532_Holy is the Lord!

Psalm 99 The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble!
He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
2 The Lord is great in Zion;
he is exalted over all the peoples.
3 Let them praise your great and awesome name!
Holy is he!
4 The King in his might loves justice.
You have established equity;
you have executed justice
and righteousness in Jacob.
5 Exalt the Lord our God;
worship at his footstool!
Holy is he!

6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
Samuel also was among those who called upon his name.
They called to the Lord, and he answered them.
7 In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them;
they kept his testimonies
and the statute that he gave them.

8 O Lord our God, you answered them;
you were a forgiving God to them,
but an avenger of their wrongdoings.
9 Exalt the Lord our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for the Lord our God is holy!

A.W. Tozer once wrote, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” And the greatest truth about God, that should shape our thoughts and our lives, is simply this: God is holy. Psalm 99 celebrates that holiness three times in just nine verses. This repetition drives home the point so that we may not miss it. The Lord whom we worship is holy.

Elsewhere in Scripture, we read how Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up, with seraphim surrounding His throne crying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.” John, exiled on the island of Patmos, saw the throne of God and heard the living creatures cry day and night, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” The testimony is the same: God is holy.

But what do we mean by holiness? This describes something that is set apart, different because uniquely devoted to God who is holy. An ordinary object can become holy if it is dedicated to God’s service, like the vessels of the tabernacle. A person is holy if set apart for God’s will and purposes. But the holiness of God is not derived like the holiness of all other things.

The holiness of God encompasses all His attributes—His love, His justice, His mercy, His faithfulness. Holiness is the radiant crown of all that He is. No words can fully capture it. No song can exhaust its praise.

God is without blemish, perfect in his love and his truth, infinite in his majesty that is grounded in righteousness and justice. Other things only become holy when they are offered to him. But because of this, God created us to be holy. Even in Israel’s sinful condition, God gave them laws by which they might get their first look at holiness.

The book of Leviticus is filled with instructions that emphasize God’s intention for His people, “You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean” (Leviticus 10:10). When Nadab and Abihu disregarded this, offering common fire before the altar of incense, they died before his presence. God warned his people that he expected them to be holy, as he was holy. Worship demands joyful and unconditional obedience.

Psalm 99 begins with a declaration: “The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble!” For Israel, the holiest place on earth was the Most Holy Place in the temple, where the glory of God once resided between the cherubim, above the mercy seat. But this knowledge brought only trembling and fear. Even the high priest could enter that holy place only once a year, that too only with the blood of the sacrifice. God’s holiness means reverence, awe, and even fear. “Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he!”

Although we often speak of God’s greatness, do we truly believe it and live by it? All too often we live in the fear of people rather than God. Their approval means far more to us than the honor that comes from God. This is why our lives are not marked by reverential fear and by hatred of evil. This is why our lives are not lived under the gaze of God alone – we desire the approval of others.

The psalmist then declares, “The King in his might loves justice. You have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.” God’s holiness consists not only of his commandments to avoid sin, but his justice and righteousness that will one day renew the world. Unlike human rulers who often fail, God always acts with fairness and integrity. Therefore we should “Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!”

The psalm also draws us back to history, reminding us of Moses, Aaron, and Samuel—leaders who cried out to God for his people, and were heard. Samuel once told Israel, “Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you.” These men knew the holiness of God. The psalm says, “In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them; they kept his testimonies and the statute that he gave them.” God revealed Himself to His people, guiding them, answering them, teaching them His ways.

But God disciplined his servants in his love. He forgave Moses and Aaron, but because of their disobedience they did not enter the Promised Land. He did not abandon his people when they repeatedly tested him – but he still allowed them to wander in the wilderness. Samuel himself grieved over the failures of Saul, whom God rejected. God forgives our sins through grace, but He allows consequences. Sin is not overlooked, even as grace provides forgiveness.

The psalm repeats the call to worship. “Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!” Worship is the only fitting response to God’s holiness. It is not something which is to be admired from a distance. God calls us to reflect it. “Be holy, for I am holy,” He commands. By the Spirit’s power, we are made partakers of His divine nature. All that we need for life and godliness is ours through the knowledge of him. John says, “Everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as He is pure.”

Therefore, to worship the holy God is not just to lift our voices in song but to shape our lives in likeness to His character. Holiness is not about isolation but transformation—revealing in our hearts and lives the purity, mercy, and truth of God to a world that waits in despair.

As we live before him, let us cultivate reverence in our daily lives. Let us approach the throne of grace in time of need, but not casually. Let us pray in recognition of his holiness rather than treating him as a vending machine for our desires.

Let us pursue holiness, as he is holy. Let us surrender our daily plans to his sovereign and good will. Let us choose to be pure when faced with temptation. Let us love righteousness rather than our own casual evil plans. Let our worship spill over into our witness.

For holiness is not a burden but a calling. Not legalism but about reflecting the beauty of God. We are set apart, not for pride, but for praise. So let us hear again the psalmist’s final call: “Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!” Let those who hear the psalmist join the joyful song that will last through eternity.