It seems like we are all facing more and more impossible situations every day, don’t we? Well, Psalm 99 encourages all of us to look at things from an eternal perspective. In fact, the best thing we can do is to turn our eyes away from our problems and take a good look at God.

For verse 1 reminds us that the Lord reigns – He is the One True King. And verse 2 points out that His rule doesn’t just extend to Zion, the people who recognize His authority. No, He reigns over all the peoples of the earth, whether they know it or not. As Jesus told His disciples, all power in Heaven and on Earth belongs to Him.

And the good news is that God always uses His authority and power in the right way. Verse 4 says that He loves justice and always does what is right. And verse 8 says that He is willing to put His perfect justice into action, avenging all wrongdoing. Over and over again, the psalmist reminds us that God is holy, high and lifted up, completely separate from any sin or corruption.

But at the same time, verse 8 tells us that God is forgiving. And how is that possible? God can be both perfectly just and perfectly merciful only through the sacrifice of the only perfect Man, the Son of God, Jesus the Messiah. Because Jesus paid the penalty that all our sins deserve, the Father can forgive all who trust in Him. Because Jesus took our sin upon Himself on the cross, the Father sees all His people as perfect and spotless, completely righteous in His sight.

So, how should we respond to such a mighty and gracious God? Verse 1 says that the peoples, the unbelieving nations should tremble in fear of His holiness. But those who trust in Him can have a different response – we can praise Him for His holiness and righteousness, we can trust in His perfect justice, we can bow down before Him and exalt Him, considering Him to be more important than anyone or anything else in our life.

Now, having looked at God, take another look at those problems in your life. Maybe some of them just disappear, as we realize we are striving for something that isn’t in accordance with God’s will. And as we fill our minds with God’s will and seek to walk in God’s way, as Moses and Aaron and Samuel did (v. 6), as we keep His testimonies and statutes (v. 7), walking in His perfect law of love for God and for others, our worldly frustrations should just fade away.

But what about our good and godly desires – for health and strength and safety and justice for God’s people? Well, can we doubt that our mighty and merciful God will fail to do what is best for us? As we focus our lives on Him and His glory, can we doubt that He will give us even more reasons to give Him thanks and praise, as He answers all our prayers that are in accordance with His good and perfect will for us?

So today, no matter what is going on in our lives, let’s exalt the Lord our God and worship Him only. Let’s praise His great and awesome name. For He is holy!

Psalm 99 (NASB)

The LORD reigns, let the peoples tremble; He is enthroned above the cherubim, let the earth shake!
2 The LORD is great in Zion, And He is exalted above all the peoples.
3 Let them praise Thy great and awesome name; Holy is He.
4 And the strength of the King loves justice; Thou hast established equity; Thou hast executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.
5 Exalt the LORD our God, And worship at His footstool; Holy is He.
6 Moses and Aaron were among His priests, And Samuel was among those who called on His name; They called upon the LORD, and He answered them.
7 He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud; They kept His testimonies, And the statute that He gave them.
8 O LORD our God, Thou didst answer them; Thou wast a forgiving God to them, And yet an avenger of their evil deeds.
9 Exalt the LORD our God, And worship at His holy hill; For holy is the LORD our God.