Psalm 99:1

Psalm 99:1

He sits enthroned between the cherubim

Commentators have noted that the Hebrew tetragrammaton YHWH or JHVH is used 7 times in this Psalm. This, of course, is the sacred name for God, the name that Jews would not and do not speak, out of reverence and awe. The Jews get round their problem by using words like Adonai which means “Lord”, or Elohim which is “God” and HaShem which is translated “The Name.” Thus, YHWH Elohim is usually translated the “Lord God” in the Scriptures. 

This is a vibrant song that celebrates the rule and reign of the Holy King from Mount Zion and that encourages us to worship and exalt Him at His holy mountain. 

 

V1        Psalm 97:1 begins with the words, “The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad.” I believe that the earth in that verse refers to all of creation. It’s a different story here in Psalm 99 for here the Lord still reigns, but the nations should tremble! Nations, of course, refers to mankind. In other words, when the Lord comes to the earth in mighty power, bringing a kingdom of righteousness, justice, truth and equity, creation will be thrilled to be liberated, but there will be every reason for the corrupt peoples of the earth to shake in their shoes! The reign of the Lord is going to be an uncomfortable time for some, it will be a very different world to the one we know today.

So now we turn our attention to the One who “sits enthroned between the cherubim.” This phrase has a number of connotations; the first is that cherubim were the guardians appointed to exclude mankind from re-entering the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve had sinned. The Lord God “drove Adam out and placed on the east side of the Garden, cherubim and a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.” Genesis 3:24. These guardian angels were not to be messed with! 

In the same way, cherubim were made out of hammered gold and placed on the atonement cover of the mercy seat that stood upon the Ark of the Covenant. These celestial statuettes guarded the way into God’s salvation and the intimacy of His presence, in Hebrews 9:5 they were called, “the cherubim of the Glory!”. In Jewish eyes, the Lord always sat on His throne between the attendant cherubim and Ezekiel bears this out in his heavenly vision where cherubim appear as living creatures supporting the throne of God. (Ezekiel 10:1-20.) Earlier in his prophetic revelations, Ezekiel speaks of four of these beings (Ezekiel 1:4-14) and the same living creatures (a lion, an ox, a man and an eagle) are mentioned in Revelation 4:6. 

It is this intimacy with the Lord God and that fact that His Holy Presence is guarded by creatures far more powerful than man, that should cause the whole earth to shake. Who can defy them or stand against them? Their presence alone declares that the God of Glory is present and active. 

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