John Calvin Commentary Psalms 99

Jehovah reigns. The people, who were previously called upon to rejoice, are now commanded to tremble. For since the Jews were surrounded by enemies, it was extremely important that God’s power should be exalted among them, so that they might know that, while under His protection, they would be always and entirely safe from the hatred and fury of every enemy.

The Hebrew word רגז, ragaz, as we have seen elsewhere, sometimes signifies to tremble, at other times, to be angry, and, in short, denotes any strong emotion arising either from anger or fear. Accordingly, the prophet here intends that God, in the deliverance of His chosen people, should give such a tangible display of His power that it would strike all the nations with dismay, and make them realize how recklessly they had rushed toward their own destruction.

For it is particularly in relation to humankind that God is said to reign, when He exalts Himself by the magnificent displays of His power. This is because, while the help He gives them remains unseen, unbelievers act more presumptuously, as if there were no God.

Jehovah in Zion It is proper that we should not forget the antithesis I previously mentioned, namely, that God is great in Zion to destroy and annihilate all the enemies of his Church; and that, when the Psalmist goes on to say, he is high above all nations, his meaning is not that he presides over them to promote their welfare, but to disconcert their counsels, to baffle their designs, and to subvert all their power.

What immediately follows about the praising of God’s name, refers not to the nations at large, but in my opinion to the faithful, from whom alone the prophet demands a tribute of gratitude. For although God compels his vanquished enemies to acknowledge him, yet as they do not cease from speaking against his glory, and blaspheming his holy name, it cannot be to them that the exhortation is addressed, Praise the name of God, for it is holy; but to the faithful, who, from their knowledge of God’s holy name, very cordially engage in the celebration of its praises.

The king’s strength also loves judgment. This may be viewed as a threat designed to fill his enemies with dismay, as if he were to say, such is God’s regard for righteousness and equity, that he has clothed himself with power to avenge the injuries which his enemies have done to him.

I think it preferable, however, to apply it to the Church, because she is under the government of God for the express purpose of practicing righteousness and holiness. There is another interpretation which is by no means objectionable: namely, that which does not associate ideas of tyranny with the government of God, because there is constant concord between his power and justice.

But when I consider the whole context, I have no doubt that the prophet, after having introduced God as established upon his royal throne, now speaks of the manner in which he governs his kingdom. For he adds, thou hast established equity and righteousness. This clause is susceptible of two interpretations: either that God in his law has commanded his people to practice perfect equity, or that, in supporting and defending them, he has uniformly testified his great regard for his justice and equity.

It is certainly true that the highest equity has always characterized the works and judgments of God. Yet, it appears more probable that this refers to that system, that form of government, which God, who loves justice, appointed among the people of Israel. This system was the best rule for leading a life of honesty and integrity.

Therefore, the word to do is improperly taken to signify to order or command. If anyone chooses to consider this last clause as relating to God’s government, I am by no means inclined to disagree with him. For there is nothing that more animates and encourages the faithful to render obedience to God, or inspires them with greater zeal to observe his law, than to find in this course of action that they are the objects of his paternal care, and that the righteousness which he requires from his own people in words is, on his part, reciprocated by kind deeds.

Exalt Jehovah our God. This exhortation is properly addressed to the Church alone, because having been made a partaker of the grace of God, she should the more zealously devote herself to His service and to the love of godliness. The Psalmist, therefore, calls upon the Jews to exalt that God from whom they had received such clear help, and instructs them to render that worship appointed in His Law.

Indeed, the temple is frequently called in other places God’s seat, or house, or rest, or dwelling place; here it is called His footstool, and there is an excellent reason for this metaphor. For God desired to dwell in the midst of His people in such a way as not only to direct their thoughts to the outward temple and to the ark of the covenant, but rather to elevate them to things above.

Hence, the term "house" or "dwelling place" tended to impart courage and confidence to them, so that all the faithful might have boldness to draw near to God freely, whom they saw coming to meet them of His own accord.

But as the minds of men are prone to superstition, it was necessary to check this propensity, so that they would not associate fleshly and earthly things with their notions of God, and their thoughts become wholly engrossed by the outward forms of worship. The prophet, therefore, in calling the temple God’s footstool, desires the godly to elevate their thoughts above it, for He fills heaven and earth with His infinite glory.

Nevertheless, by these means He reminds us that true worship can be paid to God nowhere else than on Mount Zion. For he employs a style of writing that is calculated to elevate the minds of the godly above the world and, at the same time, does not in any way detract from the holiness of the temple, which alone of all places on earth God had chosen as the place where He was to be worshipped.

From this we can see, since the days of Augustine, how futilely many perplex themselves in trying to determine the reason for the prophet ordering God’s footstool to be worshipped. Augustine's answer is ingenious. If, he says, we look to Christ’s manhood, we will perceive a reason why we can worship the footstool of God and yet not be guilty of idolatry; for that body in which He wishes to be worshipped He took from the earth, and on this earth nothing else than God is worshipped, for the earth is both the habitation of the Deity, and God Himself condescended to become earth.

All this is very plausible, but it is foreign to the prophet's design, who, intending to distinguish between legal worship (which was the only worship that God sanctioned) and the superstitious rites of the heathen, calls the children of Abraham to the temple, as to their standard, there, in a spiritual manner, to worship God, because He dwells in celestial glory.

Now that the shadowy dispensation has passed away, I believe that God can only be properly worshipped when we come to Him directly through Christ, in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells. It would be improper and absurd for anyone to designate Him a footstool. For the prophet merely spoke in this way to show that God was not confined to the visible temple, but that He is to be sought for above all heavens, since He is elevated above the whole world.

The frantic bishops of Greece, in the Second Council of Nicaea, very shamefully perverted this passage when they tried to prove from it that God was to be worshipped by images and pictures. The reason assigned for exalting Jehovah our God, and worshipping at His footstool, contains an antithesis: He is holy. For the prophet, in hallowing the name of the one God, declares all the idols of the heathen to be unholy; as if to say, Although the heathen claim for their idols an imaginary sanctity, they are nevertheless utter vanity, an offense, and an abomination. Some translate this clauses for it is holy; but it will appear from the end of the psalm that it was the prophet’s design by this title to distinguish God from all idols.

Moses and Aaron. The Psalmist magnifies the special grace which God, in a very remarkable manner, bestowed upon the seed of Abraham, that from them he chose for himself prophets and priests to be, as it were, mediators between him and the people, to ratify the covenant of salvation. And he mentions three persons who were famous in former times.

For Moses was, as it were, a mediator to reconcile the people to God. Aaron was invested with the same office; and, subsequently, Samuel fulfilled the same role. There is no doubt, however, that under these three persons he included all the people with whom God had made a covenant.

But he mentions the names of those who were the custodians and guardians of this invaluable treasure. It may appear improper that he should speak of Moses as among the priests, since his sons were only among the common Levites, and that Moses himself, after the giving of the law, never held the office of high priest.

But as the Hebrews call כוהנים, chohanim, those who are chief and very eminent individuals, such as kings’ sons, nothing prevents the prophet from giving this designation to Moses, as if he had said that he was one of the holy rulers of the Church. Moreover, if we go back to the earliest period—to the time before the publication of the law—it is certain that Moses was then invested with the high priest’s office.

The prophet’s purpose must also be kept in mind: namely, that God not only adopted the seed of Abraham but also set apart some of them to act as mediators, whom he instructed to call upon his name, so that his covenant might be further confirmed. For the invocation of which he speaks must not be understood indiscriminately to mean every kind of calling upon, but only that which belongs to the priests, who were chosen by God as intercessors to appear in his presence on behalf of all the people and to speak for them.

They called upon Jehovah. The Psalmist explains more fully what I have just said: that God from the very beginning, and specifically in relation to his gracious covenant, bestowed great benefits upon the descendants of Abraham—the Jews. And, therefore, whenever they experienced the loving-kindness of God, they needed to remember his previous loving-kindness.

The prophet also makes particular mention of the visible symbol of the cloudy pillar, by which God intended to testify in all ages that his presence was always with his people. He employed temporal signs not only for the benefit of those to whom they were shown but also for the benefit of those who would succeed them.

This is not to say that God always showed a cloudy pillar to his ancient people. However, considering that human dullness is so great that people do not perceive God's presence unless reminded by external signs, the prophet rightly reminds the Jews of this memorable sign.

And just as God had appeared openly in the desert to their ancestors, so their descendants could be well assured that he would also be near them. The prophet adds that they had kept God’s testimonies, in order to impress the duty of similar obedience upon succeeding generations.