FOR GOD IS HOLY

PSALM 99

Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool—He is holy

(Ps. 99:5).

On Psalm 99 Calvin noted that God’s holiness should strike an awe in us as it does in the angels themselves. When Isaiah stood before the heavenly throne, the angels circled above, singing, “holy, holy, holy” to the Lord of heaven and earth. The holiness of God so manifest to the angels of glory should captivate our souls as we contemplate our sovereign Lord.

This psalm instructs us in the proper manner of praising God who is holy above all others. It teaches us to praise God as sovereign Ruler, as the Judge of all creation, as the merciful Savior who receives the petitions of His people, as the God of Jacob who reigns in righteousness and equity. This is the God we worship and exalt in the splendor of holiness and glory.

Three men who knew what it meant to worship and serve God, and who stood before His holy presence, were Moses, Aaron, and Samuel. God knew these men by name, called them to a holy calling, and brought them into an intimate communion with Himself. God called Moses to lead His people out of the bondage of Egypt, through the wilderness, and into the promised land. Aaron became high priest in the Levitical order—he and his descendants served the Lord in the tabernacle and interceded on the people’s behalf, standing in the gap between the living and the dead. God called Samuel to be His prophet, revealing Himself to Samuel through His word. Like Moses and Aaron before Him, Samuel interceded on behalf of the people and spoke the words of the Lord to Israel. These men humbled themselves before the Lord. They obeyed God’s commands. God heard their prayers and listened to their cries for help. They instructed the people and prayed to God, mediating as Yahweh’s chosen servants.

These men were captivated by the holiness of God. 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” (Ps. 99:6–7 niv). They exalted the Lord and worshiped Him at His holy mountain. Let all of God’s people learn from these great leaders, who humbled themselves before the holiness of God and served Him all their days in holiness and truth.

CORAM DEO

Psalms 103–104

Romans 14

God commands you to be holy as He is holy. List some sins in your life that you know keep you from reflecting God’s holiness. Through the week, focus on one sin, pray for victory over it, and take practical steps to remove all temptations leading to this sin.

For further study: Ex. 15:1–18 • Lev. 11:45 • Isa. 6 • Heb. 12:14 • Rev. 15

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