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COMMENTARY ON PSALM 99 A psalm for David. No title in the Hebrew. HIS PSALM PROPHESIES the return ofJews from Babylon , and forecasts both the appearance of our Savior and the Jews' unbelief. The Lord reigned; let peoples be enraged (v. 1): both Jews and pagans rant and rave on hearing of the kingship of Christ the Lord. And when the Jews obtained their freedom, all their neighbors seethed with anger to behold their unexpected return, though this revealed the power of the one adored by them. The one who is seated on the Cherubim. Let the earth be shaken. The one proclaimed by us, he is saying, is both God and Lord of the powers above. He said seated as though engaged in dialogue with human beings: [1665] what kind of a seat is needed by the incorporeal nature, incomprehensible and uncircumscribed, controlling the circle of the earth and its inhabitants like locusts?' But he uses language to present the God of all riding upon the Cherubim in the manner of a king, terrifYing and intimidating the listeners. (2) The Lord in Sion is great, he is exalted over all the peoples (v. 2). When the Jews returned and built the divine Temple, the power of God was made clear to all. In particular, the one who endured the cross, in fact, emerged as Lord of the whole world, the sacred apostles offering the saving message to the nations.2 Let them praise your mighty name, because it is fearsome and holy (v. 3): so everyone must sing your praises, recount your favors, and 1. Cf. Isa 40.22. In true Antiochene style, Theodoret alerts his readers to the risk of infringing divine transcendence if they do not appreciate the figurative language of the poet. 2. We feel that it is despite the obvious sense of the text that Theodoret, probably in response to his predecessors, is insisting from the outset on giving the psalm historical, eschatological, and Christological meanings. 140 COMMENTARYON PSALM 99 141 not be inquisitive about your ineffable nature, but offer worship to your name, fearsome and all-holy as it is, sanctitying the believers, territying the unbelievers. (3) A king's honor loves judgment (v. 4): we must dread him as king and as dealer in righteousness, the guidance of his subjects justly being proper to true kingship. A king's honor loves judgment, after all-that is, being fond of justice makes a king honorable. What follows also suggests as much, You have prepared right ways, you have worked judgment and righteousness in Jacob : as a righteous king you have delivered a right and just verdict , and freed Israel from the influence of those who enslaved it, and the nations from the devil's slavery.3 In keeping with the other level of inspired composition, however, it should be taken this way: You showed the truth of your promise by fulfilling the pledges made to the forebears of Israel and granting salvation through the seed of Abraham. Extol the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool, because he is holy (v. 5): so repay the benefactor as far as you are able, and offer him due reverence. Extol means Proclaim his sublimity. His footstool is to be taken in reference to olden times as the Temple in Jerusalem, and in reference to present times as the churches throughout all land and sea, in which we offer worship to the all-holy God. (4) Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those who called upon his name (v. 6). It was not without purpose4 that he omitted the other inspired people in mentioning only these; rather, it was to teach theJews' innate frenzy and lust for power: in the time of Moses and Aaron· they attempted to wrest the priesthood, [1668] and in the time of Samuel they scorned the divine kingship and preferred a human one. So the verse teaches that they are doing nothing new in their frenzy against the 3. This final phrase is from the long form of the text, ever anxious to supply an eschatological meaning-unaware that Theodoret is about to do just that. As often, we get the impression from that form of the text of an editor who does not always respect or even appreciate Theodoret's intent. 4. Another signature of Antiochene commentary, the phrase "not idly, not without purpose" betraying the commentator's unwillingness to allow any item of the text to...

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