Psalms 98. As a result of what took place in the previous psalm, they are called upon again to sing the new song, because His salvation for His people had been made known, and His righteous judgments had been openly shown to the heathen. All the earth is to make a joyful noise before Jehovah the King. He was coming to judge the world with righteousness, and rule His people with equity.
Psalm 99. Jehovah is here announced as reigning, not from the heavens but as the One who sits between the cherubim. This was where He had promised to meet with them and commune with them (Ex. 25:2222And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel. (Exodus 25:22)). The people are called upon to praise His great and terrible, holy name, and the strength of the King that loveth justice. They are not brought into the relationship of being the children of God, who has been revealed to us as the God of love and also as the God of comfort. It was the Lord Jesus Christ who has revealed God to us in this way. He could only do this after He had suffered for us and redeemed His people by His death upon the cross.
In this psalm they know Jehovah as the One who establishes equity, and executes judgment among His people. They are called upon to worship at His footstool. Moses and Aaron as priests and Samuel of the prophets, are referred to as having called upon Jehovah, and He answered them. They were to worship Him at His holy hill, Zion, which shows that what the Lord Jesus said in John 4:21-2421Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:21‑24) did not apply to them; namely, that the hour was coming in which they would not worship in Jerusalem, but the true worshipers would worship the Father in spirit and in truth. We should appreciate more and more, the place of nearness which is ours, and give thanks unto our God and Father.
Psalm 100. This psalm is entitled, “A psalm of praise or thanksgiving,” so they are invited to come into His presence with gladness and singing. They were to know that Jehovah is God, that He had made them, and not they themselves. His controversy of old had been that when they were prosperous, they forgot Him and took all the credit to themselves, which is a very common thought of man in general in all ages. He had been good to them, and His loving kindnesses were to endure forever.
Psalm 101. Here the Messiah is speaking of the principles that should govern the people of God when restored to the land in the millennium.
Psalm 102. The Messiah calls to have His prayer heard. He is contemplating the cross and what it will be to have to do with God in making atonement for sins. Then we have God’s answer to Him, showing what His place will be in the coming kingdom. Though He was to be lifted up and cast down, yet He was to continue. He was the One who had created the earth and the heavens. They were to be folded up as a garment and pass away, but He should continue. This is one of the psalms which show that the Messiah, the Lord Jesus, was the Jehovah of the Old Testament.
ML 03/12/1961