimpse of God’s holiness, our own sinful condition is revealed that should make us turn away from and repent of our wickedness. God promises in 1John 1:9 that “…if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”
Submissive life: Repenting of sins and receiving His forgiveness should lead to a life of absolute surrender to His rule and reign in our lives. Unless we forgo our selfish desires and choose to surrender our very being to Him, we can neither be rooted nor abide in Him doing His will and bearing much fruit as He desires of us.
Desire to be holy: Our ultimate aim in being united with Him should be to live a holy live. “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1Peter 1:14-15)
Knowing the great love which God has bestowed on us, we are called to worship Him for who He is and for what He has done. Worship is the reasonable sacrifice which we have to depict in a lifestyle reflecting Christ.
Prayer: Almighty God our heavenly Father we acknowledge You are our Creator and loving Father. Please help us to obey You out of love and knowing You and having an intimate relationship with You. In Jesus Name, Amen.
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